Added eye bolts to mower deck

[prosparky]

So, after a bit of indecision, I decided to add a couple of 5/8" forged eye bolts to my 60" mower deck. These give me a safe and strong place to hook my chains. The brackets that they are mounted through are 1/2" thick, plus the thickness of the deck. Plenty strong.

 

[greif]

I did the same thing last year

 

[lexluther]

Why?
Got a wide picture?

 

[shaeff]

Why? Got a wide picture?

Makes it very easy to transport and service the mower deck. Just chain it up to the bucket and move or flip if upright to pressure wash, or lay it upside down to change blades easily.

 

[davedj1]

What are you mowing that requires the deck to be on it's side? Shrubs? LOL Good idea.

 

[shaeff]

What are you mowing that requires the deck to be on it's side? Shrubs? LOL Good idea.

It's great for keeping a sharp vertical edge on your boxwood hedges

 

[EddieWalker]

How do you attach your chains to your loader? One of the guys on here died from lifting his mower with his loader. From what I understand, the chains slipped while he was under it and the mower crushed him.

I bent a one inch metal rod into an S shape that attaches to my floor jack. The bottom part of the S goes under my deck and the top part goes into the hole on top of the jack where the squarish metal plate attaches that you line up when jacking stuff up. Two wooden 6x6 blocks cut to fit go under the deck to keep it from ever falling on me. It's not as easy to clean as your set up, but it just takes me a few minutes to scrape off the build up a couple times a year.

 

[prosparky]

Here's a couple more pictures. The chains attach to grab hooks (or the center shackle) on my pallet Fork frame. I know well enough to not work underneath a suspended load, and to stay out of the line of fire in case something breaks or otherwise comes loose. I don't lift the deck up very high to work on it. The last pic is from my last job, doing a turbine rotor replacement in a nuclear power plant. Over 220 Tons in the air.

 

[oldballs]

Here's my approach to the lift, using just two bolts. Early on I tried working on the deck as it was suspended......didn't like that.....Then I tried working on it using some old shaky saw horses....did like that either. So as you can see I made a sturdy outdoor bench that is good for a lot of projects. Sparky....just trying to add to your post....not upstage anybody....

 

[lexluther]

Why?
Got a wide picture?

I see, makes more sense on a mid mount mower, thanks

 

[prosparky]

Here's my approach to the lift, using just two bolts. Early on I tried working on the deck as it was suspended......didn't like that.....Then I tried working on it using some old shaky saw horses....did like that either. So as you can see I made a sturdy outdoor bench that is good for a lot of projects. Sparky....just trying to add to your post....not upstage anybody....View attachment 505237View attachment 505238View attachment 505239

Oldballs, No offense taken. I actually considered using bolts the same way you did. Not sure why I changed my mind. I guess I like to make more work for myself. It gives me more garage time!

 

[prosparky]

How do you attach your chains to your loader? One of the guys on here died from lifting his mower with his loader. From what I understand, the chains slipped while he was under it and the mower crushed him.

I bent a one inch metal rod into an S shape that attaches to my floor jack. The bottom part of the S goes under my deck and the top part goes into the hole on top of the jack where the squarish metal plate attaches that you line up when jacking stuff up. Two wooden 6x6 blocks cut to fit go under the deck to keep it from ever falling on me. It's not as easy to clean as your set up, but it just takes me a few minutes to scrape off the build up a couple times a year.

That sounds like a good setup. It's always the seemingly simple and non dangerous things that hurt or kill. Thanks for looking out.

 

[smokinmad]

Oldballs, No offense taken. I actually considered using bolts the same way you did. Not sure why I changed my mind. I guess I like to make more work for myself. It gives me more garage time!

LOL...At our age more Garage time means Less Wife time.....it's a win-win....lol.....yes dear, I'm getting off now....

 

[Tomtint]

When we service the deck on my fathers BX, I just use the factory brackets between your eye bolts to put a chain through and lift it with the loader.