Adding Anti-Scalping Wheels to 42" Deck

[Burbot]

My 42" deck often scallops the lawn when making a turn on ground that is not level -there are wheels only on the front part of the deck - I would like to add a wheel to each side toward the rear of the deck to prevent this- I am wondering if anyone has some suggestions on how to do this and where to get the parts to do so -

Thanks for your help -

 

[Captain Dirty]

My 42" deck often scallops the lawn when making a turn on ground that is not level -there are wheels only on the front part of the deck - I would like to add a wheel to each side toward the rear of the deck to prevent this- I am wondering if anyone has some suggestions on how to do this and where to get the parts to do so -

Welcome to TBN.

I have a JD F510 Front Mower that is fitted with an anti-scalping wheel at the left rear. The wheel is all plastic with a tapered or conical shape; it spins on a stub axle that is bolted to a piece of flat stock (approx 5/16" x 1-1/4") The flat stock moves vertically in a rectangular tube and bracket welded onto the mower deck. Height is adjusted by a pin trough one of several holes drilled in the flat stock. The wheel, stub axle, flat stock, pins, and other hardware are available as parts. The bracket is probably part of the deck which is no longer available.

While you could buy the parts and fabricate the bracket, it may be simpler and cheaper to scavenge/cannibalize a junked deck for the parts and bracket and weld or bolt the bracket (with surrounding metal from the junk deck) to your deck.

Now for the caveats. When I first got the F510 I kept lowering the wheel without success in smoothing the cut, and I wore the all-plastic wheel quickly. A very knowledgable woman at a (no longer) JD dealership (separate story) advised me to RAISE the wheel, which helped smooth the cut. The wheel and stub axle still wear and wobble severely although not as quickly. Therefore I recommend you make/mount your device to allow for a lot of adjustability and experimentation.

Have you considered re-grading the offending portion of lawn? Could be easier and cheaper.

 

[beenthere]

First off, I'd suspect the deck setup is not by the book. i.e. the deck is to be carried by the tractor and the rear wheels should be keeping it from scalping your lawn. But you might consider a rear deck roller.

I put one under my 54" decks per the pic.