Craftsman 46" Deck Question

[shaley]

Help, My 46" Craftsman mower deck is rusting out. Anyone know a source for replacement. I gues AYP makes these for Sears.

 

[Fordlords]

They are now made by Husqvarna group. New deck housings and parts should be available right through Sears, depending on the age. It's either that or look for a used deck on e-bay.
-Fordlords-

 

[MrJimi]

Depending how bad it is, take it to a body shop or a sheet metal shop for a repair price and I'm thinking a new one would last about the same amount of time and don't put it away with wet grass beneath deck or wash it and then put it away

 

[shaley]

Thanks guys, I'm definately going to coat this deck with something. The first deck only lasted 5yrs.

 

[Fordlords]

Best thing you can do is get a little air compressor and a scraper and clean the underside of the deck every 2 or 3 mowings. (This seriously only takes 3 or 4 minutes with a compressor.) We got 25 years out of the first deck on the Cub doing this, (a large crack on the front did it in, not rust), and now have 9 years on the one on the Craftsman and it still looks excellent underneath. It's when you let the grass pile up under it storing all that acid and moisture contunuously is what makes the deck rust through. There are few if any paints or coatings that are going to stand up to every nick and ding the underside of a deck it going to get- normal cleaning will make the most difference with deck life.

-Fordlords-

 

[Stimw]

I just bought a new deck for a 46" Sears from Sears parts. You can look up parts with the Sears model number at their web site. Very convienent. Just the deck cost $148. plus tax and shipping. I rebuilt the spindles but bought bearings from baileynet.com Sears shipping was very fast, 2 business days.