Mowing Mid-mount mower deck removel

[Buckeyeman]

I have a B7610 with a 60" mid-mount deck and am having great difficulty getting the deck out from under the tractor and installing it also after I maintenance the deck. I see the new B-Series have a drive-over attachment to make it easier to get the deck under the tractor. Does anyone make an aftermarket set-up that is similar to this?

 

[aczlan]

Do you have a loader on that tractor? If so, you can do what we do with out B7510, we disconnect the linkage and the PTO from the deck, put a pair of 6x6 pieces (about a 18" long) under the bucket, dump it all way way, lower the bucket (raising the front of the tractor) until the wheels are far enough off the ground that the deck fits under them and roll out the deck. Takes ~5 mins to get it off and ~8 mins to get it back on this way.

Aaron Z

 

[bigdad]

Not one of my favorite jobs.... especially installing. aczlan gave you the straight. Also the book explains how to crank the front wheels and roll it out one side. PITA without the loader. It sure helps to have the tractor on a flat smooth surface.

Be careful.

 

[Buckeyeman]

I have a loader, but it's not attached while I'm cutting. I want to be able to clean the deck after cutting because I have an attached garage and it sinks bad if you don't clean it. My loader stays off unless I need it.

 

[aczlan]

For me, it is faster and easier to put the loader on, pull the deck and take the loader back off than to try to get the deck off without putting the loader on.

Timewise it is about the same to pull the deck with/without the loader but it is MUCH easier (and less banged appendages) if I use the loader.

Aaron Z

 

[Code54]

Have you thought about getting a set of car ramps and just driving up them, pressure wash the deck and drive back down. Would beat taking it off IMO.
Good luck

 

[bigdad]

No way would I pull the deck just to clean it. I don't like sour grass either so I roll mine up on ramps like Code54 suggests and scrape it off. (At least the heavy nasty stuff) I also paint the deck with Graphite paint and that makes cleaning easier. If nothing else removing the skunky grass will ****** rusting of the underside of the deck.

 

[James Loehr]

I use a chain hoist. Just unhook the mower and lift the front of the BX and roll the mower out. No turning mower wheels or trying to get it out the side of the tractor. Then let the tractor down and back it up and use the hoist to raise the mower deck for cleaning. It may not be the fastest way but I'm not having to struggle with this job at all. Putting the deck back on is also the very simple and easy. Got the hoist at a garage sale for ten dollars. My best find ever.

 

[Tdog]

Buckey - - another great solution which I use: buy 4 3-wheel casters & put one under each anti-skid wheels. Once the deck is disconnected, you can roll the deck any direction. This works great if you have a smooth enough concrete floor for the casters to roll.

Jack

 

[Buckeyeman]

Have you thought about getting a set of car ramps and just driving up them, pressure wash the deck and drive back down. Would beat taking it off IMO.
Good luck

I tried a set of car ramps one time and it didn't get it high enough off the ground. I was on my hands & knees with the pressure washer just to try and see under the deck. I would prefer a drive over set-up. John Deere has the ultimate set-up (AutoConnect).

Once I get it out it's pretty easy to clean & grease, it's getting out from under and getting back that's a pain.

 

[crbr]

I use a chain hoist. Just unhook the mower and lift the front of the BX and roll the mower out. No turning mower wheels or trying to get it out the side of the tractor. Then let the tractor down and back it up and use the hoist to raise the mower deck for cleaning. It may not be the fastest way but I'm not having to struggle with this job at all. Putting the deck back on is also the very simple and easy. Got the hoist at a garage sale for ten dollars. My best find ever.

Same here. I use a Warn hoist to raise up the front of the B7800. Detach / reattach in less than 3 minutes each way. While I am at it, I also raise the deck with the hoist to remove / reinstall sharpened blades.

 

[nostep]

Just an idea here, but why not come up with a pressure washer attachment with about three nozzles and drive over it. This is like an under carriage wash at the car wash. Just a thought.

 

[TomC]

I have a B7510 with the 60" MMM. I pretty much stick to the "book" procedure. The hardest part is changing the anti-scalp wheels so the deck rolls easy; other than that, it's not a big deal. I don't clean it after every use; and, yes I keep it in my garage. So, it smells! It's a tractor in the garage...get over it. (my granddaughter, who's really into the horse scene loves the smell.....go figure.)

 

[nh DRAGON]

I have a B7510 with the 60" MMM. I pretty much stick to the "book" procedure. The hardest part is changing the anti-scalp wheels so the deck rolls easy; other than that, it's not a big deal. I don't clean it after every use; and, yes I keep it in my garage. So, it smells! It's a tractor in the garage...get over it. (my granddaughter, who's really into the horse scene loves the smell.....go figure.)

Yeah, Takes longer to turn the wheels than it does to uninstall or install. I also use fluid film so nothing sticks to the under neath of the deck and it always looks like new!

 

[Buckeyeman]

I don't clean it after every use; and, yes I keep it in my garage. So, it smells! It's a tractor in the garage...get over it.

To each his own, I'm not going to get over it!

Like the original question that was asked, if there was an aftermarket set-up similar to the new B-series decks. It's a yes or no answer, it's that simple.

 

[jnjpream]

I haven't done this yet, but one thing I though about was to drill a hole through the anti-scalp shafts 90 degrees from the normal ones. Such that you just turn the anti-scalp 90 degrees, drop the mower, and roll it out.

Anybody tried anything similar?

 

[ChuckinNH]

To each his own, I'm not going to get over it!

Like the original question that was asked, if there was an aftermarket set-up similar to the new B-series decks. It's a yes or no answer, it's that simple.

Answer: NO

 

[TomC]

I haven't done this yet, but one thing I though about was to drill a hole through the anti-scalp shafts 90 degrees from the normal ones. Such that you just turn the anti-scalp 90 degrees, drop the mower, and roll it out.

Anybody tried anything similar?

Uh, they're (hole) already there. That's part of the standard procedure; remove the ring and pin, spin the anti-scalp wheel 90 degrees, reinsert pin and ring, roll the deck out from under the tractor.....

 

[nh DRAGON]

I haven't done this yet, but one thing I though about was to drill a hole through the anti-scalp shafts 90 degrees from the normal ones. Such that you just turn the anti-scalp 90 degrees, drop the mower, and roll it out.

Anybody tried anything similar?

And how have you been doing it? We'd all like to know!

 

[jnjpream]

And how have you been doing it?

Appearently I've been doing it without paying attention to it.. I have an epoxied garage floor, so I just grab hold and slide it out.

I just went out and checked, and the hole was hidden inside the tube so I didn't see it. I've just been cutting weeds so I've never had to adjust the height of the wheels.