Problem with 62C deck (on X495)

[Neandertaler]

Hi everyone,

i just bought my first GT and settled on a used 2003 X495 with a 62c deck and 1200 hours on it. Today i removed the deck for the first time in order to install gator blades. unfortunately the blades were too long and did not fit correctly, but that is not the issue. I took the time to clean the deck and found that the right blade spindle does not look normal as it does not align with the underside of the deck like the other two spindles. Somebody actually has installed washers underneath.......! :O

I am a newbie but that really Looks weird......any thoughts and suggestions????

 

[glc24]

unfortunately the blades were too long and did not fit correctly

The blade for that deck should have been Oregon # 396-771.

right blade spindle does not look normal as it does not align with the underside of the deck like the other two spindles

You're right,there is definitely something amiss with that spindle. It should be flush with the deck. Can't see any reason for washers. JD Parts website will have the complete breakdown of your tractor. Just go to the catalog and put in your tractor model.

https://jdparts.deere.com/servlet/com.deere.u90.jdparts.view.publicservlets.HomeUnsigned



Greg

 

[Neandertaler]

Well i thought so. Unfortunately I did not found out before. As a newbie the cut seemed ok as I do not have any reference. Although I can see different paths of the blades in the grass, the cut is ok for me as I do no have a golf course but a rough simple lawn. Also I did not experience any vibrations. So my main question is now:

Can it stay that way? Will anything happen in the long term? I have no idea how i would be able to bend the deck so everything is straight again and the spindle would be flush with the deck without the washers. Worst case Scenario would be buying a new steel housing which is probably the most expensive part of the mower :-(

The Prices here in Germany are ridicoulous. A new 62" deck is about 4500$ whereas I could get a new 62X replacement deck for 1700$ in the USA........

 

[Neandertaler]

I talked with the seller (a small used farm Maschine dealer) and he will exchange the deck as soon as he gets another 62" deck in good condition. And I will inspect that deck carefully this time as i learned my lesson ;-). By the way....am i limited to the 62C deck or is the 62D and 62X deck interchangeable for a 2003 X495 model?

 

[glc24]

I talked with the seller (a small used farm Maschine dealer) and he will exchange the deck as soon as he gets another 62" deck in good condition. And I will inspect that deck carefully this time as i learned my lesson ;-). By the way....am i limited to the 62C deck or is the 62D and 62X deck interchangeable for a 2003 X495 model?

Glad to hear you are being taken care of,because usually there isn't a cure for a severely bent deck. The 62X will fit your tractor. It's a JD replacement deck pretty much like the 62C for quite a few different models.

The 62D is not an option though. It's a drive over deck,and it attaches totally different than the non drive over decks.

Greg

 

[Neandertaler]

Thanks for the info. Just one more question what to look after when inspecting the new deck: Is there any possibilty to measure the straightness of a deck? I want to have a good Basis for the future, thinking about blasting and powdercoating the deck in the future. But I want to be shure that its worth it. Are all the spindle tips on the same geometric plane, height? Are there any key measurements I could take to make shure the deck is ok? My main Idea is that with new and unbent blades, the blade tips should be exactly on the same Level and also with the same vertical distance to the rim of the deck shell. On the other hand I could screw long threaded rods into the spindles instead of the blades in order to be able to see the vertical alignment of the spindles better.

 

[glc24]

Are all the spindle tips on the same geometric plane, height?

Yes.

John Deere offers a neat little gauge for leveling your deck. If you can get the deck spec'ed out on flat level ground,then more than likely the deck is OK.

John Deere Leveling Gauge for Mower Deck Blade Height - AM130907


Greg

 

[Neandertaler]

rehi everyone,
well i got a new deck from the dealer. He said its from 2010 and has only 170 hours on it. Now there are some issues. the deckk itself looks like new from the top. Not a single scratch. Pulleys and belt look fine. After cleaning the underside shows rust. What bothers me the most is that the gauge wheel sealing rings are almost nonexistant as the rubber dissolved. The axles of the gauge wheel arms are worn out. So that means wheel sets and arms for 250 bucks :-(. Here are some pictures:



my question is is it normal after 3 years and 170 hours that the underside of the deck is already so rusty? I guess the gauge wheels can only be that worn out if the preowner has run the deck really low on the gauge wheels instead of having the wheels set a little above the ground. I have no idea how long the coating of he deck should last before rusting......as the deck is in very good condition otherwise i am asking myself if i should just get new gauge wheels and arms and mow for the next couple of years or take theh plunge and disassemble everything and get the deck shell powdercoated also.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Rust can and will form on the underside of the deck in very short order, if grass is cut while still wet.
I have been trying very hard to not cut wet grass. Each time I clean out the underside of my deck, probably every couple of months, I scrape it down to bare metal, and spray it with Fluid Film. Each time I clean it, I,m starting to notice that I have less rust, less grass collecting under the mower, and more shiny metal. The gauge wheels and arms will last a very long time, if the wheels touch the ground infrequently. I,ve got a new couple set on hand, but I,m still trying to wear out the old set before I actually change them out. Also, I grease all the zerks, check the belt, and touch up the blades while I have the mower off of the tractor. Probably not a bad idea to get a spare belt as well, as mine always tend to break late Saturday afternoon, or Sunday, when I,ve got half of the lawn mowed. It,s nice to be able to shop for parts when you aren,t in a hurry to get them.

 

[JDTank]

Rust will form on the underside of a deck regardless of the grass being wet or dry.

Green grass was alive when it was cut. It has to contain moisture, or it would be dead brown in color. The moisture in the grass itself will be making contact with the metal of your deck. The only grass that would not rust your deck, is the dead kind that almost turns to dust when you mow it, think of straw clippings.

Even with that amount of hours on it, those gauge wheels should have no issues. This tells me they were likely never greased, and ran too low, making contact all the time.

The key to any moving component that has a grease fitting is grease grease grease. I grease my machine too much some would say, every 10 hours sometimes. Simply make a few pumps until you see the old grease start to come out. Pump until you see clean, fresh grease come out. You would be surprised how long gauge wheels will last with religious greasing practices.

 

[Gittyup]

My gauge wheels are 19 years old. Bearings are still good. Why? Grease grease grease. My tires are warn off. So, it's time for new ones now. Those wheels were neglected. As for rust on the deck, it's unavoidable and isn't really a big deal.

 

[JDTank]

My gauge wheels are 19 years old. Bearings are still good. Why? Grease grease grease. My tires are warn off. So, it's time for new ones now. Those wheels were neglected. As for rust on the deck, it's unavoidable and isn't really a big deal.

Your best bet to make your deck last a lifetime, is to power wash every fall, then paint it. I have a sandblasting attachment that fits onto my pressure washer. Right before winter storage I blast the underside of my deck to bare metal. Prime it, then paint it JD yellow again. Yes it's a lot of work, but this deck will last me 30 years with that kind of care. Since this is my first year of ownership, I have only done it once so far.

 

[Neandertaler]

Thanks for all the info on this. So to sum that up:

-the preowner probably did not grease and ran the deck low on the gauge wheels. So the wheels, axles and sealing rings are worn out.
-The rust is normal for the age of the deck.
-So 3 years and 170 hours seem reasonable for that deck

My main question right now is: schould i get new arms/axles or could i get by with just new wheel sets with rings and bushings. by the way: does anybody know what original size the rubber/copper sealing rings are? Perhaps i can get something similar somewhere....

I guess i will leave the rest of the deck like it is and invest some time next winter or later. As we have a metal workshop at my work, i could get the deck coated for no money. So one question is....: is there a point of no return regarding rust where problems occur wich are not easily fixed? Otherwiese I would postpone the disassembly and recoating for 2-3 years.....(on the other hand if a powder coating (like the original) gets so much rust after 3 seasons, it is perhaps not worth it......

@jdtank: do you use liquid paint or the rattle cans for that?

 

[Gittyup]

Your best bet to make your deck last a lifetime, is to power wash every fall, then paint it. I have a sandblasting attachment that fits onto my pressure washer. Right before winter storage I blast the underside of my deck to bare metal. Prime it, then paint it JD yellow again. Yes it's a lot of work, but this deck will last me 30 years with that kind of care. Since this is my first year of ownership, I have only done it once so far.

You might be right, but I won't do it. I'm at year 19 on the 425, and she easily has 10 years or more left without doing anything. I'm **** about some things, but mower deck rust isn't one of them. These decks are extremely heavy and that kind of TLC just isn't warranted.

 

[Yellowfever440]

Most decks especially the 425 54 inch deck rusts the front out behind the hooks that hook to the draft arm and it rips one of the hooks off the front. The 62c deck you are talking about it a good deck and they will last with some rust. When you clean the deck if it is just rust colors on the chunks you take out that's not bad but if their are rusty chunks of metal then it is a lot worse than you think. The axles is up to you if you want to spend the money on them. You could get by with out getting anything, even brand new axles and washers and wheels will not seal completely if you grease the wheels like you should.