Rehab mower deck?

[jeffinsgf]

Well, I got the 60" deck out this morning and power washed it in the rain (it wasn't raining when I started, but I was so wet when it started, I didn't run for the house).

My 455 came with a 48" deck, that is in very nice shape. I bought this 60 on eBay, and it is okay, but not in the same shape that my tractor is in. The ground is too wet to work, and it just keeps raining every day, so I am thinking about tearing the deck down, blasting the inside and the pulley area, and painting it. The pulley area is pitted pretty bad, but not through anywhere. The underside is not beat up, but the surface is not anywhere close to slick.

So to the questions.

Anyone know of a good product to use on the underside instead of just paint? What's that stuff that some of the guys use on snowblowers? Would it work on a deck?

How should I check out the spindles? I assume when the belt is off, if there is play, that's a bad thing. How much it too much?

On the pitting in the belt area, is there a reason other than vanity to use body filler on it? Is there a reason NOT to use body filler?

Has anyone else jumped into this project and wished they had just sharpened the blades and put the deck on for the summer?

 

[slowrev]

I rehabed my old Gravely deck about 5 years ago. I used 2 coats of rustoleum rusty metal primer and 2 coats of rustoleum color paint. I use the beast mainly for mowing weeds and briars and it is still nice and red underneath, not a speck of rust and stuff seems to not build up underneath either. I just pressure washed it and painted, did not even sandblast.

You need to let the paint age for a month or so for maximum toughness as it is oil based. Rustoleum is also selling tractor colors of paint now

Just passing on what has worked well for me.

Ben