1712 mower deck question?

[mwheeland]

Got a question about the mower deck on my 1712. When I'm mowing and I catch a slite incline in the yard. The deck will dig in. It seem not to have to much up and down play. Ya the hanger and the mule has play, but the deck seem tight on the tractor. Reading some of the post on this forum, I hear gay's talking about float for the blower, Front Plow, and mower deck. My tractor seem to be missing this. Also I just put the Cat 3 point hitch on the rear and I don't know if I got the lift arm hook up right. I took a picture of it and the attachment arm.

Form the Notes on the pic. Part #1 is where the lift cylinder hook and also the lift arm for the 3 point hitch. Now, am I wrong in thinking that the float is put in between part #1 and #2. Meaning that part #2 should move independly from part #1. If that is true then my part #2 is frozen or I'm missing something. If this is not True then this seem to be a strange way of hooking things up? Also, does the Lift arm seem to be hook up in the right way. The second hole on the back side of part #1. Any help is greatly needed. I keep cutting up the yard. The skide on the front of the mower deck are in good shape. They were worn threw but I welded them up.
Thanks Matt

 

[agitch]

Maybe someone with a 3pt rod on their tractor will chime in but it looks like parts 1 and 2 are correct. With the deck lowered all the way you should be able to grab it and lift it several inches. Part 2 looks like it can float like it should. Something with your lift rod or 3pt maybe be improperly installed and binding the float capabilities. I'd take your lift rod off and see if that fixes it then you can pinpoint the problem.

 

[bcook]

The rockshaft on my 1712 was rusted so bad I couldn't get it to break loose (heat, penetrating oil, BFH...nothing worked)...it wouldn't 'float' at all. I had to sawzall out the original rockshaft, and install a different one!

On that series of tractors, there is a 1/2" bolt that goes through the lift rod to 'lock out' the float. If that bolt isn't installed, the rockshaft should float...allowing your mower deck to follow the contour of your yard.

I'll get a picture of the bolt installed in my 1712 today and post it, so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[bcook]

Here is a picture of the bolt I was talking about (it has JH on the bolt head)

....it holds 'part 2' to 'part 1', and that disables the rockshafts ability to float....no bolt installed means the implements -should- be able to float..(the part of the rockshaft assembly that you are attaching the mower lift carriage arms to will rotate independantly from the rockshaft itself)

In your picture, the bolt isn't installed...so it's quite possible that the rockshaft pieces are rusted together, or something is bent.