Archive through May 25, 2008

[dfrisk]

TERRY BUSCH - You planted My FAVORITE type of tree! Krimson King Maple.... I've got one about 25-30 ft tall in My back yard....It's the center piece of every photo I take of tractors, etc.
Mowed with the hot-rodded 72 Saturday afternoon.... That old reworked 38" deck mows better than anything else I've seen under a Cub Cadet. Takes about 5 hours to mow 2+ acres. I could mow faster....MUCH faster but it wouldn't look near as nice.

 

[mdiamond]

does anyone have a belt # for this deck? They didnt make this in a 50" did they? I have this deck it came with one of the tractors but it had no belt on it and no numbers anywhere.

Sorry i borrowed a picture from the for sale section.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Matt, if you have that model deck this is the P/N for the spindle belt: IH-481099-R2 1/2 X 83". However there are two other variations of the 48" deck that look very similar but they use a different spindle belt. The other two have two 45° bends at the rear of the deck instead of the 90° bend on that one.

 

[aaytay]

Kraig/Matt-
Is that the famed 48" pin-on deck for a 122/3?

I don't know that I've ever seen one in person...

 

[mdiamond]

Thanks Craig. Ive been meaning to get that # just not enough time in the day. I saw the for sale picture and it triggered my memory.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Matt, here's what one of the other 48" decks look like, the third variation has "half round" runners and the wheels are optional.

Art, yes, the deck that Matt posted a photo of if the famed "pin-on" 48" deck. I believe I have seen two in person.

 

[dtanner]

Well 4 tractors came home from the USA and we got 3 running so far. We had good luck with my O

and drives lol

 

[kfreeman]

Charlie "Digger" Proctor,

Thanks for the info on leveling the deck. From your description, it looks like any major change to the mowing height will have to come from the new adjustable hangers. How high can I get the deck?

I am guessing that if I get it set up to mow at 3-4" and the wheels set right, it will not really have a traveling height.

A mower that has been used for 30 years, and the first thing I need to do is $150 worth of welding, blades, wheels, and BFH work? This is going to be fun!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Don, what do you mean they "came home from the USA"?

They were home,they're now on an international vacation.

 

[dplogman]

Hello All you cubbies- Question- 122 cub, the little shutoff thing on my carb (right by the glass bowl) spins when she is running, shutting off the gas and subsequently the engine. I put a clip on it when mowing to keep it from screwing itself in, but it drips fuel. Anyone ever replace that little "tap"? Dave

 

[digger]

Don T.
I like that wheelie board on the back!

Ken F.
We'll have to wait for Steve B. to answer your questions. I never got into leveling decks, nor do I want to.

I got this in the mail today, I thought it was rather cool.

It's a mid 1970's photo of a proposed shipping crate that stacked assembled Cub Cadets for shipment to dealers rather than the partially disassembled tractors in cardboard boxes on wood pallets that they used then and continued into the 80's. This was probably taken in the Louisville Plant. They sent these to IH Cadet dealers to determine their reaction to this packaging method. Evidently it didn't go over very well as IH did not adopt this method of packaging.

 

[kmcconaughey]

David, sounds like it's time for a replacement. CC Specialties has them, reasonable price too, $9. IMO it sure beats messing with the old ones. I recently picked up a couple of them to replace the old ones on my Cubs that have been weeping slightly.

 

[tcbusch]

Charlie,
Looks like the one in the middle has some trail miles on it.

A tree fell down across my Mom's driveway. I cut it up and hauled it away. Didn't have my camera so I tried my phone instead. Not too bad.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Kraig and Art and Matt. That is my deck. It came with Clarence when I brought him home last year. I actually have the other spindle parts (brand new and in their boxes yet along with a brand new blade). I posted that deck last month for $50.00 in the classifieds and had no offers. I know of one other 48" inch deck that I have first chance at. I think it has the stuffies to go on a 1x4/5 or newer. I know it wouldn't take much to convert that one back to a 1x2/3 series. I even have both part # 7 somewhere in the garage. You are kidding when you say they are rare, aren't you? (Oh, man some of the stuff that I have may actually be worth something....)

Off to bed. 2:30 a.m. comes so fast.

 

[rrschmitt]

Ken F,

Your mower deck should be able to be raised up to 3.5 - 4 inches in the full-up position. You mention that one side is higher than the other. First thing I would do is remove the tunnel cover and check the position of the two lift arms on the rock shaft where the deck hanger attaches. In the full up position relative to the frame cross member piece where your steering column attaches the two lift arms should touch or almost touch the frame cross member and be even with each other. Each lift arm is attached to the rockshaft with a 5/16 x 1.5" steel spirol roll pin and frequently I've found that the pins will get bent/cracked resulting in an uneven cutting height from one side to the other. If one lift arm is farther away from the frame cross member than the other, then you need to replace the spirol pins.

The manual lift arm on the outside of the frame is also attached to the rockshaft with a 5/16 x 2.25" spirol roll pin and it can get bent and worn from repeated lifting as well so if you are not getting the above deck height, it will likely need to be replaced as well.

Once you have the lift arms reasonably aligned (they will never be perfect), then you can adjust the height from side-to-side using the adjustable link on your deck hanger assembly. I level side-to-side by measuring along the back edge of the mower on each side and adjust the link one turn at a time until leveled.

Leveling the mower from front-to-back is also important to get a nice clean cut lawn with no streaks between blades. To accomplish this first remove your blades and check to see that the cutting portions are reasonably straight and flat. Reinstall deck and remove spark plug wire from engine. With the deck in the up position and from the discharge chute side, rotate the blade by hand to the fore/aft direction and measure the distance to the level floor at each end and then do the same on the left side blade (Note, a short 6" ruler/scale or small tape measure works well for this). The measurements should be approximately the same from front-to-back. (Note: they will never be perfect so go for to within a 1/16" average) If not, then the two front support hanger hooks on the deck need to be adjusted up or down. Determine which way the adjustment is needed and remove the deck, loosen the lock and jam nut to adjust the support a turn at a time until blades are as close to level as possible front-to-back. It may take a few times but it would be worth it when you see how good your grass looks. Hope this helps

 

[dtanner]

Since the topic is mower decks. I need some help with the 2 Original decks that i have. i need to know how the rear deck wheels attach and how to make the covers for the spindles. all help is great. thanks Don T

 

[sblunier]

Ken F.

Yes, it may require an afternoon worth of work, but I can tell you that it will be well worth it. Cutting grass for 30 years doesn't mean it was doing it well, just doing it......when you get it all dialed in it's a thing of beauty!!! It's kind-of like the the old dealer promise..."let my service man come out and adjust your plow, and when he's done you'll jump up a gear and do a beter job".....

The description Charlie posted below sums everything up well. If you want more lift, you will probably have to get 2 adjustable links, start with them all the way up, and lower one side just enough to get it level side to side...this maximuzes your lift (BTW, don't use the deck skin to measure from, always use the blade tips). You will probably have to bend the "pickle fork" up some to get the front hangers high enough to level the deck front to rear, but it's not too hard of an adjustment to make.

see pic...

Best of luck with your deck.

 

[sblunier]

2 more pics of a bent "pickle fork"

 

[kfreeman]

Ron, Steve,

Thanks for the info. As I recall, the two lift arms on the rock shaft were about the same height, but both lacked at least an inch of reaching the cross member. This makes me suspect the lift handle pin. Could this pin shear and let the handle rotate 30 degrees? If so, it should be fun getting the old pin out.

I thought I was going to trash the old Murray, but now I am hoping it stays together for a few more mowings.

 

[jbliler]

Well the old CCO lives again. Nice to have steering,clutch and the oil leaks taken care of. Funney how different it looks with a coat of paint. Am not too happy with how the Van S. stuff turns orange on the warm parts of the engine. Nice to have the rust gone for a while too. No where close to nice enough for Red Power but good enough for here at home.