Question about Cub Cadet 782 Mower Deck Retrofit

[Seth Mize]

Hello!

I recently purchased a Cub Cadet 782. It has the original mule drive, I'm just looking for a deck currently. It appears that the old original decks are hard to find in my area, so I am looking for a newer used deck to retrofit. My idea is to build brackets similar to the ones on the original 38C/44C/50C decks and weld them to a newer deck that will fit under my tractor to mow with. Can anyone that has one of these old 38C/44C/50C decks that were designed for the 782 help me with some dimensions to use in placing my fabricated brackets on the retrofitted deck?

I think I need the dimensions below:
- distance between the inside of the rear brackets
- distance between the center of each the front brackets
- distance from the front brackets to the rear brackets
- distance from the center of the main drive pulley to the front brackets
- distance from the center of the main drive pulley to the midpoint between the front brackets
- distance from the center of the main drive pulley to the midpoint between the rear brackets

I attached a drawing of what I'm looking for, hopefully it's not confusing. If anyone can help me, please let me know. Or if anyone who has retrofitted newer decks has any recommendations feel free to respond as well.

Thank you,

Seth Mize

 

[mgonitzke]

If you can find something like a 2185 or similar 2000 series, the 46 and 48" decks can be adapted pretty easily with bolt-on parts since the same deck shells were used on some later Cub Cadet Garden Tractors that had similar means of attachment to the frame.

 

[Seth Mize]

If you can find something like a 2185 or similar 2000 series, the 46 and 48" decks can be adapted pretty easily with bolt-on parts since the same deck shells were used on some later Cub Cadet Garden Tractors that had similar means of attachment to the frame.

Okay, thank you for that information. Upon further investigation, I realized that my tractor's mule drive is not the original that goes with the 38C/44C/50C decks. The original owner that I bought it from changed the deck later to a GT52, so I believe that he also changed the mule drive at that time to attach the new deck. The arms that go into the front brackets flare outwards instead of towards the middle, as on the mule drive for the 38C/44C/50C decks. Below is a picture of the owner's manual for the deck he put on it. He said he used it until it wore out, hence the reason I'm looking for a new deck.

 

[Seth Mize]

*I meant GT 54, I think one of those decks would be easier to find than the 38C/44C/50C decks.

 

[bkattner]

The 54GT is a great deck & if you're already set up for that I'd try to find another one.