bent/warped mower blades or spindles and deck

[bo dawg 516]

How do some of you check the blades if they have a slight bend or warpage? 

I have a deck I acquired that was racked so bad, (must have been hit going top speed) but the blades are like new.

I also heated and got deck back looking pretty good (so I thought) but discharge side blade hits back of deck, will not clear. Anyone better at straighten a shell? Its solid with no thin spots, holes or cracks, and I would like to make it work.

 

[Lee1977 6,659]

The spindle mount area could be bent down in the front causing the blade to hit the back of the deck.

[Ed Kennell 38,175]

5 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

The spindle mount area could be bent down in the front causing the blade to hit the back of the deck.

                             I have leveled blades in a bent shell by adding shim under the spindle housing flange.   

Edited May 12 by Ed Kennell

[JoeM 7,874]

I fixed one for a gal that had the rigging torn off. I had to ask if the air bags deployed? I got the side eye.

 

Last one was hit real hard at the front chute opening. Twisted up on a diagonal across the front and through the discharge side spindle.

I tried all sorts of ways to straighten. Ended up taking it to my friends place and he has a backhoe. Used the bucket with some 4x4's and then a swift drop flat on the asphalt. Ended up pretty nice. 

It is hard to believe how those shells get bent from running into things.

[bo dawg 516]

2 hours ago, JoeM said:

I fixed one for a gal that had the rigging torn off. I had to ask if the air bags deployed? I got the side eye.

 

Last one was hit real hard at the front chute opening. Twisted up on a diagonal across the front and through the discharge side spindle.

I tried all sorts of ways to straighten. Ended up taking it to my friends place and he has a backhoe. Used the bucket with some 4x4's and then a swift drop flat on the asphalt. Ended up pretty nice. 

It is hard to believe how those shells get bent from running into things.

 

Thats exactly how this one was.

And if I shim the spindle housing, like Ed says, wouldnt that cause the blade to sit lower than the others. I guess I might just chalk it up as scrap shell, cause it will never be right.

[bo dawg 516]

5 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

The spindle mount area could be bent down in the front causing the blade to hit the back of the deck.

 

I believe your right. I just was hoping theres something done better that could make it true again

[Brockport Bill 1,662]

2 hours ago, JoeM said:

I fixed one for a gal that had the rigging torn off. I had to ask if the air bags deployed? I got the side eye.

 

Last one was hit real hard at the front chute opening. Twisted up on a diagonal across the front and through the discharge side spindle.

I tried all sorts of ways to straighten. Ended up taking it to my friends place and he has a backhoe. Used the bucket with some 4x4's and then a swift drop flat on the asphalt. Ended up pretty nice. 

It is hard to believe how those shells get bent from running into things.

"It is hard to believe how those shells get bent from running into things."

 

i agree  - - never uderstood how tractor is operated in what situation to cause that impact to do that damage???????????

[Rick3478 428]

39 minutes ago, Brockport Bill said:

"It is hard to believe how those shells get bent from running into things."

 

i agree  - - never uderstood how tractor is operated in what situation to cause that impact to do that damage???????????

 

Tree roots don't move, and several hundred pounds of tractor and rider at any speed is huge inertia.

[Wayne0 457]

12 hours ago, Rick3478 said:

 

Tree roots AND ROCKS don't move, and several hundred pounds of tractor and rider at any speed is huge inertia. Ask me how  know. I got lucky with only bent blades.

 

Edited May 13 by Wayne0

[daveoman1966 3,752]

If that deck shell isn't rusted or rotted away, SAVE IT.  (1) strip EVERYTHING from the shell---EVERYTHING. (2) Lay it flat on a concrete floor and, using wood whims, (3) get out your BFH (mine is 6lb) and start whacking on it---it WILL bend back to shape.  (4) use a level or some other SRAIGHT gauge to bring it back straight. (5) don't be bashful---it's only sheet metal.   

[bo dawg 516]

6 hours ago, daveoman1966 said:

If that deck shell isn't rusted or rotted away, SAVE IT.  (1) strip EVERYTHING from the shell---EVERYTHING. (2) Lay it flat on a concrete floor and, using wood whims, (3) get out your BFH (mine is 6lb) and start whacking on it---it WILL bend back to shape.  (4) use a level or some other SRAIGHT gauge to bring it back straight. (5) don't be bashful---it's only sheet metal.   

 

Yes the shell is great, had it heated and straighten out much like you say. It really looked good until I put it back together and installed the blades. Darn it!

I wish I had the before pics cause it was bad.

[biged77 113]

And if I shim the spindle housing, like Ed says, wouldnt that cause the blade to sit lower than the others. 

 

I fixed mine by shimming on one side of the spindle housing to make it level not all the way around.  

[daveoman1966 3,752]

Not a fan of shimming a spindle...gotta be a better way.  

 

[bo dawg 516]

3 hours ago, daveoman1966 said:

Not a fan of shimming a spindle...gotta be a better way.  

 

 

I agree, I'll probably put it on the back burner for now. Already put a bunch of time into it for nothing.

[Ed Kennell 38,175]

5 hours ago, daveoman1966 said:

Not a fan of shimming a spindle...gotta be a better way.  

 

Me neither Dave, but that was my last resort to fine tune the tips to the same elevation.  But it did work and the deck make a nice cut.