Mower Deck install-is there an easy way?

[manahale 43]

My question deals with installing and removing the 37" mower deck. I feel that the guy that created this tractor would probably not make it overly difficult to work on. Simple, good engineering, right? So, I think that I'm doing more than I should need to when changing the deck. I need to grab a 1 1/8" and 9/16" wrench to remove the nut holding the cover on the double pulleys, without losing the spacer on the shaft. Then, I pull the locking pin on the rod housing and remove the bolt holding the clutch rod plate so that the rod can move out of the way enough to get the belt onto the pto. Then remember how to thread the belt on correctly. Then, put it all back together. I've learned not to do this on the lawn. Had to get the big magnet to find that spacer on the pulley shaft. So, there's how I do it. Does everyone else do it the same way? I'm thinking there has got to be an easier way to do it. Or maybe not. 

[rjg854 11,396]

I'm not familiar with that particular deck, but I don't think you'd have to take anything off the deck to install it on the tractor.   

Edited November 7 by rjg854
Sp

[oldlineman 1,482]

You don't have to take the mule drive apart to remove the deck, you just remove the mule drive.Then remove the belt from the deck pulley and the PTO pulley leave the belt on the mule drive. That's on a c series and 400 series and many others. What tractor are we talking about?

[Ed Kennell 38,361]

1 hour ago, manahale said:

I think that I'm doing more than I should

You are correct.     Like @oldlineman said, leave the belt on the mule drive and store it with the deck.    The mule drive is only needed when using the deck.

[Lee1977 6,691]

May be a little more diffculat on a 37 as it uses only one belt.  Might be easier to remove the cover of the mule drive to take the belt off.   Not as easy as a 42 or 48 deck that used two belts. Dragging deck out is usually hard enough with having to drag the mule drive out with it.

Your way may be the easy way. The information given above was for 42" and 48" decks with seperate belts on deck and PTO. 

 

I understand the need for the 1 1/8" wrench. does your model have the black plastic cover the PTO?

Edited November 8 by Lee1977

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,078]

What is the mower drive belt? 6-sided or standard 4-sided?

[953 nut 55,482]

14 hours ago, manahale said:

Does everyone else do it the same way? I'm thinking there has got to be an easier way to do it.

Simple straightforward solution to the problem, buy another Wheel Horse and leave the deck on all year.            

[Brockport Bill 1,676]

i have 312 with the 37 deck -- mowed since 1989 --- for 35 yrs ----- just open the pto pulley arm to remove the belt off the pto pulley -- which takes slack off belt -- then reach under tractor to slip belt off the deck pulleys -- then release the attach-o-matic holding the lift carriage assembly up ----- slide the deck out from under tractor -- that leaves the front mule and belt on the tractor -- so then just push the mule pin release and remove the mule unit -- then lastly just reconnect the pto pulley arm and pin -- the instructions are in the manual - - very simple - - takes a minute or two. There is no need to remove the belt cover on the two pulleys -- the belt remains on the mule pulleys

[manahale 43]

Simple straightforward solution to the problem, buy another Wheel Horse and leave the deck on all year.

 

I will show this post to my wife...lol

[manahale 43]

1 hour ago, Brockport Bill said:

i have 312 with the 37 deck -- mowed since 1989 --- for 35 yrs ----- just open the pto pulley arm to remove the belt off the pto pulley -- which takes slack off belt -- then reach under tractor to slip belt off the deck pulleys -- then release the attach-o-matic holding the lift carriage assembly up ----- slide the deck out from under tractor -- that leaves the front mule and belt on the tractor -- so then just push the mule pin release and remove the mule unit -- then lastly just reconnect the pto pulley arm and pin -- the instructions are in the manual - - very simple - - takes a minute or two. There is no need to remove the belt cover on the two pulleys -- the belt remains on the mule pulleys

Thanks for the detailed explanation! This is a game changer. The mule release pin had been painted over so I never noticed it. And I never considered removing the hitch pin to the trunnion. 

[dcrage 628]

I don’t see in your description where you first lessened the tension on mule drive (big black nut on the front). You can get the belt off of the deck and then remove the deck with this action alone. Then removing the mule drive is much simpler (don’t have to pull belts and mule drive out with the deck which I think you said you were doing). 

[Brockport Bill 1,676]

3 minutes ago, dcrage said:

I don’t see in your description where you first lessened the tension on mule drive (big black nut on the front). You can get the belt off of the deck and then remove the deck with this action alone. Then removing the mule drive is much simpler (don’t have to pull belts and mule drive out with the deck which I think you said you were doing). 

yes i could have written multiple more paragraphs and detail but at some point my post is not a book -- that's why i said go to the manual -- so yes, correct as you suggested loosening mule drive is good added suggestion