Deal or No Deal Deck?

[Bar Nuthin 899]

I wasn't looking for a mower deck, but when someone offers up fairly solid rear discharge for $50 - you kinda have to take it - right?

 

Model tag is shot, so I'll have to do some searching.  Curios as to what bolts along the back edge. Looks like there's never been anything there, so I'm guessing whatever it is - is optional.  Maybe a striper, or just a deflector? 

[953 nut 57,472]

Some people bolt or pop-rivet a piece of vinyl floor base board on there to keep the clippings from going all over.

[Ed Kennell 40,237]

I've seen a short metal deflector bolted on there.   I'm not sure if they are a factory/dealer option.

 

[JCM 9,991]

This one pictured was a deck that came with a 1986  312-8 that I restored both deck and tractor. This one as yours with nothing attached to the holes. This was an original owner tractor when I bought it.   @Bar Nuthin

[MainelyWheelhorse 919]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:05 PM, 953 nut said:

Some people bolt or pop-rivet a piece of vinyl floor base board on there to keep the clippings from going all over.

A thin strip of rubber bolted through the provided square holes works good too that’s what I used on mine.

 

[Blasterdad 2,994]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:02 PM, Bar Nuthin said:

Curios as to what bolts along the back edge. Looks like there's never been anything there, so I'm guessing whatever it is - is optional.  Maybe a striper, or just a deflector? 

 

I have that same deck 42" RD. Some were recyclers, a block off plate bolts there to help with mulching. I took it off mine.

[oliver2-44 10,239]

I have a deck like that and it has a short deflector plate. Mine looks factory. 

[Ed Kennell 40,237]

Mower Rotary 42in RD 1976 65-42MR01 TIPL.pdf     Factory deflector item 113.     

[Brockport Bill 1,817]

 i have rehabbed a number of the 42 rd decks -- i have found installing a piece of household baseboard vinyl ( has a natural curl ) with carriage bolts to be a simple and inexpensive way of deflecting the grass clippings downward -- especially important if you have a H tractor rather than a gear tranny so as to avoid the clippings going on to the Hydro fins. Good Luck, Bill

[peter lena 9,053]

@Brockport Bill   very nice job on that , !  only different thing I did was remove the  ROT BOXES under the deck , initially  experimented with a  very  sad deck , also always cut at highest setting , for  better discharge flow . actually  deck function is a thorough detailing  , and elimination of  problem spots , once I made the change out , its a  BASE LINE FOR  REPEDITIVE AREAS .  still marvel at  the pto lever function  to related belt  mule drive  , and all bearings , no whining noise or screaming clutch , it all looks original  , but  detailing its  movement , was the deal for me , pete

[MainelyWheelhorse 919]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:02 PM, Bar Nuthin said:

I wasn't looking for a mower deck, but when someone offers up fairly solid rear discharge for $50 - you kinda have to take it - right?

 

Model tag is shot, so I'll have to do some searching.  Curios as to what bolts along the back edge. Looks like there's never been anything there, so I'm guessing whatever it is - is optional.  Maybe a striper, or just a deflector? 

I’d say it’s somewhere in the 80’s as the ID tag looks like the one on my 42 RD deck which was I think an 89. The one on my 92 312’s mowing deck that was bought with it when new is completely different. Also, the ID tag for my 87 308 is similar to yours as well.

 

Edited March 29 by MainelyWheelhorse

[Bar Nuthin 899]

  On 3/29/2025 at 4:12 PM, MainelyWheelhorse said:

I’d say it’s somewhere in the 80’s as the ID tag looks like the one on my 42 RD deck which was I think an 89. The one on my 92 312’s mowing deck that was bought with it when new is completely different.

I agree. The grease zerk holes in the belt guards put it into the mid-'80s

[Bar Nuthin 899]

These baffles seem counter-intuitive to me. Plus they look like a built in rust trap.

 

@Brockport Bill what is your opinion between the 2 decks you have?

 

Edited March 29 by Bar Nuthin

[Brockport Bill 1,817]

  On 3/29/2025 at 4:28 PM, Bar Nuthin said:

These baffles seem counter-intuitive to me. Plus they look like a built in rust trap.

 

@Brockport Bill what is your opinion between the 2 decks you have?

 

its difficult to know the design logic at WH company when they did the deck engineering? yes, i agree the baffles are just grass traps and therefore rust incubators ------ and worse they have designed openings which invite the grass into the cavities so i dont get  the purpose -- Also, its hard to guess the design of those with the 2 sectioning baffles that go from front of the underneath to the rear dicharge area divided into thirds???? ------ other than it keeps the grass airflow segragated to its own blade section for the discharge -- of course then WH also made those with NO baffles or cowlings  - - so hard to know the WH logic -- Frankly, I doubt it makes much difference how the grass is actually cut or discharged other than in the entirely open design there must be lots of cross turbulance from the three different blade areas

[Bar Nuthin 899]

  On 3/30/2025 at 12:51 AM, Brockport Bill said:

the baffles are just grass traps and therefore rust incubators

 

I took a closer look today, and they are packed full of nasty. They're coming off!!! 

[Brockport Bill 1,817]

  On 3/30/2025 at 5:10 AM, Bar Nuthin said:

 

I took a closer look today, and they are packed full of nasty. They're coming off!!! 

are you doing a mower rehab? If yes, after pressure wash - consider sand blast to get off all that corrosion/rust?

[Bar Nuthin 899]

  On 3/30/2025 at 5:41 AM, Brockport Bill said:

are you doing a mower rehab? If yes, after pressure wash - consider sand blast to get off all that corrosion/rust?

 

Not a full rehab, but a functional one.  I work for a chemical company and have solutions to neutralizing the rust.  I also have a small sandblaster, if I decide to go that route.

[oliver2-44 10,239]

  On 3/30/2025 at 3:35 PM, Bar Nuthin said:

I work for a chemical company and have solutions to neutralizing the rust. 

 

Share with us, with safety appropriate safety procedures. 

Battling/Removing rust is one of the big time consumers on preserving these machines. 

[8ntruck 7,326]

  On 3/30/2025 at 12:51 AM, Brockport Bill said:

its difficult to know the design logic at WH company when they did the deck engineering? yes, i agree the baffles are just grass traps and therefore rust incubators ------ and worse they have designed openings which invite the grass into the cavities so i dont get  the purpose -- Also, its hard to guess the design of those with the 2 sectioning baffles that go from front of the underneath to the rear dicharge area divided into thirds???? ------ other than it keeps the grass airflow segragated to its own blade section for the discharge -- of course then WH also made those with NO baffles or cowlings  - - so hard to know the WH logic -- Frankly, I doubt it makes much difference how the grass is actually cut or discharged other than in the entirely open design there must be lots of cross turbulance from the three different blade areas

I don't know the time lines of the various baffle designs on these decks, but removing them seems like it might be a cost savings idea - especially if the cutting performance of the deck is minimally affected.

 

My 42" RD deck still has the rust boxes, but no straight baffles towards the back, though there is evidence that it had them at one time.

[Bar Nuthin 899]

  On 3/31/2025 at 3:00 PM, oliver2-44 said:

 

Share with us, with safety appropriate safety procedures. 

Battling/Removing rust is one of the big time consumers on preserving these machines. 

 

Unfortunately, we only deal with industrial manufacturers. Most of the rust removers aren't much more than various strength acids - some with thickeners or other wetting additives. Most required an extended soak time and are priced in the ridiculous zone. I'm fortunate in that I can keep leftover samples from various trials. The biggest thing with chemical rust removers is that they need some type of conversion coating immediately after rinsing to prevent flash rust. I also have leftover zirconium samples that provide corrosion resistance and paint adhesion.

 

If I had to purchase something retail, I'd go with one of the many rust converter products out there like this one. https://a.co/d/dbLFm9s 

[OoPEZoO 549]

I will say that my 36" RD had the baffles when I originally got the tractor 20ish years ago.  It always cut well.  Eventually, they mostly rotted out and I cut out what was left.  The deck does not cut nearly as nice as it did when it had the baffles in.  I had planned to weld in new ones, then had a zero turn fall in my lap and I no longer use my horses to mow........BUT, I still want to get around to putting those baffles in, because I know my horses will last longer than the zero turn

[Bar Nuthin 899]

  4 hours ago, OoPEZoO said:

I will say that my 36" RD had the baffles when I originally got the tractor 20ish years ago.  It always cut well.  Eventually, they mostly rotted out and I cut out what was left.  The deck does not cut nearly as nice as it did when it had the baffles in.  I had planned to weld in new ones, then had a zero turn fall in my lap and I no longer use my horses to mow........BUT, I still want to get around to putting those baffles in, because I know my horses will last longer than the zero turn

 

I have a nice zero-turn for mowing, but like adding functionality to my WH. Since the baffles are mostly intact, I'll probably patch them up for now to see how it does. If I like them, maybe some modifications to avoid trapping crud inside the baffle plates.

I'm thinking they would benefit the mulching effect of the deck - which would be a good reason for using it. My zero-turn cuts great, but does very little for chopping up leaves that accumulate around certain areas of my property. When I use my WH side discharge it's about a 50% improvement - so my hope is to improve on that.

 

My thought is that with the factory baffles and the addition of a rear flap might accomplish my goal.

Edited 3 hours ago by Bar Nuthin