Drive over the deck

[Bigfish 146]

I have a stupid question and I think I know the answer but ill ask anyway. I was swapping the deck for the dirt blade on the 520 yesterday to use that extension I picked up. The deck is a beast to manuver around and im already dreading putting it back on. The though crossed my mind to just drive over the deck to get me ahead of the game instead of doing the sideways shuffle to get it under there and lined up. Has anyone done that or have better ideas to make swapping the deck easier.

[JoeM 7,874]

Never drove over one. I installed a small hoist in the barn and use it to raise the front end and roll out the deck under the front wheels. Then I lower and push the tractor back and use the hoist to raise the front of the deck and hold it while I service. This made it a more desirable job.

[MalMac 1,331]

If it's a 60" deck just drive over it. Use some helper boards to provide a small ramp and make sure your lift is up so it does not get caught as you go over. I have done it many of times when I had my 60. Your not going to hurt that deck. If it's a 48 or smaller do not drive over it.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Compare a 520-H 60" deck and a 5xi 60" deck. Toro added a small wheel to the 5xi version that is lowered when attaching/detaching the deck. It allows you to roll the deck under the tractor sideways. You may be able to add it to your deck.

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

The only thing worse than installing a mower deck is putting on a 2 stage snow blower.I dread both jobs.That's one reason I have many Wheel Horse's.Just keep the attachments on dedicated tractors.Of course when it's time for servicing,ya still gotta take 'em off.

[Tankman 3,518]

Never drove over a deck, 48" biggest I've owned.

Sometimes I think, a front mount would be nice.

Nowadays, dozer on one Horse, mower on another Horse, on another Stallion nothing, mid-mount grader on another red Horse. Grandsons at the ready to drive.

"Honest Honey Bun, I need another Wheel Horse."

[stevasaurus 22,737]

Using 2 pieces of plywood makes the sliding side ways a lot easier.  Put one under the horse, and the deck on the other one...then slide the plywood with the deck onto the plywood under the horse.  I use this method in the back of my pickup truck also.  If something slides all the way to the front of the truck, I can just grab the top plywood sheet and pull it out with the something on it.  It saves me from climbing into the bed. 

[Bigfish 146]

I have the 48" deck. I know where a 60" is sitting but it's too rich for me.

[Aldon 4,826]

Bigger decks are a hassle. The C295 60 inch deck is easy I imagine compared to the 520's.

 

If it was me, I would dedicate a piece of plywood with pull rope and laminate a piece of plastic to one side to decrease friction.

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

3 hours ago, MalMac said:

If it's a 60" deck just drive over it. Use some helper boards to provide a small ramp and make sure your lift is up so it does not get caught as you go over. I have done it many of times when I had my 60. Your not going to hurt that deck. If it's a 48 or smaller do not drive over it.

 

 

I do the same with the 60", though I would not recommend it for anything smaller. The 60" decks are solidly built, and don't even flex with the weight of the tractor driving across it, but I don't think the smaller decks are as solid. Nor are they as heavy or hard to slide under

 

 

[formariz 11,987]

I too struggled with mounting a 48" deck for years on my Electro 12. Kept looking for threads with advice on the right or easy way to do it, but regardless of the advice I followed It just was not easy.One day this same conversation was going on on a new thread and one member just plainly responded " I just drive over it". For a minute I wondered if it was serious but considering that it had come from TT, I immediately tried it. No more struggling with the deck ,ever after that. It would be on in a minute without fighting it. Classic TT answer, to the point, correct, and no wasted time or words.

[Bigfish 146]

So far we are at 50/50 to drive or not to drive over the 48" deck. I like the lift idea. Do you have a pic of that lift setup oiluj52?

[WHX?? 48,815]

4 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

added a small wheel to the 5xi version

I'm likin John's (or Toro's) idea of the wheel, Any one got a pic of a 'xi deck with the wheel?

Now take it one step further and use swivel casters? Would be alot easier to move around a shop floor...My 48 is heavy enough not to mention the 60's gotta weight a ton.

[WheelHorseNut 222]

I was very surprised at how heavy the 36" was (the first mower deck I ever actually lifted off of the ground).  It's not even so much the weight but the floppy brackets on top in conjunction with the weight...  I couldn't imagine a 60".  Gotta be crazy heavy and awkward to move around...

 

I'd probably put the tractor on ramps, the deck on a dolly and roll her on under...  I try to work smarter now-a-days.  But, I guess if you could drive over it, that'd be optimal...

[TDF5G 2,069]

My brother has a 520xi with 60" deck.  I remember he said that he read somewhere the deck was about 300 lbs.   His has the rollers that turn 90 degrees so you can roll it under the tractor.  

 

It's bad enough wrestling my 36" and 42" decks around.  Can't imagine dealing with anything bigger.  But the tach-a-matic does make it easy to remove and install IMO.  

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

3 hours ago, WHX7 said:

I'm likin John's (or Toro's) idea of the wheel, Any one got a pic of a 'xi deck with the wheel?

Now take it one step further and use swivel casters? Would be alot easier to move around a shop floor...My 48 is heavy enough not to mention the 60's gotta weight a ton.

 

I can't find photos of just the deck but here are two when I unloaded it from my truck. The front gage wheels can swivel 90 degrees on the 5xi 60" deck, raise the rear gauge wheels, and then lower the small wheel that is in the center.

 

 

 

[WNYPCRepair 1,918]

2 hours ago, TDF5G said:

My brother has a 520xi with 60" deck.  I remember he said that he read somewhere the deck was about 300 lbs.   His has the rollers that turn 90 degrees so you can roll it under the tractor.  

 

It's bad enough wrestling my 36" and 42" decks around.  Can't imagine dealing with anything bigger.  But the tach-a-matic does make it easy to remove and install IMO.  

 

 

307 pounds

 

 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,815]

Still a little more weight than most of us worn out mules can lift! Least we know John's slick deck crane wasn't overloaded.

 

How about a fabricating an angle iron frame with casters on it that one could drop the deck on to? Guy could even rig a tow bar on it to move it around with the horse. The only problem I see with that is the frame & casters would have to have a low profile and it would only work on smooth surfaces, cement or blacktop?

 

Other wise I was think some casters mounted on some angle iron that could be slid up in brackets mounted on the corners?

[TDF5G 2,069]

For me, I have more trouble moving the decks around the shop and storing them than removing/installing.  I use a two-wheel dolly to move them around if I'm going very far.  The the frame and casters would be good for rolling a heavy deck underneath the tractor, but I'd think it would be difficult to get it on and off the frame for cleaning and sharpening. 

[WHX?? 48,815]

Agreed TDF, one would have to pick it off the frame with a rig like John's or a come along rigged up to the garage rafters for doing that.