36” Deck rebuild ?

[Burnerman 758]

Tore into the 36” deck that was on the 72 Commando I picked up earlier this week. I got the tractor running and initial assessment looks like it maybe a keeper if I can use it to mow. 
The deck top is very rusty. The deck shell is also the thick steel and looks to be structurally sound. The idler bar is shot but the plastic slides are useable. 1 spindle is perfect. The center spindle has noisy bearings and the double pulley is wallowed out a bit. I found the PO had wedged a feeler Gaige in to take up the slop. The other spindle has bad bearings  also. I’m giving the deck shell an oil bath before needle scaling. What’s left of the idler bar.

The good is there’s 3 brand new blades on the deck. Probably installed when the new spindle was installed. 
Any opinions on which direction to go? I can get nos parts to rebuild it to original for prolly $250. Is there a more economical course of rebuild with parts that aren’t discontinued?

[daveoman1966 3,745]

I have a good replacement Idler Bar and a spring too.  Also have used replacement 'nylon guides' .

 send me an email for details...

I am: 

daveoman@windstream.net

 

[Burnerman 758]

Thanks @daveoman ! I think I have parts sorted. 
 

[Burnerman 758]

Got all my parts and put it together today. 

[76c12091520h 3,608]

[Tach-a-matic 357]

very helpful post

i have the same deck and problems 

[Lee1977 6,642]

The nylon slides can be turned around once as the are only worn on one side if they have never been turned. The belt will hold it to that side.

[Burnerman 758]

22 hours ago, Tach-a-matic said:

very helpful post

i have the same deck and problems 

I got 3 replacement spindle shafts with bearings on eBay for around $40 iirc. I used my shop press to press out the old and press in the new. I reused my plastic slides but got a set of spares from a member here along with a good slide bar. A new  center pulley, idler pulley and spring rounded out the parts. 
there were a bunch of cracks around the one side spindle that we welded up. 
It works very good now. 

[Burnerman 758]

My sons V7 Commando has this 36” deck. 
It’s the exact same deck stamping, blades, belt tensioner and spindles as mine but the rest is all different. 
The height adjustment,

the center pulley is much taller and it’s a side discharge. The back of the stamping is the same they just added a baffle underneath.

There are rust holes but if the steel is the same gauge as mine it can prolly be patched. If not I have a spare set of blades!

[Tach-a-matic 357]

I tried removing the outer pulleys today on mine and they fell apart in my hands because they were so rusty. 

 

I blame this on the belt cover which traps in grass/moisture.

 

And of course someone who never bothered to take it off and clean the area out from time to time.  Or take it off and leave it off.  

 

So I need bearings for all three spindles, a belt, three blades and now two pulleys as well. 

 

This is going to be expensive. 

 

Maybe too expensive

  

Edited November 18, 2019 by Tach-a-matic

[tom2p 2,394]

13 minutes ago, Tach-a-matic said:

I tried removing the outer pulleys today on mine and they fell apart in my hands because they were so rusty. 

 

I blame this on the belt cover which traps in grass/moisture.

 

And of course someone who never bothered to take it off and clean the area out from time to time.  Or take it off and leave it off.  

 

So I need bearings for all three spindles, a belt, three blades and now two pulleys as well. 

 

This is going to be expensive. 

 

Maybe too expensive

  

also possible the deck sat outside 

 

[Burnerman 758]

The belt cover definitely traps moisture and grass clippings. 
Parts for these decks are getting hard to find. I’ve seen posts where folks have converted to the newer spindles but either way it can get pricey. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,032]

The blades on the Commando V7 deck should be different because it has a left side discharge. Spindles turn counter-clockwise when viewed from the top.

 

Garry