Stick vs hydro mower deck

[twiisted71 50]

Do the older mower decks interchange between manual and hydro trans mowers?  I have a C-81 8 speed and have found an old (looks to be same late '70s early '80s vintage from pics) hydro trans 12hp mower with what appears to be a nice side discharge deck (slightly larger than my 36".  Don't have any pics of Right side of mower so I don't know what kind of drive system these have.  It is a horizontal motor though.  Mower appears to be a basket case (no compression, leaking transaxle, rusted wheels etc) but I"m looking to use a leaf vacuum so I need a side discharge deck.

[ebinmaine 67,309]

Can you post the pics?

 

[twiisted71 50]

As I said I don't have a pic of the right side so....

[twiisted71 50]

And here is a shot of mine.  79 C-81

[ebinmaine 67,309]

3 minutes ago, twiisted71 said:

As I said I don't have a pic of the right side so....

This one is a little older than your own. 

Can't tell from the picture because I'm not familiar with hydros. 

@pfrederi

@daveoman1966

@953 nut

 

Might be able to help you out.

 

[twiisted71 50]

Other than the vertical vs angled dash they appear essentially the same to me.  Is there something else that tells of a different vintage?

 

[twiisted71 50]

and steering wheel spoke number gas tank location, and hood decal placement

Edited August 13, 2020 by twiisted71

[953 nut 55,099]

The lift mechanism on both mowers looks the same so It should fit just fine.

[ebinmaine 67,309]

5 minutes ago, twiisted71 said:

Other than the vertical vs angled dash they appear essentially the same to me.  Is there something else that tells of a different vintage?

 

Yep that what told me. 

We have a few 1974 which is similar to the pic. 

[oliver2-44 9,699]

A 42" deck will give your 8hp a workout, but should do OK if you don't let it get long between mowings.  If you can get that 12hp tractor for a decent price, you can probable sell enough parts off it to get the deck for free.  The hydraulic valve and cylinder are certainly sought after.  The sheet metal looks straight, abeit rusty.  

[Stepney 2,325]

Notwithstanding the 60" for the 520, and the little 37" 2 blade 80s deck, any tach-o-matic long frame deck can be used from 1966-2007. The older ones had a slightly different drive arrangement up until 1972-3, but the newer front mule drive still works fine with the older ones. And the newer ones can be used on the earlier tractors with a simple addition of a bracket for the front mule. 
In your case already having front pulleys, you can use just about anything. 

[Goldnboy 910]

14 hours ago, twiisted71 said:

As I said I don't have a pic of the right side so....

I too have been looking at this one but is about a 4hr drive as a parts tractor . But  the deck will fit all tach-a-matic equipped  tractors.

[daveoman1966 3,745]

That tractor is either a 74 or 75 C-160 Auto...Maybe a C-120 Auto. (73 had motion lever between knees...76 had gas tank under the seat.)  So, its either a 74 or 75.  There looks to be an ID plate just above the hyd lift control...what is that number? 

Once you've mowed with a Hydro, you'll not want to use a manual trans for mowing, as well as snow plowing.  The Hydro lift is a bonus.  I have a Bronco 14 and a C-160 Auto..  Both great tractors.

      

[twiisted71 50]

Just got back from looking at it.  Disclaimer:  I don't throw anything away.  I rebuild, weld, cut, torch, bailing wire etc to keep things going forever.  I wouldn't bother with this one unless someone brought it to me and put it in my shed for me.  And even then I'd probably dismantle it just to use the metal in other projects.

I don't know when that pic was taken but the mower is sunk into the ground.  It is grown over with poison ivy.  Mule drive is rusted frozen.  Couldn't see blades/spindles as they are down in the dirt.  All tires are flat and dry rotted, hydraulic valve is frozen, carb is off and destroyed (owner attempted to "rebuild" it and broke the shafts for the butterflies!,  Hood is no longer on it and has been tossed 20+ feet way into another pile of mower salvage gold.  I could barely spin the engine over but you could hear the rust grinding in the cylinder through the open carb mount!  Per owner it sat for between 15-20 years before he got it.  Said he got it "break loose" by hooking a big battery directly to the starter!  But it didn't have any compression at all.  Supposedly the PO had bent the deck badly and had to have a machine shop level it back up to the tune of $200!  So Fenders, front axle "firewall" panel, and frame should be good.  Hood, mower deck shell, transaxle, gas tank, hydro cylinder, and PTO parts MIGHT be usable, might not.  But you'd have to chop down the poison ivy, clear a path through approx 30' or so of junk mowers and "stuff", just to get it to a spot where you could drag it out of the back yard ot hte front where your trailer can get to.

But hey someone out there might need one of these specific parts and it'd be worth the time/effort/money but just to pick up for a someday parts rig,  I couldn't justify it.

[AHS 1,440]

20 hours ago, twiisted71 said:

And here is a shot of mine.  79 C-81

That 36? 37? Deck is quite nice!! My dads C101 with the same deck, and that worked quite nicely!! 

[twiisted71 50]

Its a 36 rear discharge.  It isn't original to the mower.  It is an '81 model according to the data tag.  The mower is a '79.  But yes it is in very good condition.  It has new blades, belt, idler pulley and front rolller.