Bill D 1,911 #1 Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) With good mower decks getting harder to find for our tractors, has anyone made a new deck for their tractor or adapted one from another brand to fit? I saw a thread on here where a member made a new deck shell, but I can't find it now. Does anyone have a link to that thread? Also does anyone have pictures of decks they have adapted to their tractors? Thanks. Bill Edited November 13, 2020 by Bill D 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herder 2,354 #2 Posted November 13, 2020 Over the years I've seen some decks (other brands) that where adapted to fit. Recently there was one on FB Marketplace. It may have been a WH XI converted to fit a 3,4 or 5 seizes, it got me thinking!! Are XI decks mulchers? It may be worth time to convert one. Or as you have seen, I try to buy them in bulk. You never know when you may need one. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stepney 2,325 #3 Posted November 13, 2020 I've seen both Roper and newer JD 54" decks fitted.. in fact there is a Roper modified deck on Facebook for sale in Mass. To make 'a deck that cuts' seems easy enough but to really make it work right.. eesh Ive been struggling with the logic. Iv started to keep a few real good deck sand keep them clean .. hope for best. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldnboy 910 #4 Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) 15 hours ago, Bill D said: With good mower decks getting harder to find for our tractors, has anyone made a new deck for their tractor or adapted one from another brand to fit? I saw a thread on here where a member made a new deck shell, but I can't find it now. Does anyone have a link to that thread? Also does anyone have pictures of decks they have adapted to their tractors? Thanks. Bill I have not been a member as long as others here, but I have come to the solution that others on the North East may have since I am in KS/MO border. Buy a tractor deck combo and then keep the deck and resell tractor or keep both, and repeat the process! Edited November 14, 2020 by Goldnboy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill D 1,911 #5 Posted November 17, 2020 On 11/14/2020 at 8:42 AM, Goldnboy said: I have not been a member as long as others here, but I have come to the solution that others on the North East may have since I am in KS/MO border. Buy a tractor deck combo and then keep the deck and resell tractor or keep both, and repeat the process! I have never had good luck doing that. I have been eyeballing a fabricated deck on my neighbors Husqvarna. I think it might be easy to adapt. Can you run a 5/8" belt from the deck to the PTO using the same mule drive? Most fabricated decks seem to come with 5/8 belts and pulleys. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,986 #6 Posted November 17, 2020 57 minutes ago, Bill D said: Most fabricated decks seem to come with 5/8 belts and pulleys. Pretty sure a 5/8 belt will fit through the mule drive or you can change those idler pulleys to do so. Take a better look at the pulley on the fab deck. If the V groove continues down deep it could be designed for different size belts as in the smaller belt just sits deeper in the pulley groove. example from one on Surplus Center website SINGLE GROOVE PULLEY Bore 1/2" Outside Diameter 2.75" Belt Type A (1/2") Datum Diameter 2.10" Belt Type B (5/8") Datum Diameter 2.50" Shpg. 1 lb. Outside Diameter Diameter measured at the outside of the pulley. Datum Diameter The datum diameters are an industry standard reference point used for calculations such as center distance and belt length. The datum system replaces the pitch system for classical belts and pulleys to compensate for differences in manufacturers construction of belts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill D 1,911 #7 Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) Thanks for the information. Still trying to find the post on here from the member that fabricated their own 42" deck shell. Does anyone know who it was? I remember they used Cub Cadet spindles. Bill Edited November 17, 2020 by Bill D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwell-8 4,275 #8 Posted December 23, 2020 Someone in the neighbourhood got this for sale: Cheaply made, universal Ment to be dragged behind a wheel horse or ATV He is asking 800$, but you can slap this together for almost nothing 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jhook 849 #9 Posted December 24, 2020 10 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said: Someone in the neighbourhood got this for sale: Cheaply made, universal Ment to be dragged behind a wheel horse or ATV He is asking 800$, but you can slap this together for almost nothing I would not pay 800 pennies for that monstrosity 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
