In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Mower deck maintenance. Is it worth it?

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by The Wood Wolverine, Jun 2, 2024.

Page 3 of 3
  1. FarmerJ

    FarmerJ

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2022
    Messages:
    1,818
    Likes Received:
    10,561
    Location:
    Minnesota

    I’d trade my 5.0 Coyote for a 300-I6 yesterday
     
    FarmerJ, Aug 1, 2024
    #41 Top
    brenndatomu and MasterMech like this.
  2. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,592
    Likes Received:
    25,768
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    The fabricated ones die from cracking as well, along with warpage/collision damage. They do tend to split the top plate of the deck (usually ALL the way across too) under heavy abuse. And if a rough operator slams one into something solid, the whole deck buckles or twists and they are MUCH harder to get them back to anything close to true. All those welds and reinforcing plates become a liability rather than a benefit.
     
    MasterMech, Aug 1, 2024
    #42 Top
    eatonpcat, Horkn and brenndatomu like this.
  3. RCBS

    RCBS

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2016
    Messages:
    4,139
    Likes Received:
    19,054
    Location:
    Over here
    My fabbed deck is 2ga. Kubota has presses. They put fab decks on their pro models. Longevity is my goal. IDC what the neighbors think of the cut.
     
    RCBS, Aug 1, 2024
    #43 Top
    eatonpcat, The Wood Wolverine, brenndatomu and 1 other person like this.
  4. Eggshooterist

    Eggshooterist

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2021
    Messages:
    4,968
    Likes Received:
    25,597
    Location:
    Earth
    2 ga is a really thick deck.
     
    Eggshooterist, Aug 1, 2024
    #44 Top
    Horkn, brenndatomu and Jeffrey Svoboda like this.
  5. Highbeam

    Highbeam

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2014
    Messages:
    1,784
    Likes Received:
    5,528
    Location:
    Cascade Foothills, wet side of WA
    Every year, after the last grass mow, I remove my cheap mid deck and pressure wash it bare. Then paint it with whatever rustoleum spray paint I have on hand to prevent winter rust. Sharpen blades and that's it. Before the pressure washing I have found that vacuuming the firewood cutting area of sawchips is a great way to blast the deck pretty clean.

    I've got about 20 years on a craftsman standard riding mower deck. I had to replace some spindles, blades, belts, and even a head gasket in the big single but it's still great.
     
    Highbeam, Aug 1, 2024
    #45 Top
    MasterMech, The Wood Wolverine, Ronaldo and 1 other person like this.
  6. Jeffrey Svoboda

    Jeffrey Svoboda

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Messages:
    1,523
    Likes Received:
    7,304
    Location:
    Michigan
    Must've meant 12? Idk.... 3 gauge is 1/4. Lol
     
    Jeffrey Svoboda, Aug 1, 2024
    #46 Top
    Horkn and brenndatomu like this.
  7. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    21,163
    Likes Received:
    132,937
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Could be, some people could tear up a steel ball, and most of those guys probably work for landscaper/mowing companies.
    I've personally never had a fab'd deck that wasn't easily welded/repairable...but I try to take care of my stuff though too.
     
    brenndatomu, Aug 1, 2024
    #47 Top
    Horkn likes this.
  8. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    27,330
    Likes Received:
    152,819
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    Yep. The tooling to make a stamped deck is ridiculously expensive. You have to sell x many decks/ mowers to have it make sense.
     
    Horkn, Aug 2, 2024
    #48 Top
    MasterMech and brenndatomu like this.
  9. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    27,330
    Likes Received:
    152,819
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    Nope. I can't a agree with that, unless it was an apocalypse type situation, and then I'd want a pre EPA diesel.
     
    Horkn, Aug 2, 2024
    #49 Top
    Eggshooterist and brenndatomu like this.
  10. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    21,163
    Likes Received:
    132,937
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    You could do worse than a 300/I6.
    You'd want that diesel to be turbo...the non turbos were pretty anemic.
    Ford had a non electronic turbo diesel option in 94, that would be a good one for SHTF.
     
    brenndatomu, Aug 2, 2024
    #50 Top
    Horkn likes this.
  11. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    27,330
    Likes Received:
    152,819
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    Absolutely could do way worse than a 300 cube Ford I-6. It's about as bombproof as you can get.
     
    Horkn, Aug 2, 2024
    #51 Top
    eatonpcat and brenndatomu like this.
  12. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,592
    Likes Received:
    25,768
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    Actually, pickings would be pretty slim for something that requires minimal supporting equipment to run or diagnose. (Post Zombie Apocalypse Scenario) The 12V Cummins would likely be the premium option, 24V maybe, and unless ultimate HP is the goal, the GM 6.5, or Ford turbo IDI's (rare, but they exist) are all fine and run off mechanical injection (or will with minimal fuss) with no dependence on an ECU, electrically triggered or operated injectors. The options get much better if not limited to stock engine options one in a 1 ton (or lighter) chassis. Lots of Deere, Perkins, Cummins, Cat, even Detroit options to get a chassis powered. And before someone starts the 7.3L PowerStroke chant, I could go either way on the 7.3L. They aren't "complicated" and will run on anything you can get through the injectors, but have a few parts (with no mechanical equivalent) that might be a concern if you can't get replacements.
     
    MasterMech, Aug 2, 2024
    #52 Top
    brenndatomu likes this.
  13. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,592
    Likes Received:
    25,768
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    Basically 1/4" sheet.
     
    MasterMech, Aug 2, 2024
    #53 Top
    brenndatomu likes this.
  14. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,592
    Likes Received:
    25,768
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    Parts everywhere for the things still too. The 225 slant six ain't bad but not as many of them still around. Small-block Chevy, Big-Block Chevy, Windsor Fords, Ford FE big-blocks, The Chevy 4.3 and the 60° V6's are all good platforms that can be run with a breaker point distributor and a carburetor and those parts were plentiful enough to be easily found or re-created.
     
    MasterMech, Aug 2, 2024
    #54 Top
    Horkn likes this.
  15. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    21,163
    Likes Received:
    132,937
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    There are thousands and thousands of 6.9/7.3 IDI trucks/engines out there...the turbo option in 94 was just that, a factory turbo on the same ole IDI engine. (They didn't have the auto trans ready for the powestroke yet, so if you wanted a Ford 250/350(450?) with turbo and auto trans in '94, you got an IDI engine. I liked them, they run good, and are simple/reliable!)
    They had the turbo option on the IDI in '93 too, not sure if it was available with manual trans too, or just auto...
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2024
    brenndatomu, Aug 2, 2024
    #55 Top
    Horkn and Eric VW like this.
  16. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    23,791
    Likes Received:
    134,879
    Location:
    US
    Sounds like there may be room for someone to start a thread on this particular discussion… I know FarmerJ expressed interest.
    :handshake:
     
    Eric VW, Aug 3, 2024
    #56 Top
    Horkn and brenndatomu like this.
  17. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    21,163
    Likes Received:
    132,937
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Done.
    Good idea fellers...
    Truck engine talk...
     
    brenndatomu, Aug 3, 2024
    #57 Top
    Horkn, JD Guy and Eric VW like this.
  18. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    23,791
    Likes Received:
    134,879
    Location:
    US
    Eric VW, Aug 3, 2024
    #58 Top
    eatonpcat, Horkn and brenndatomu like this.
Page 3 of 3