Tractor mower deck

[Harry Bloomfield]

Lawnflite 703. It's a twin blade cutting deck, and it's basically shot. It discharged via a slot in the deck at the rear, with a plastic duct, leading up and over the back axle, into a big collector bag hooked onto the back, which I never used - simply because our grass is so thick and heavy, it would usually choke up the duct, then the deck itself.

Other than that, it works fine...

There is/was a bit of steel duct rusted out, on the rear edge of the deck. However, it now discharges all over the rear belt drive, due to leaks on the duct, so my idea is to fashion a short bit of duct, out of stainless steel, bolted in place, to have it discharge straight out, and onto the ground, as per the green lines. Anyone see any reason why this would not work?

 

[jj4091]

Our old one used to just blow out of the side of the deck because it never came with a collection mechanism (second hand) so it might be easier to do it that way. It was only a problem when you had a stong wind behind you and the grass cuttings would blow upward faster than you were driving and give you a shower. I guess that would be the same if they were blowing out the back.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Our old one used to just blow out of the side of the deck

No, out of the rear. It is a wide oval, with contra-rotating blades.

It was only a problem when you had a stong wind behind you and the grass cuttings would blow upward faster than you were driving

It discharged out of the duct, at the rear, via a square duct, about 2 feet up from the ground. The wind would then blow it all over. I'm thinking if it discharges straight onto the ground, it will perhaps not be blown about so much.

 

[Burnerman]

The sculpting of the deck will tend to throw the grass upwards towards the missing chute, but what you propose will work. With contra rotating blades, a side discharge isn't as successful.
It may cover the transmission with grass though!
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It may cover the transmission with grass though!

That is my main concern. In which case, it might be useful to extend the duct to further back. Suck it and see I guess.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It took me a while to get round to it, due to sorting other issues on the tractor, plus numerous hospital appointments, weather and etc., but today, I finally got there. Other issues were a broken front drive belt, a snapped weld on the brake pedal. This latter was a 20mm shaft, spot welded, end on to a second 20mm shaft, which was the brake lever. I welded it up properly, but due to poor access, it ended up out of line with where it should have been. Press the brake pedal, and it also caught, and pressed the 'accelerator' pedal. To get the pedal to clear, this morning I had to bend the 20mm steel rod, with a scaffold bar, to realign it.

The thin, very rusty, steel rising up from the rear of the deck, I simply cut off, with an angle grinder, to allow my new bit of fashioned duct, to sit on the deck a bit lower. For the new section of duct, I made use of some scrap stainless steel. The scrap, was a section of old cooker extract hood, simply reshaped a little, then bolted into place on the deck. Just a U shape, and completely open below. It was just the right width already.

Once all back on, I gave it a go. Despite the 'blowy' conditions, almost no cut grass became air-bourne. It just left a neat trail of cut grass behind it, and none on the drive system, which was my biggest concern.

Once the warmer weather arrives, I plan to get the deck off again, pressure wash it, let the heat of the sun dry it, then give it a good old Waxoyling.

 

[jj4091]

Well done.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Well done.

Thanks! I sold its predecessor, for something like £200, to a fishing lake, to mow their path around the lake, around 10 years ago. I bought this one, as a replacement, paying more than I should, around £450. Like many of the up, and over the back axle designs, for cutting collections - it would frequently block the duct up, with the cuttings. My first modification, was to simply do away with the big collection bag on the rear, which then blew the cuttings up in the air, covering me with them, so I added a curved bit of duct, in place of the collector, to direct the cutting to the ground. That really helped, but the duct was beginning to fall apart.

It was still inclined to block, but it was much easier to unblock with a poke with a stick, from the rear. I had it in mind, to see if there was some way to completely do away with the up, and over duct, and modify the deck to directly discharge - I just wasn't sure it would work.

 

[jj4091]

Glad it worked out well. I got mine for free from a neighbour as it was going for scrap. Got it going but had to buy a new deck ( no welding facilities ) and belt for it so it actually cost just over £200. Lasted about 10 years after which I had no future use for it and couldn't get a new clutch cable for it anyway. Sold it for £75 as a non runner. As I said the only downside was getting showered with grass cuttings when mowing with a following wind but as it was a side blower I couldn't really do anything about it.
They seem to be going for a lot more than £450 around here as they seem to be in big demand so you didn't do too badly.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

They seem to be going for a lot more than £450 around here as they seem to be in big demand so you didn't do too badly.

I tried a variety of push, self-drive mowers, and hover mowers, but it was just too much for both me and the mowers, they and I me, never lasted long, it was such a task. It didn't even save much in fuel. The tractor does it all in 30 minutes, and with no real effort. .