Replace an Old Mower Deck. When you see more grass clippings coming out the top of your walk behinds deck than are going into the catch bag, its safe to say its time for a new mower. At least those were my initial thoughts, when chunks of rusted out metal started flinging off my six year old push mower. I could see lots of daylight when I washed off the grass clippings from beneath the deck. Even though I washed my old mower after each use, changed the oil twice a year and tried to keep it maintained, the thin metal of the deck wasnt up to the ravaging corrosive effects of high humidity and my coastal location. My choices were 1 drop a couple hundred dollars for a new model and set the old one out with the trash or 2 repair the deck. Being frugal, and mindful of being green, I chose the latter after all, it seemed wasteful to throw away a mower that was in good shape except for the deck. My mower is a 2. 1 inch Troy Bilt walk behind. After a short Google parts search, it became clear its one of many brands actually built by MTD. Parts diagrams and parts are plentifulincluding a Deck Service Kit. So, credit card in one hand, mouse in the other, I placed an order with M and D Mower www. M and D. com. A week later UPS arrived bearing gifts a Deck Service Kit and a new mulching blade. An hour later, kneeling on a Bedrug www. Gear. Wrench hand tools, the last bolt on the new deck was being tightened. The rusted out sheetmetal holding up the engine was already in the trash pile. In its place was a brand new, shiny red deck with new rear baffle and mulching blade. We also replaced the control cable while everything was apart. How To Install Demolition Brakes Plus' title='How To Install Demolition Brakes Plus' />Now when Im walking behind my new mower I dont see grass and rust chunks blowing up into the air. Not only am I back to safe mowing, I saved enough money in the process to buy mower gas for the next five years. If this is a route you find appealing, check out the photos to see how we did the repairs. A line of rusted out metal is the obvious sign this mowers deck is ready for the scrap heap. But the engine and the rest of the mower parts are still in good shape, meaning its still a keeper. Service kits for mower decks are available for just such a purpose. Our kit consisted of the new deck, rear baffle and star adapter to hold the blade to the shaft. Throttle Jockey Get up to Speed on Motorcycle Lingo with this BeyondComprehensive Dictionary. Garmin Msn Direct Activation Hack. Its a lot harder to take the money and run when the cash you want is trapped inside an ATM. But some daring thieves in Arkansas recently used a forklift in. Give Me a Brake Tips for Working with Metal Expert tips for making jobsite flashings from aluminum coil stock. Earlier this year, the White House requested written comments from US voters about the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity, led by Vice President Mike Pence. We ordered a new mulching blade when we purchased this kit through M and D Mowers. The emergency stop control cable can be left on the handle if its in good shape, but needs to be disconnected from the engine. This mowers cable was rusting, so we removed it for replacement later. Give every nut and bolt a good shot of your favorite penetrating lubricant. We used Liquid Wrench to get through the rust on this project. Two bolts hold the rear wheelshandlebar bracket assembly in place. One is a 38 inch self tapping screw and the other a thru bolt that requires either a 2. We used the wrench system. Remove the rear wheelshandlebar assembly in one piece and set aside. Keep the nuts and bolts to be reused. Tilt the mower on its side. Use a 58 inch or whatever size is appropriate for your mower socket to remove the blade, being careful not to cut your hands in the process. Remove the three 38 inch bolts that attach the engine to the deck. Be sure the threaded portion of the screw visible from the topside is well lubricated before removal, or else you could gall the threads in the aluminum engine housing. Lift the engine off the deck and set aside with the other parts. Remove the hinged mulching plug. The 51. 6 inch bolts holding ours in place were rusted so badly we had to use locking pliers to remove them. Its good to survey your mower before ordering parts to ensure you have everything needed before repairs begin. The front wheel assemblies, whose 91. The front baffle on our mower will be reused. Toss the old deck in the trash. Flip the new deck upside down and reinstall the front wheels that were just removed. Use the existing mounting hardware if you didnt order new parts. Position the rear baffle that came with the service kit and use the supplied self tapping screws to attach it to the deck. Flip the deck over and set the rear wheelshandlebar in place. Set the engine back into position on the new deck and attach using the old bolts. Pull the old blades star adapter off the engine shaft. If it is rusted in place, use a small wheel puller to remove it. The new deck is 1 inch deeper than the old one, so you must use the adapter sent with the service kit to mount your mower blade. Tighten the crankshaft bolt. Make sure the blade is in the proper position as indicated on the blade face Down and use a block of wood to hold the blade from turning while you tighten. The new, finished deck provides better cutting ability than the old version and makes the mower look good as new.