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48" deck improvement ideas? (Bail Assembly)


Simpleton7016

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I have used 3 different 48" decks in my life. Without exception, they all had one common problem. I am looking for creative solution ideas. There is a pivot where the bail assembly connects with the rocker arm assembly. The problem is that the Bail assembly does not seem long enough to stay in the rockerarm assembly. Inevitably, it always works itself out. Has anyone else had this problem? Better yet has anyone solved it? I want to address this before I finish putting my restoration deck back together. Perhaps drill a hole for a cotterpin and washer - like the roller assembly's? Put on some kind of collar? I saw someone else do this for some other applications but I don't know who it was nor what the application was.... [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/630bail.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/631Bail.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/632bail.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/633bail.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/634bail.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/635bail.jpg[/img] Thanks in advance. Erik
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This may be the post you're referring to: http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=67595 The poster was Lance R in the Show & Tell section, and was posted 8/6/2006. Check out the last picture. I've been reading all your posts, (having recently restored a similar deck), looking to see where I can incorporate any upgrades. Great work on the deck by the way!
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Yep, that's the one! Thanks and thanks for the kind words. Are those just called "collars"? I don't want to go into the hardware store and look like anymore of an idiot that I absolutely have to!
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quote:
Originally posted by Simpleton7016
I don't want to go into the hardware store and look like anymore of an idiot that I absolutely have to!
Boy can I relate to that one! My local Napa is also a hardware store, I'm in there all the time. I really think by now, when they see me coming through the door, they ether roll there eyes, or say to them selves, not that nutty tractor guy![:0] lol Elon
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"I have used 3 different 48" decks in my life. Without exception, they all had one common problem. I am looking for creative solution ideas. There is a pivot where the bail assembly connects with the rocker arm assembly. The problem is that the Bail assembly does not seem long enough to stay in the rockerarm assembly. Inevitably, it always works itself out. Has anyone else had this problem?" Never have had that problem on my 42" decks. Unless it is something unique to 48" decks I suspect something is excessively worn or sprung out of shape. For example, in your last picture of the white deck the hole for the bale assembly is badly worn/egg shaped. Maybe others will chime in on the subject.
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actually, it is a bad camera angle. The hole is actually still a pretty tight fit....I just pushed the assembly out of the hole and the camera angle does not capture it....but it does look oblong in the picture now that you mention it! :D
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Simpleton7016, It would seem to me that the only way it'd come out is if the deck was rocking sideways... Or the metal would bend over time, allowing it to slip out of the hole. The cotterpin/washer is a good idea. A collar is a good idea too.. Not sure if there'd be enough room on the ends for either? May just be a disortion in the pic. Another possible fix- hang the deck onto the tractor, then hammer the 'female' "arm" piece inwards slightly. That may work provided it was done early on when the metal's still strong and not stressed.
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Not a bad idea...I'd just hate to hammer on my new paint job! :) Yeah, I don't know why they pop out...it is not all the time, but on occasion I will glance down and it popped out. It seems to happen when the deck 'flexes'. Meaning when I come out of a ditch or go around trees. I can't be the only one that this happens too. Then again, maybe I can. :) Afterall, I am the only person in the world that ALWAYS picks the wrong '50' when I have a "50/50" chance at something!!:D
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You should have seen what I put my deck through this summer. Thriugh 4 foot tall grass , brush , branches , mud and more mud , and that has never happened to me. I did notice that you could have a better choice of bolts in that area. A carriage bolt would provide more clearance.
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Simpleton7016, Ronald probably is right. It does seem in the picture that the bolt head seems to be too thick to me? Perhaps try grinding it down halfway? Just had an idea- what about a wheel clip & washer? You could grind a groove around the protruding rod and put on a clip and a washer. (The clip being the type that you have to pull apart with point-nosed pilers or a clip removal tool) That might work for something like that with a lack of space. It's possible that your deck shouldn't be flexing too much? Another possible fix: brace the deck? Best of luck solving that problem..
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Erik, Only slightly off-topic, but since you're working so hard on trying out new ideas on your 48, check out this thread: http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=68583 It's in Show & Tell and was posted by memeber Tacey. There is a link there to the Meg-Mo blade site with a promotional video. If the blades work like they do in the demo, they'd make an interesting experiment, especially in the heavy stuff.
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Scott, that is a gol-darn excellent idea and one so simple that I would have never though of it in a million years. Thank you. Brian, I just invested in the gators so I am going that route....but I may opt to refurbish another deck this winter and will consider those blades.
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Hi All, Read the threads - will be usefull this winter - nice job on complete rebuilds.. Question on completed mower decks: Is there a proper direction to align the three blades?? I've seen photos of blades all aligned in same direction parallel to each other, and have seen photos of end blades canted, and center blade aligned flat left to right. Even scanned manuals. Any hints on the best direction to align the three blades relative to each other??? Was mowing a 40 yr untouched field with my 7016, driving right over 8 ft tall sumack and untold other tall weeds. Was going great until the blades got wound up with long grass and so I pulled the deck to clear it, noticed center blade was loose, removed blade, cleaned and lubed, then wondered which way to align before tightening. Kinda wish I could find a sickle mower of front mower locally here in New England...
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Alignment of the blades will not matter one bit. That is why they are in a triangular formation (lead blade in front center, others to each side and slightly behind the lead blade), so there is no need to "align" the blades. Growing up with a FDT, I actually did this several times. Each time I un-mounted the deck for service, the blades were once again out of "alignment." There is a certain amount of slipage between the belt and pulleys, probably a safety measure should you encounter the legendary "imovable object!" If you want to see the worst machine ever designed, (IMHO) I owned a Cub Cadet one summer that had "timed blades." One blade had to be at 12-6 verticle position, the other at 9-3 position. The blades were timed with a timing belt like those used in cars. I spent one whole summer tearing up belts and buying new aluminum timing pulleys. The idea was to not skip any grass when mowing. In reality, if you hit one twig, you were in for the scare of your life, (especially the first time), as the blades collided and something would give way before you could reach the PTO lever. I found on elderly gent who had a Simplicity 3410 sitting in pieces in an old quonset hut on his farm. He thought I was an idiot trading him a running Cub for a Simplicity basket case. That was in 1982...I'm still running the Simplicity. Regards.
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