Bent Kubota zero turn deck

[RLynn9]

I screwed up and hit a stump in high grass… it hit the front wheels on the deck and bent the wall of the deck (see pics) but the blades are cutting just fine and even… is there a way to bend the deck straight again ? Any help would be appreciated

 

[GreensvilleJay]

portapower unit, big pipe wrenches, BFH.
The challenge is to SECURE the deck strongly ,so that you can 'tweak' it back 'as required'. Actual 'readjustment' is easy, it's planning it out and having the right tools that takes time.

 

[NCL4701]

Agree with Jay. For that bend in the deck, I’d start by removing the center anti-scalp rollers and then patiently work it back out with a large pipe wrench, preferably something around 3’ long (either a wrench that big or somewhat smaller with a well matched cheater pipe). Probably start at the edges moving it a little at a time, going back and forth, moving toward the center. The edges should get closer and closer with each pass until it’s worked all the way out.

If you want to do some fine adjustment, a 3lb or so hammer should work well for that.

No, I’m not a body shop tech. I’ve just bent a lot of stuff.

 

[fried1765]

Agree with Jay. For that bend in the deck, I’d start by removing the center anti-scalp rollers and then patiently work it back out with a large pipe wrench, preferably something around 3’ long (either a wrench that big or somewhat smaller with a well matched cheater pipe). Probably start at the edges moving it a little at a time, going back and forth, moving toward the center. The edges should get closer and closer with each pass until it’s worked all the way out.

If you want to do some fine adjustment, a 3lb or so hammer should work well for that.

No, I’m not a body shop tech. I’ve just bent a lot of stuff.

The big pipe wrench method, with much patience (very little bites), will work just fine.
I have a 50 year old 15HP Craftsman rider deck that I have straightened MANY times.
I think my ex just loved to crash the deck into things, to get my goat.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Well looks like the anti scalp rollers have been tweaked for some time!

Pull the deck off the Zero Turn turn it upside down and hit it with a sledge hammer!

 

[hodge]

This may sound insulting, so hopefully my comment is accepted as an observation, not a personal attack.

Looking at the general condition of your zero turn, I would suggest leaving it. If it's not bent enough for the blades to rub on that area, it isn't going to hurt anything. Straightening it will involve a lot of work.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'm wondering HOW all the grass and leaves got onto the top of the deck ? Guy cross the street goes so fast(2 acres in 20 mins) NOTHING has a chance to lay on top....

 

[bbxlr8]

I have done as NIW said above, I take it off and apply judicious use of BFH/sledge. I typically use a BIG adjust wrench on lighter gauge stuff (shield etc.) but that definitely does not work on my deck. My property "grows" rocks as I am on a ridge with glacial deposit boulders. Unfortunately my 60"mmm is the worse for it no matter how careful I try to be...

IMO As per above, there is some merit to waiting until the next full service if the blades are OK

edit - In the short term, I would prob jack it up and try the big wrench while mounted for the heck of it (kiss)

 

[RCW]

Well looks like the anti scalp rollers have been tweaked for some time!

Pull the deck off the Zero Turn turn it upside down and hit it with a sledge hammer!

This may sound insulting, so hopefully my comment is accepted as an observation, not a personal attack.

Looking at the general condition of your zero turn, I would suggest leaving it. If it's not bent enough for the blades to rub on that area, it isn't going to hurt anything. Straightening it will involve a lot of work.

Yep - - they've been that way for quite a while. Just look at the rollers...they're worn to the angle of the bent holding brackets.

As long as nothing it hitting, I would leave as-is like Hodge suggested.

 

[jyoutz]

Looks like she’s been rode hard and put up wet. Many times.

 

[RLynn9]

Well looks like the anti scalp rollers have been tweaked for some time!

Pull the deck off the Zero Turn turn it upside down and hit it with a sledge hammer!

Yeah, it’s a shared mower… city parks department …I was hoping to bend it out without the repair shop seeing it and giving me hell

 

[RLynn9]

Looks like she’s been rode hard and put up wet. Many times.

Yeah, it a parks mower, used by several different people in our zone

 

[RLynn9]

Yep - - they've been that way for quite a while. Just look at the rollers...they're worn to the angle of the bent holding brackets.

As long as nothing it hitting, I would leave as-is like Hodge suggested.

Yeah, every clown who rides it messes up those rollers… it’s not the mower I usually ride but I just happened to be the idiot who bent the deck.. but as I said, I got lucky because the blades are working just fine .. not touching the deck at all … didn’t bend far enough

 

[RLynn9]

I'm wondering HOW all the grass and leaves got onto the top of the deck ? Guy cross the street goes so fast(2 acres in 20 mins) NOTHING has a chance to lay on top....

The grass always does that when cutting the parks that I do .. and it was really windy here on Friday

 

[RLynn9]

portapower unit, big pipe wrenches, BFH.
The challenge is to SECURE the deck strongly ,so that you can 'tweak' it back 'as required'. Actual 'readjustment' is easy, it's planning it out and having the right tools that takes time.

Hmmm … I have no idea how I’m going to secure the deck

 

[RLynn9]

This may sound insulting, so hopefully my comment is accepted as an observation, not a personal attack.

Looking at the general condition of your zero turn, I would suggest leaving it. If it's not bent enough for the blades to rub on that area, it isn't going to hurt anything. Straightening it will involve a lot of work.

Not insulting at all … it’s a shared parks department mower… at least 3-4 people have been using it to take care of 16 parks every year … I’ve used it on and off for the last 4 years and who knows how long it was here before me … I was hoping to fix the bend before it goes to our repair shop for the next oil change/pm .. don’t want them to notice and give me a bunch of trouble

 

[hodge]

Not insulting at all … it’s a shared parks department mower… at least 3-4 people have been using it to take care of 16 parks every year … I’ve used it on and off for the last 4 years and who knows how long it was here before me … I was hoping to fix the bend before it goes to our repair shop for the next oil change/pm .. don’t want them to notice and give me a bunch of trouble

Gotcha. I had assumed that it was your personal equipment.

 

[Nicfin36]

Dang, must be a tough ol' mower to be passed around like it is. The deck was probably already fatigued from other encounters and you took it one hit too far. I wonder if the mower is ever greased?

I would put my vote in as well for the sledge hammer. Take your time and you can probably bend it back reasonably well.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Other option is three ratchet straps.
2 straps attached to the outside front wheel brackets other end attached to something solid.
Then one strap (or come along) on the front center and pull the front out.

 

[Chanceywd]

Other option is three ratchet straps.
2 straps attached to the outside front wheel brackets other end attached to something solid.
Then one strap (or come along) on the front center and pull the front out.

That was my thought. I would find 2 trees just far enough apart to catch by the front wheel brackets, then pull from a point in front with a come-along. Maybe a vehicle in front as a dead man.