Been out tire kicking' and was wondering how well does it work (60" deck, BX23S) or is it more trouble than it's worth? Saw a video on removing/ installing a non drive over deck and it didn't look like too bad a job provided you were on a hard surface. TIA
BX 80's- drive over deck or not?
- Thread starter Grizz Wi
- Start date
I saw a Messick's video where the guy basically said the drive over deck is good if you have to remove the deck and would have difficulty with removing the non drive over deck. (Age, health). Outside of that scenario he doesn't recommend it. I never take my deck off, as I have no need until a belt or blade needs replaced. My place is mostly flat and bumpy. No ground clearance issues here.
I think you'll find people with them like them, people without them think they're unnecessary. Hard to get an unbiased view.
For me, I think on the B2601 the drive over deck looks great. No fiddly ramps, and you still manually attach the driveshaft.
On the BX there are the ramps, people say they rattle, and it looks like a faff. The auto connect on the driveshaft sounds good in theory, but I find it hard to believe that I'd drive accurately enough for it to mate properly. Seems like something that'd be great when it works, and when it doesn't work it'd be three times as hard to connect because there are extra fiddly bits in the way.
I have a BX2350, which has had a hard time before I owned it. The wheels on the deck are bolted, so I never bother turning them. I just drop the deck, lift the front wheels with the loader, roll it out forwards, lift up the loader again to pull the deck the rest of the way out. I do it on the lawn. Main thing is that I have the scalp wheels set reasonably low/short so they don't drag when I mow the road verge. The pins that hold the mower on sometimes don't come down quite far enough, so you have to lift the deck a bit to make them engage. That's a real pain - literally, I hurt my back once doing that. On an 80 that wouldn't be a problem, the wheels adjust easily - just put the wheels down further to give more height. Or do what I do and put a board under it before taking it off.
The drive shaft attach is fiddly, but you get used to it and it goes quickly. Main thing is that it's basically impossible to do without lying on the ground. If you planned for that you have a mat to lie on. If you didn't you get dirty because who could be bothered going to get a mat when you're in the middle of taking the deck off.
I don't take my deck off often. The loader I take off when I mow, I only take the deck off to sharpen and when I'm doing loader work that needs more clearance - which isn't often.
For me, I think on the B2601 the drive over deck looks great. No fiddly ramps, and you still manually attach the driveshaft.
On the BX there are the ramps, people say they rattle, and it looks like a faff. The auto connect on the driveshaft sounds good in theory, but I find it hard to believe that I'd drive accurately enough for it to mate properly. Seems like something that'd be great when it works, and when it doesn't work it'd be three times as hard to connect because there are extra fiddly bits in the way.
I have a BX2350, which has had a hard time before I owned it. The wheels on the deck are bolted, so I never bother turning them. I just drop the deck, lift the front wheels with the loader, roll it out forwards, lift up the loader again to pull the deck the rest of the way out. I do it on the lawn. Main thing is that I have the scalp wheels set reasonably low/short so they don't drag when I mow the road verge. The pins that hold the mower on sometimes don't come down quite far enough, so you have to lift the deck a bit to make them engage. That's a real pain - literally, I hurt my back once doing that. On an 80 that wouldn't be a problem, the wheels adjust easily - just put the wheels down further to give more height. Or do what I do and put a board under it before taking it off.
The drive shaft attach is fiddly, but you get used to it and it goes quickly. Main thing is that it's basically impossible to do without lying on the ground. If you planned for that you have a mat to lie on. If you didn't you get dirty because who could be bothered going to get a mat when you're in the middle of taking the deck off.
I don't take my deck off often. The loader I take off when I mow, I only take the deck off to sharpen and when I'm doing loader work that needs more clearance - which isn't often.
I have drive over on B but have never driven over it and no plans too. Seems like weight would be bad idea driving on it. Sliding in and out on concrete isn't really that bad. Mine may come off once during summer for grease.
The drive shaft is worse part IMO. Green tractors at least looking at YouTube seem to have drive over figured out.
The drive shaft is worse part IMO. Green tractors at least looking at YouTube seem to have drive over figured out.
Once you’re in a hard, level location that offers the physical space needed, it's 3 minutes to remove, and 3 minutes to install. the only physical effort is shoving it in from the side or yanking it out. Once it's out i move it with pallet forks, and its chained to the wall standing up. There are axle kits you can buy so you can roll it around while its standing on its side as well...
http://www.moweraxle.com/tractorstands/kubotastands.html
The drive over deck system seems to have been mastered by deere judging from the videos.
http://www.moweraxle.com/tractorstands/kubotastands.html
The drive over deck system seems to have been mastered by deere judging from the videos.
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I drive over my deck sometimes once a week (that’s actually twice one on one off) and it causes no problems. but I never have the loader on when I drive on it. Probably makes a difference. The decks are pretty stout, but the gauge wheel mounts are cheesy. You have to have the deck on the ground and off the wheels.
I think thay make a 24" version but you might be HP limited in the heavy stuff.
SDT
First cut is finished, loaded on GN trailers and gone. You reminded me that I need to put on the bat wing chopper and cut the fields now. My disc bine has a bad habit of striping is I don't pay attention to where the left side disc is when cutting a field.
My old sickle bar mower conditioner (that I keep as a backup) is much easier to observe because the cutter bar is exposed, whereas the disc machine is completely shrouded so I have to observe the knife location via the decal on the shroud, which is necessary so nothing gets thrown forward if I happen to run over a rock or some other debris in a field.
I wish sometimes. Nice hobby but all work. least my ac is working well. I would have sweated my buns off without it.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
I have to ask.... do you remove the loader and BH everytime to cut grass witha BX23S ? I didn't get a MMM for my BX23S(fist thing salesguy asked....) as I can get a new 'rider' for less than just the deck.
Ok I'm gettin old, and body's not in good shape and the THOUGHT of crawling on the ground trying to get a deck hooked up ain't fun, let alone the ACTUAL grunt work !
Ok I'm gettin old, and body's not in good shape and the THOUGHT of crawling on the ground trying to get a deck hooked up ain't fun, let alone the ACTUAL grunt work !
I've never found hooking up the deck on my BX2350 hard. I did it on the weekend. Put the loader on, lifted wheels, pulled out deck, loader to lift deck, sharpen blades with angle grinder (big fat mess - needs new blades really), put deck down, lift wheels, roll deck back under, all the clips go easy except the drive shaft, which means lying on ground but takes all of 30 seconds. Oh, and the bar that holds the front of the mower somehow has driven itself into something and is all bent, putting that on is harder than it could be. But none of it physically demanding, just a process.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
re: But none of it physically demanding, just a process.
yeah, unless you're missing two lower discs, have to wear bifocals and ripped a hernia,again.....gettng old ain't as nice as 'they' said it would be.......so had to look at 'options'.
I had to give up on the 'one tractor - does all' years agocaused me too much pain(physically) and time. I have less invested in dedicated rider mower and a rider snoblower than cost of a MMM for my BX23S.
yeah, unless you're missing two lower discs, have to wear bifocals and ripped a hernia,again.....gettng old ain't as nice as 'they' said it would be.......so had to look at 'options'.
I had to give up on the 'one tractor - does all' years agocaused me too much pain(physically) and time. I have less invested in dedicated rider mower and a rider snoblower than cost of a MMM for my BX23S.
lol this is true jay i guess its perspective, muscling the deck around is an ass ache. At the end of the day the thing weighs 300 pounds, no getting around that. If you search on youtube for the John Deere drive over system it is pretty amazing.