Mower SSQA attach

[PaulL]

I've seen videos of John Deere tractors with a quick attach for their mower, allowing them to lift and move the mower, and to tilt it up for cleaning and sharpening blades. It looks super useful. https://www.johndeerestore.com/jdb2...nuine-Parts/Load-N-Go™-Attachment-/p/BXX10241

Seems to me it should be possible to build something similar using SSQA parts. Fundamentally the SSQA is just an angle at the top, and bracket at the bottom, so you presumably wouldn't need to mount the whole SSQA plate - you could do a couple of reasonably small top brackets from angle, and a couple of brackets at the bottom to take the pins. It doesn't need to lift much weight, nor be super durable, as it'd be occasional use only.

Has anyone seen anything like that, or fabbed one?

 

[mikester]

Whatever floats your boat!

Forklift forks are my general go-to for moving stuff around...a chain or lift strap does the job too if I just want a quick peek under the deck.

Personally Id put that $250 towards a set of loader forks over a mower ssqa bracket.

 

[m.t.hands]

looks like it would be easy enough to build one, first one i saw on the front of one of those green tractors i thought "Wow, that would be handy trimming hedges" then i saw where it was only for transporting and deck maintenance

something similar to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me8HCWsJ1Sc

 

[D2Cat]

That operator in the Youtube link is CRAZY. At some point he will be impaled by a "twig dart".

 

[PaulL]

Forklift forks are my general go-to for moving stuff around

Forks won't tilt it enough

...a chain or lift strap does the job too if I just want a quick peek under the deck.

Yeah, I can lift my BX deck by hand. The B that I'm buying will be a bit heavier, I'm getting drive over so I don't need to drag it around, not lifting will be a bit easier on my back.

I could use chains, but that takes a bit of paint off, and is a bit of a fiddle. So I could, but though that with an SSQA it'd be easier to have something like that Load-n-go.

Personally Id put that $250 towards a set of loader forks over a mower ssqa bracket.

I'm probably getting loader forks anyway. If I can fab it it probably won't be $250, and it's a project I could amuse myself with for a couple days.

If nobody has already done it, I might look at it once I get the B and can take measures. That's still at least 6 months away anyway.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

OK, I don't and never will have a MMM..but... if you bolt on SSQA 'adapters' do you have SPACE for them under the tractor,above the deck and NOT touch 'something' like a belt or spring or ???????.

The dimensions for SSQA mtg plate is easy, I made my 'blank' from a sheet of steel 16.5 x 45, 2x45 flat bar on top, 45* angle, 2 x 3 pcs of 1" bar welded as a 'U' for the lower attachment, welded@ 120*.
The 'trick' for the deck setup is getting the lower 'hole' to pin in, though maybe it's not required, just hook onto the top 45* sections and lift, titled back deck shouldn't go anywhere...

 

[PaulL]

Yes. I'm thinking that:
1. Don't need the full blank - the mower body will provide the rigidity. So really only need the angle for the top, and the brackets to connect the pins into on the bottom, all the rest of that steel is unnecessary

2. If the SSQA is wide enough, I can push it to the edge of the mower (outside the chassis). So it shouldn't obstruct anything. It also ideally won't be in the wheel track, so that the driveover isn't impacted

3. So two angle brackets at the front/top of the mower. Welded to the deck, and outside the chassis and the wheel line

4. And two pieces of flat bar towards the rear of the deck, pointing upwards, with cutouts for the SSQA pins to lock into, about same location as the front brackets.

In concept there's not a lot of fabbing. But I need to actually get my B so I can measure and see if there's room. It'd certainly be nice to detach the deck, drive back off it, then curl the bucket and pick up the mower, move it to where I want it, lift it to sharpen the blades, or whatever else I want to do with it.

 

[St8 e]

I definitely like the idea...I would be concerned about it impacting something underneath the tractor when the mower deck is taken all the way up...I would def be interested if someone figured a way to do this. It would certainly make scraping the underside of the deck deck /removing blades, etc. much easier!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[GreensvilleJay]

For cleaning decks on riders, I have a chain hoist on a trolley and steel I-Beam in the garage. Just raise the front of rider up 4', makes it easy to remove dull(bent) blades ! and get 50-70# of wet grass off deck. Neighbours cut in AM when grass is wet....I get to service them...

Beam was used as was trolley, $20 chain hoist...sace of beer for install.overall a great investment.

Jay

 

[mikester]

Forks won't tilt it enough



Yeah, I can lift my BX deck by hand. The B that I'm buying will be a bit heavier, I'm getting drive over so I don't need to drag it around, not lifting will be a bit easier on my back.

I could use chains, but that takes a bit of paint off, and is a bit of a fiddle. So I could, but though that with an SSQA it'd be easier to have something like that Load-n-go.



I'm probably getting loader forks anyway. If I can fab it it probably won't be $250, and it's a project I could amuse myself with for a couple days.

If nobody has already done it, I might look at it once I get the B and can take measures. That's still at least 6 months away anyway.

Buy some 6 foot slings, no chain required. You can get them on sale for under $10. Doesnt damage your paint and slips over your forks no problem.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/sling-lifting/A-p8864522e
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-ft-6400-lbs-capacity-lifting-sling-61233.html

 

[dalola]

I've seen videos of John Deere tractors with a quick attach for their mower, allowing them to lift and move the mower, and to tilt it up for cleaning and sharpening blades. It looks super useful. https://www.johndeerestore.com/jdb2...nuine-Parts/Load-N-Go™-Attachment-/p/BXX10241

Seems to me it should be possible to build something similar using SSQA parts. Fundamentally the SSQA is just an angle at the top, and bracket at the bottom, so you presumably wouldn't need to mount the whole SSQA plate - you could do a couple of reasonably small top brackets from angle, and a couple of brackets at the bottom to take the pins. It doesn't need to lift much weight, nor be super durable, as it'd be occasional use only.

Has anyone seen anything like that, or fabbed one?

Taking that a step further, I think it would cool to have a SSQA hydro finish mower. Doesn't seem anybody makes such a thing....who knows, may seem ok in concept, but in actuality, maybe not so much. I think it would be handy, tho, and would consider it if it existed.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

power-trac make them, I just 'googled' and found them....