Snapper 1855 Deck

[CJ4]

I have a Snapper 1855 that's about 30 yrs old.....it was made by Massey Ferguson then Snapper took these tractors over somehow. It's still going but the issue is the deck pulleys and belts. The deck has 3 blades operated by a rubber insert gear cogged pulley....a cogged belt (what i'd call a timing belt) turns in the grooves of the pulleys......I used to change the pulleys and belts about every season or two and it was fine but eventually the teeth on the belts and/or the coggs on the pulleys wear down and causes the blades to become "untimed" and hit each other.

I've tried numerous places and get dead end answers that these parts are no longer made...ie: discontinued. I found one piece but couldn't find them all so it's useless. I hate to scrap this whole tractor but I'm out of ideas. It's one tough tractor and I can't believe somebody don't make at least a replacement deck. It's drive shaft driven and very heavy built.

Any ideas????

 

[RichNJKubota]

If replacement parts are no longer available then I'd try Grainger or McMaster to see if something will fit. I know that Grainger has a good selection of "timing belts".

 

[CJ4]

hummmm, good idea, i'm sure i could match up the belts....it's those darn pulleys with rubber insert teeth that i wonder about.

 

[hwp]

I had a Snapper 1855 before I got my current machine about 8 years ago. Those deck belts were a PITA. It had no trouble getting parts from the Snapper dealer although they were often rather expensive. Have you tried getting the parts you need from a Snapper dealer? I think the Snapper 1855 adnt he MF1855 were identical so you might also try a MF dealer.

 

[etcallhome]

My father-in-law has a 1655 Massey about 30 yrs old . We are in the same boat as you . I tried Grainger . Snapper, Massey and everyplace else . No luck!!!!!!
I was able to find the center pulley because it had 2 pulleys for it . The outside ones no luck I even called a used tractor dealer near Harrisburg Pa. In the last 25 or 30 yrs in business they had seen 1 mower deck of this type come in that was about 10-15 yrs ago.

Hope you have better luck than we did if so let me know where you found your parts.

 

[CJ4]

I tried all the dealers.....The tractor virtually is a Massey.....You can see MF on the bolts all over the thing......there are no parts out there for these things....might find one of the pulleys but it's useless without them all.....and they have always been expensive but very quality.....I just can't believe there isn't at least a deck out there that would work....i hate to scrap the whole tractor .....this sucks!!!

 

[sandman2234]

Ok, lets think about this...
Part was made by someone, assembled, and sold.
Making another one, or several might be an option. Due to setup costs in a machine shop, several aren't usually much more expensive than a one off.
Do you know anyone that has a milling machine and lathe? Is there a "Heat Treater" near you?
I would think that you can forgo the rubber slots in the pulley if they are what I am picturing, and just use straight steel with a surface hardening such as carburizing. It might wear the belts a little more, but probably not too much. You might also use some other sort of material such as aluminum, if you can get a bunch of them made reasonable, to forgo the heat treating and just change them as they wear. Would make machining costs lower, but the material price would go up a little. Another would be to make them out of some of the plastic's that are available in todays market. I have seen plastic you can't wear out by abrasion, but machines very easily, providing the parts don't require .002" of tolerance (which yours don't even come close)
I would be interested in seeing a picture of one of these pullies, in case there is something that makes them a problem to machine, whereas casting might be an option.
There is a small casting shop in Pa, that does small orders and not to expensive, comparatively.
David from jax

 

[larso1]

Do the blades have to be timed? If the pulleys are not in a straight line with each other you could shave down the ends of the blades and still get overlap. This would allow you to go to standard spindles and pulleys from other decks.

Otherwise, I think I would get a same width deck from another tractor/mower, one with a shaft-driven gearbox like the older Bolens models, and reposition the deck hangers from your deck to the replacement deck. A little measuring, cut and welding , and presto! A new deck with standard spindles, pulleys and belts. Couldn't be that hard to do.

Bill

 

[RichNJKubota]

Surplus center dot com has a bunch of decks listed on their website.

Surplus Center - Hydraulic Equipment Electric Motors

Rich
=============

Do the blades have to be timed? If the pulleys are not in a straight line with each other you could shave down the ends of the blades and still get overlap. This would allow you to go to standard spindles and pulleys from other decks.

Otherwise, I think I would get a same width deck from another tractor/mower, one with a shaft-driven gearbox like the older Bolens models, and reposition the deck hangers from your deck to the replacement deck. A little measuring, cut and welding , and presto! A new deck with standard spindles, pulleys and belts. Couldn't be that hard to do.

Bill

 

[C Holmes]

Well anyone deciding to part out their deck, I need the pto shaft from the deck to the engine. Anyone have one they are willing to part with?