Why does it matter if a stamped mowing deck gets bent ?

[ForumJunkie]

What is the big deal about a welded deck ?
Stamped is thinner gauge.
Welded is thicker.
If there is a dent, why does it matter?
It is still shielding the grass from flying everywhere.
If there is a dent, just hammer it out.

What is the big deal about a welded deck ?

 

[Grumpycat]

Welded decks have stronger spindles. Keeps better alignment of belts. Stronger mount for idlers.

Pay attention to old lawn tractors you see around. Most discarded the cheap stamped mower deck when it got bent/rusted out of shape and couldn't hold a belt on pulleys. See, "Classic Tractor Fever" on RFDTV for example. "Restorers" either don't bother with the decks or they can't find the matching deck because they were long since scrapped.

 

[whistlepig]

Stamped decks can stress crack like egg shells where as welded (fabricated) ones won't.

 

[dodge man]

Because the blades can start hitting the deck if it’s bad enough.

 

[rangerfredbob]

For me it's the material left to rust away, I have a riding mower from '94 that is kinda swiss cheesey that I keep welding the holes shut... the anti scalp brackets have broken off at least once and the front mount has been repaired... On the other hand I have a King Kutter finish mower for the tractor that is fabricated and I think 1/8" or 3/16" and it's got a fair amount of scaling going on but has lots of material left before issues arise

 

[Industrial Toys]

Stamped deck is like a beverage can. Quite strong for the material employed, but exceed those limits and it will never be it's new shiny self ever again.

Commercial decks are designed to hit things. All day long. If a home owner hits something with his homeowner deck and wrecks it, he will simply be told, well you shouldn't odda hit stuff.

 

[dodge man]

I started out with a cheap box store riding mower at might place, it might have lasted 5 years. In my case I kept breaking spindles. I think I went through 3 of them. They were also expensive for how cheaply made they were.

 

[nyone]

I never really damaged any of my stamped decks but before i bought my first commercial mower with a fabricated deck i would stock a complete deck mandrel. Never replaced one on my fabricated deck. So maby its about complete quality and how rugged the deck and components are and less about how its made.

 

[IXLR8]

Depends on who makes the stamped deck and is it a commercial or residential mower. The deck on my JD commercial mower is stamped from a heavy gauge steel, I think it is 7 gauge. Most of the cheap mower decks are stamped with thin 14 and 16 gauge steel. My neighbor has a JD D130 series and he has bent the deck twice. The JD dealer just straightens it out and on he goes, I think he has replaced 1 spindle. In 8 years the only thing I have done to the deck on my mower is replace the blades when I wear them out.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I bought a JD 770 tractor around 98 with the Belly mower. I thought that was fairly heavy duty. Then I saw a similar size Cub Cadet tractor and Belly Mower. That mower made my JD look like junk. The differences were obvious in strength of construction.