Gator blade for 54P deck?

[MOPAULY]

I bought gator blades for my 54" P deck after reading about them here, and low and behold they don't fit the deck. I looked at the bushing option talked about in other threads, which is fine for the inside diameter of the blade, but 7/8" is to large for the outside diameter of the spindle and bolt, hence no way to center it properly on the spindle.

Is there some magic I'm missing here? I was hoping to use them but at this point it's becoming more aggravating then it's worth.

Do the standard 54" decks use a larger spindle? otherwise I'm not seeing how this is going to work.

 

[thcri]

Did you check with Kubota to see if they have a Gator Blade option? When I wanted Gator's for my New Holland I called Gator as they did not list the same connection as what was on my New Holland. They told me they could not help me but if I call New Holland they would be able to help me. Low and behold I could get the Gators through New Holland and they were about three bucks less than the standard Gator pricing. But no Gator does not make all patterns.


murph

 

[Volfandt]

Did you actually try to install them with the cut down bushing or just going by looking at how the large the bushing is compared to the blades bolt?

The reason why I ask is because on the 60" MMM, the mounting hole of the blade slides onto the top of the spindle where it is then secured or "clamped" down onto the spindle via the 2 dished washers and bolt. The bolt itself doesn't come into contact with the blade at any point.
It's the top portion of the spindle where the blade installs is what is being built out by the bushing.

I'm not familure with the 54" MMM to know any more but if they share the same spindles and blade mounting procedures as the 60" MMM then the bushing should work.
Let us know & good luck.

 

[CharlesP]

It might help to check out the parts manuals for the 60" and 54" decks. It appears that the bolts and washers for the blades have the same kubota parts #'s. You can find the manuals here

 

[MOPAULY]

Did you actually try to install them with the cut down bushing or just going by looking at how the large the bushing is compared to the blades bolt?

I held the bushing up to the spindle mount, and the inside diameter is way to big, by a 1/4" total I'd say. I'm going back to TSC after work to get another bushing to fit inside of this one, to see if that will take up the space and make a tight fit. I think it will from memory last night but I'm not sure, I should have bought the additional bushing while I was there.

I will not mount them otherwise, I could just see the blade being off center and out of balance destroying the spindles in short order. We'll see what happens tonight.

 

[JoeG]

I have Gators on a 54" deck using the bushing trick described in another thread. Fits like a glove. The bushing needs to be cut from a top link adapter (Cat 1 to Cat 0?, I think).

Good luck