JD 4000-72 Mid Mower application?

[mars1952]

Hi Everyone: I picked up this 4000-72 mid mower at the scrap yard and I need some information.
1) What tractors will it fit?
2) What parts are missing?
3) What is the RPM output of the Mid PTO and what direction does it turn?
4) How much does it weigh?

The mower seems to be in good condition considering that it was thrown around at the scrap yard by a giant track hoe with a claw. The deck is sound and all the spindles turn freely when I turn the drive shaft by hand. I haven't been able to test it at all because I don't have a mid PTO on my JD 4300 w/12-12 syncreverse (32HP). I have been looking for a Mid PTO kit but one hasn't turned up yet. I would like to test it by adapting it up to the rear PTO but I am not sure of the RPM or direction of rotation.

There are several things that I might do with this mower.
1) Sell it as is.
2) Part it out.
3) Install a mid PTO on my tractor and adapt it to fit.
4) Convert it into a Rear 3PH mount.

By the way, I paid 18 cents a pound for this mower. I don't know how much the mower weighed by its self because I bought a whole truck load of stuff that day. That's why I need to how much the deck weighs by its self.

I have attached a bunch of pictures. I couldn't seem to make them show up in the text like I wanted to.

Any input is welcome.
Thanks, Marshall

 

[unit40]

Looks pretty rough, discharge chute bent bad, missing the front gauge wheels. How are the belts? Cracked?do the blades turn level - spindles not bent? Take the belt off and turn blades and listen to bearings. Noisy rough or smooth? Pump grease in and see what comes out. Most mid-pto are 2000 rpm. You can tell direction by turning blades towards their cutting edge and seeing which way the shaft turns. Anyway, you can unbolt and reverse the gearbox. Then see if it turns the right way for your PTO. But running it on a rear 540 won't give you good blade tip speed for cutting. Plus i'm not sure if the rear pto spline is the same size as a mid pto is it? Also, trying it on the rear - I'm not sure if the gearbox is too offset or not. Check JD parts on-line, you might get info for that unit.

 

[mars1952]

Hi: Thanks for the reply.

Looks pretty rough, discharge chute bent bad,

I can straiten the chute, no problem. The rest of the deck is straight and soild.

missing the front gauge wheels.

That is a disappointment. They will be expensive. Like wise one of the belt covers is missing.

How are the belts? Cracked?

The belt does need replaced but it will survive a test. The belt is not worn but it has a notch in it.

do the blades turn level - spindles not bent?

I haven't checked throughly that throughly yet but at first glance they seem OK. The blades just need sharpened.

Take the belt off and turn blades and listen to bearings. Noisy rough or smooth?

The bearings seem OK but I haven't spun them fast yet.

Pump grease in and see what comes out.

Good idea, I will try that.

Most mid-pto are 2000 rpm. You can tell direction by turning blades towards their cutting edge and seeing which way the shaft turns.

I thought that it would be 1000 rpm. 540 RPM is still not fast enough.

Anyway, you can unbolt and reverse the gearbox. Then see if it turns the right way for your PTO.

I am pretty sure that reversing the gear box will not change the direction of rotation.

Plus i'm not sure if the rear pto spline is the same size as a mid pto is it?

No it seems smaller and it has more splines.

Also, trying it on the rear - I'm not sure if the gearbox is too offset or not.

That could be a problem but I thought that I could offset the mower to compensate. My rear wheel base is about 60" and the mower is 72". That would give me about a foot of offset.

Check JD parts on-line, you might get info for that unit.

I could not find it. Do you have a link?
Marshall

 

[unit40]

John Deere - Parts Catalog

 

[kwolfe]

I would say that is a preety good find. I would not worry about the guage wheels missing. If you have the ability to fix that shoot deflector, then you can build you own wheels for a fairl cheap price. I would also pump a bunch of grease into the spindles and let them fly. If you can turn the blades by turning the shaft, I would say thhey are good enough. As for the shaft and PTO spead, I have sseen a number of threads on TBN where guys have converted MMM to RMM. I little bit of planning and some additional gears and you should be set. It is a lot cheaper than buying a 6' rear finish mower new.

 

[deereguy]

Looks rough but very do-able. Sounds like your biggest challenge is getting it hooked up to your current tractor. I'm guessing the deck weighs 500lbs @ .18/lb, you have $110.00 into it. I would replace the blades, deck wheels, find a top cover, replace the belt, grease the heck out of it, and re-paint it. If you can't find the correct brackets then sell it all fixed up- mowing season IS right around the corner, could get $700-$800.

The front brackets kinda remind me of the 55 series mounts (755,855,955)????

 

[mars1952]

John Deere - Parts Catalog

Hi: I followed this link and I can't seem to get any useful info. Apparently I need some number other than 4000-72 to identify this mower. It seems that you have to have a parts list in front of you to use this parts search.

Does anyone know of a link to online JD owners manuals and part lists? I am fairly computer literate but I have searched the JD site many times to no avail.
Thanks, Marshall

 

[mars1952]

I would say that is a preety good find. I would not worry about the guage wheels missing. If you have the ability to fix that shoot deflector, then you can build you own wheels for a fairl cheap price.

I have all the tools and skills necessary to fabricate the gauge wheels and the 3PH mount. I have been looking for a source for the actual wheels. I go to the local scrap yard frequently and have found some amazing things there but good wheels are snapped up as soon as they get there. The missing wheel on this mower was salvaged by an earlier scrap hound. I do have some wheels that came off some very heavy duty casters but they have roller bearing axles and I am worried that they wouldn't hold up in this dirty dusty aplication. I guess if I kept them loaded with grease they would be OK.

I would also pump a bunch of grease into the spindles and let them fly. If you can turn the blades by turning the shaft, I would say they are good enough. As for the shaft and PTO speed, I have seen a number of threads on TBN where guys have converted MMM to RMM. I little bit of planning and some additional gears and you should be set. It is a lot cheaper than buying a 6' rear finish mower new.

I was thinking of just changing out the gear box with a rear mount gear box. Being somewhat of a cheapskate I am waiting for a used one to turn up at the scrap yard.
Marshall

 

[mars1952]

Looks rough but very do-able. Sounds like your biggest challenge is getting it hooked up to your current tractor. I'm guessing the deck weighs 500lbs @ .18/lb, you have $110.00 into it. I would replace the blades, deck wheels, find a top cover, replace the belt, grease the heck out of it, and re-paint it. If you can't find the correct brackets then sell it all fixed up- mowing season IS right around the corner, could get $700-$800.

In my experience it seldom pays to fix up something like this mower and then sell it. I usually part the item out. In this case I will part it out on ebay or fix it for myself. As you already know JD parts are painfully expensive.

The front brackets kinda remind me of the 55 series mounts (755,855,955)????

I am guessing that this mower fits on several different tractors. The only difference being the way it is mounted. I saw a 4000-72 mower on ebay and the seller said it was for 4500, 4600 and 4700 series JD tractors.
eBay: John Deere 72" Compact Mid Mount Mower Deck (item 170066213573 end time Jan-07-07 12:31:44 PST)
The mounts looked a little different than mine though. I would really like to see pictures of one that mid mounts on a JD4300.
Marshall

 

[ktm250rider]

I know there are two different 72" MMM for the 4*10 series tractors. One size fits the 42, 43, 44 series and the other fits the 45, 46, 47. It has to do with the mounting points and wheelbase.
It doesnt help much but it seems that all the decks I find are sized for the smaller tractors. I need one that fits a 4510.