I've had a few issues with my mower deck caster set up since I bought everything new last spring. Late last summer the front caster shaft somehow got bent a little. I never hit anything with it but just normal mowing the yard with slight hills, typical turning etc seemed to be too much for it. It wasn't bent bad but just enough that it wouldn't slide through the collar to drop the deck to drive over it and remove it. Considering that this shaft is $132 for a new one :confused2: I took it to my work's machine shop and had them straighten it for me, which has held up through this year so far. But now the problem is the upper retainer ring that is supposed to hold the caster in place on the shaft keeps popping out of its groove and letting the shaft move up and down, and it has been rubbing the caster wheel enough to be wearing a flat spot on it, and also grinding off the metal of the shaft, almost to the point of the lower retaining ring not having enough material left to hold it on.
This is my first true disappointment with my Mahindra tractor and equipment. I just think that this shaft and caster design is really poor. I have a solution to the upper retainer ring issue, which is to drill another hole for a 3/8" clevis pin in place of the retainer ring. This should never fail unless the pin were to come out. There is no way I am spending $264 to replace both shafts for the deck. I can easily get a 1" round bar stock drop from work and make my own 8 1/8" long shaft with a few holes and ring groove in it for practically nothing but a favor from a buddy in the machine shop.
I guess I'm just venting some and wondering if anyone else has had similar problems with the deck casters and what they may have done to fix it, other than spend a ridiculous amount on new ones.
BTW, I don't mow really fast either. I have the HST model and I am typically at full speed of low range at most. Anything faster just seems like asking for more trouble. I also keep the deck height set to the highest setting on the caster assembly so it's not really low to the ground. I keep the 3 pt adjusted to where it doesn't hold up the deck at all and the casters support the deck and keep it level, as it is designed to work. I'm just disappointed that seemingly normal usage is causing these issues already. I do not abuse any of my equipment and try to stay on top of any possible problems like this.
This is my first true disappointment with my Mahindra tractor and equipment. I just think that this shaft and caster design is really poor. I have a solution to the upper retainer ring issue, which is to drill another hole for a 3/8" clevis pin in place of the retainer ring. This should never fail unless the pin were to come out. There is no way I am spending $264 to replace both shafts for the deck. I can easily get a 1" round bar stock drop from work and make my own 8 1/8" long shaft with a few holes and ring groove in it for practically nothing but a favor from a buddy in the machine shop.
I guess I'm just venting some and wondering if anyone else has had similar problems with the deck casters and what they may have done to fix it, other than spend a ridiculous amount on new ones.
BTW, I don't mow really fast either. I have the HST model and I am typically at full speed of low range at most. Anything faster just seems like asking for more trouble. I also keep the deck height set to the highest setting on the caster assembly so it's not really low to the ground. I keep the 3 pt adjusted to where it doesn't hold up the deck at all and the casters support the deck and keep it level, as it is designed to work. I'm just disappointed that seemingly normal usage is causing these issues already. I do not abuse any of my equipment and try to stay on top of any possible problems like this.