Well used X 500 Impulse buy

[oldnslo]

On the cracked hood I wonder if this is from people just trying to lift in the center of the hood right above the console. I always reach across and and gently pull out slightly on both sides of the hood at the bottom of dash. This releases the plastic catch and hood opens very easily then.

Your blade engagement switch looks identical to mine so lift before backing up and deck should stay running. Note: once you start backing you can release the switch and deck will stay running.

 

[grsthegreat]

Not sure how old your old mower is, but you should be able to get a complete new stamped deck for it. Ive replaced the deck on my 12 yo huskvarna mower 2 times now. They cost about $600.
Most decks are made by same company it seams.

 

[beenthere]

John Deere forms their own decks at their factory in Horicon, WI. At least for the higher grade lawn tractors.
And they last longer than 5 years.

 

[grsthegreat]

rocks on my property take their toll on the mower decks. my next unit will have a welded, formed deck, not a stamped deck.

but as long as i can keep mine running, i will keep it. i repaired the last deck to useable state to use when wife insists on mowing the trails and the side of road. this is the hardest area on the deck. then i swap out the newer deck to handle lawns. seems to work good, and only takes about 10 minutes to swap.

some JD branded mowers that you see at lowes and HD are made in mexico and have stamped decks also. higher end units sold at JD lots are better made, and priced that way.

ive been keeping an eye out for a good welded deck mower, but the lots are empty out my way. dealers say orders have been made early last year still have not arrived. everything on lot has stamped decks.

 

[Milo]

Stamping a deck out of heavy gauge steel requires a very large, heavy duty press, which most small mower manufacturers don't invest in so they simply weld them up. A welded together deck certainly doesn't mean it's better.

 

[Superduper]

If I saw that deal locally, I would have bought it on the spot. I just purchased a used mower myself a couple weeks ago with much more hours (2825)! and I can tell it still has a lot of life left, although I did have to do a lot of maintenance and parts replacements to get it to where I felt comfortable. And I paid a bunch more than what you did, so I'd say you did well.

 

[grsthegreat]

Stamping a deck out of heavy gauge steel requires a very large, heavy duty press, which most small mower manufacturers don't invest in so they simply weld them up. A welded together deck certainly doesn't mean it's better.

I disagree. Ive seen welded decks that look like there built like a tank. Way stronger than the thin stamped units. The rocks simply bend my decks up to a point they become useless. I clear rocks every year….but they simply grow rocks here. They hide in the grass and weeds. Its amazing.

was told by a geologist that were on a glacial plane and the granite rocks are continually coming up to the surface. Out in the middle of my lawn ill see a perfectly clear grass surface mowed down to the nub for winter prep….suddenly in spring thaw there are crap load of rocks out there. Drives me nuts.

 

[sd455dan]

If I saw that deal locally, I would have bought it on the spot. I just purchased a used mower myself a couple weeks ago with much more hours (2825)! and I can tell it still has a lot of life left, although I did have to do a lot of maintenance and parts replacements to get it to where I felt comfortable. And I paid a bunch more than what you did, so I'd say you did well.

Yeah I Mowed about 3 acres with it today.

I disarmed both the seat and the reverse blade lock out. Readjusted both reverse and forward pedals for more travel to increase speed.

Was amazed how fast I finished everything,

wife was watching and said you just mowed more ground than we get done with "both" of us mowing and still finished ahead by Quite a Bit.
I was wrong on the hours after cleaning the display it actually has 798 hours.

Convinced at this point we got a "Really Good" machine and Feel Good about paying it forward with the lady that lost her husband.

$2400 was a Great deal.
Happy as can be, we never even looked at New mowers at Home Depot.

I have decided to repair the Hood, Once the wife and our helper finish this weeks mowing of the other property that we take care of. I have enough fiberglass mat and will pick up some more fast dry resin.
Just going to do under hood glass work and it will leave a line or two in the top exterior, but should be mechanically sound.

 

[sd455dan]

Not sure how old your old mower is, but you should be able to get a complete new stamped deck for it. Ive replaced the deck on my 12 yo huskvarna mower 2 times now. They cost about $600.
Most decks are made by same company it seams.

I Wish...
I posted in the 1st thread opener that we have a free cub Cadet i need to pick up , But was completely wrong on that, It is a Coast to Coast MTD with a blown engine. But the deck is Good I am told.

The deck that is flat wore out on our Co-Op MTD Hydrostat (and really isn't the stamped deck itself... )
It is all of the deck drive parts that are shot.

This deck is somewhat unique It utilizes a Timing belt which is cogged on both sides and works much like a cam timing belt on most OHC engines except both sides of the belt are cogged and each side is used to time each of the spindles.
When the blades get out of time they literally hit each other because they overlap and spindles are straight across in the deck. It makes for a great design when working correctly (Blades are counter rotating and timed to be 90 degrees to each other) ejecting clippings to the rear discharge exit. Belt is about a $100, both spindles are bent and have
The blades have stayed on but pulleys shot, Belt gears both shot, and bearings worn out again. splines shot (stripped) on the primary spindle as well as a damaged taper for the v belt drive pulley . Then there is the stripped spindle threads on the drive pully hold down portion.

No spindles have been available for over a decade and also the cogged belt driven gears either. My Hope is the Junk Coast to coast deck is a more common design that does not require timing and close width wise to the CO-OP hydro mower.

It would have to be shown to me where a like type complete New deck can be purchased for the CO-OP Hydro,
I think it is a 1985 model , so 37 years old.

 

[grsthegreat]

Oh..so its a very old machine. Guess you got your money worth from it then.