So to follow up, I have shopped and considered options, etc. etc. and I really only have four choices as far as I know:
1. Buy the original Woods gearbox (Part # 11155) for $1200. This is the going rate from five different Woods parts suppliers.
2. Call around relentlessly and with high improbability find a serviceable one sitting on a shelf somewhere I can get for less.
3. Modify the existing deck to take a bottom mount gearbox and buy a generic gearbox, stump jumper, blades, and PTO yoke for about $500-$600 in parts and say 10-15 hours of my labor to do it properly. The main problem here is time; I do not really need another project right now. And considering what my time is worth, that is getting me close to option #4...
4. Buy a new or used rotary cutter. Thing is, I need something like this heavier Woods rotary cutter for what I am doing. This is a MD160-1 835 lb unit with a beefy gearbox; that is a heavy unit for a 60" cut. So it would take something like a Bronco 60R, a Brown 415, or a Woods BB60.50 ($4270) to properly replace this one, which will be expensive as a new unit. At least locally (South Texas), the heavier construction rotary cutters are rarer on the used market, and harder to find; most people have light duty units.
On the bright side I suppose it is good to have options.
