Repair shops?

[68CC104]

Hey all,

I'm new to the forum. We have a 68 104 that has been in my family since new. Before I got it from my grandfather he had the mower deck serviced at a local mower shop and they did a terrible job The blades are way too low and I don't know where they sourced the spindles.

That said I'm looking to find a repair shop to fix the deck. If I had more time I'd try to source the proper spindles and either rebuild those and replace them or just drop in NOS spindles with the pulley and everything. I have zero issue putting the deck on a skid and shipping it across the country if need be.

TIA

[Cubcadet_107]

Are you certain the blades are too low? They do hang pretty low on the decks, or at least my 3 do. I mow with my 106's lift in the 2nd highest setting and it cuts well there.

It may also help to know what type of deck this is... what size? 38" 42" or 48"? Cast end or stamped? Serial number or model number?

[68CC104]

Originally Posted by Cubcadet_107

Are you certain the blades are too low? They do hang pretty low on the decks, or at least my 3 do. I mow with my 106's lift in the 2nd highest setting and it cuts well there.

It may also help to know what type of deck this is... what size? 38" 42" or 48"? Cast end or stamped? Serial number or model number?

It's a 48" deck, I'm guessing stamped, and the SN starts with 48U..... In the past my grandfather would leave the deck to "float" around as his yard isn't very level. With the deck on the floor the blades are 1" maybe off the ground and the spindle nuts are .3-.5" off the ground.

[Billy-O]

How about some pictures? Showing deck mounted to tractor and the undersides of deck showing the spindles with blades on them?

You know you can set the limit how far the deck lowers on float, do you?

[68CC104]

Originally Posted by Billy-O

How about some pictures? Showing deck mounted to tractor and the undersides of deck showing the spindles with blades on them?

You know you can set the limit how far the deck lowers on float, do you?

For the limit yes I do. But that hasn't been touched to our recollection for as long as my grandfather had the deck (he is 90 so his memory might not be as accurate as it once was). I'll take some photos when I'm back at the shop tomorrow.

[68CC104]

I went back and took photos. Seems off to us. I can't find the specs for the mower deck.

[68CC104]

Originally Posted by 68CC104

I went back and took photos. Seems off to us. I can't find the specs for the mower deck.

Forgot to mention the front adjustments are all the way up

[Cubcadet_107]

I went and looked at my 38" and 42" decks, the blade sits only about 1/8 of an inch above the bottom of the deck shell on both.
Everything in your photos looks pretty normal, minus that one bolt holding a spindle pulley on that doesn't have the grease fitting.

[Billy-O]

Under my 42" deck! See the difference with your deck?

IMG_20210408_200432826.jpg

Your new spindle body appears to hang down lower under the deck and above the spindle cups. I have suspicions why a bolt may have been used instead of the original zerk bolt to secure the pulley on top of the deck. I bet all three spindles have ordinary bolts instead of the zerk bolt. I believe maybe the zerk bolt was replaced with a LONGER and ordinary bolt because now the spindles hang down lower. Maybe somebody can chime in....

[dale c.]

The 48" decks use a longer spindle than the 38 & 42, about 1" IIRC. It looks to me that you have the correct spindles. When you have the lift all the way up, the arms that lift the deck should go up inside the frame.