[barkerwc4362]

I finally got the 50" deck for garden tractor 332 finished. It really needed painting more than I realized. A lot of the powder coat was coming loose. I sandblast and sand top and bottom to prep for paint. I coat the bottom of the deck with black bed liner over top of rustoleum rusty metal primer. Tops are painted with John Deere paint over rustoleum rusty metal primer. The 50" deck will be used solely for leaf cleanup in the spring. I have a lot of leaves. Four big live oaks in the front and too many to count that surround the house. The oaks start dropping their leaves just before Thanksgiving and don't finish until mid to late March. We have 1 1/3 acre with about 2/3 that needs leaf collection. So lots of leaves. Last spring I did the replacement 48" deck on the 87 332. I mowed with the 87 all last year and mounted a 14 gallon collection system on it. The 50" will be on the garden tractor 332 and used with an Model 80 cart modified to collect leaves. Yes, I have two 332s.

 

[army]

Nice work Barker! That is a fine looking deck now and I imagine it works as good as it looks.

I did something similar to my 42" L100 deck a year ago. The powder coating was peeling on the top side. The brownish looking areas are where it had peeled off and surface rust had started. Nothing serious though. I scraped the rest of the yellow off down to the primer, then sanded the deck thoroughly and shot it with JD yellow. It was sitting flat when I painted it so it was easy to put lots of volume down on the top side. I also installed all new spindles and pullies. My dad used it to mow 2 acres a week for 10 years before I got it and the spindles were shot by then but about $200 later it looks and works like a new deck again. Needs a new belt now but the blades are still good. I flipped it over last fall and soaked the bottom side with new oil, then gave it another coat a month or so ago. I use a thick paint brush to do it and I slop it on pretty thick. It will get one more coat in the spring before it goes back on the lawn tractor. Been doing that to my 60 inch decks too for a long time.

After.

I don't think dad ever oiled it. It had some pitting when I got it. Still very solid though.

P

 

[dhager4692]

Nice work. It sounds like it will fit your needs very well.

 

[farmer52]

Looks good! Have you used a deck with the bed liner? How durable is it? Does the grass stick to it? I bought a 318 several years ago and the PO coated the deck underside with bed liner. I never used the deck but curious. TIA

 

[army]

I really like it when somebody does a before-after makeover like this on a tractor or attachment. Especially f they take their time and do a really good job, like you did Barker. I'm also curious how the bed liner works vs just oiling a deck underneath like I do. So I hope you post your results over time. I see you installed a green belt too.

They're selling Kevlar belts now at the surplus store btw. I assume they're used in cases where somebody is worried a Cub Cadet guy will take a shot at their JD deck belt.