Bent mower deck

[BlueRidgeRunner]

Was cruising down my gravel road like I have done a hundred times. All of a sudden a loud bang and tractor was shoved sideways. Checked out the machine and I hit the top of a rock ledge that sticks out just above the ground. Caught the edge of the mower deck at the front of the grass chute. One chance in a million. It bent the front edge of mower deck pretty badly. Will be removing the deck but not sure of the best way to bend this back. Don't think hitting with a sledge hammer is the right thing to do. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[imnukensc]

I used big a big pipe wrench on mine. May need a couple for that one.

 

[Bee-Positive]

I second the pipe wrench, maybe with a piece of conduit added to the wrench for leverage.
I straightened out my front brush guard frame (much thicker steel) that way.

 

[GeoHorn]

Porta-power if you have access to one. Otherwise, a bottle-jack and a 6x6 cut to length to jack the front against the back..??

 

[Russell King]

Maybe take the wheel out of the (previously) vertical tube, install a rod or pipe in the tube and pull it straight.

You might be able to do that with the deck still on the tractor, if you can get the wheel out from below and a rod in from above??

 

[GeoHorn]

Maybe take the wheel out of the (previously) vertical tube, install a rod or pipe in the tube and pull it straight.

You might be able to do that with the deck still on the tractor, if you can get the whe out from below and a rod in from above??

Russell, You Do come up with some Good Ideas.

 

[Russell King]

Thank you.
Some good, some not so good though.

 

[DONLI]

" C " clamps and a chain and put it in reverce and pull it out!

Don

 

[pigdoc]

Porta-power if you have access to one. Otherwise, a bottle-jack and a 6x6 cut to length to jack the front against the back..??

Ya, Geohorn, that was immediate thought also. Most bottle jacks will not work in the horizontal axis, so he'd need to take the deck off the tractor to straighten it with a jack.

Also, I'd get a guy over that has an acetylene torch over to put some heat on the bend at the same time.
That way, it'll bend where you want it to.

Otherwise, you'll possibly end up with an "S" profile where it was bent.

Any old time body man in the neighborhood should have a Porta-power.

-Paul
-

 

[whitetiger]

I have straightened many that were bent just like that.
Just remove the anti-scalp wheel, insert a shaft or rod into the anti-scalp wheel mount, put a cheater pipe 5 or 6 feet long onto the shaft, pull the pipe with one hand, and hold onto the ROPS with the other.
Takes about 5 minutes, and you are fixed.
Save the shaft and cheater pipe, it may happen again.

 

[D2Cat]

I have straightened many that were bent just like that.
Just remove the anti-scalp wheel, insert a shaft or rod into the anti-scalp wheel mount, put a cheater pipe 5 or 6 feet long onto the shaft, pull the pipe with one hand, and hold onto the ROPS with the other.
Takes about 5 minutes, and you are fixed.
Save the shaft and cheater pipe, it may happen again.

I might even add a block of wood between the front of the deck (at the bend) and the front tire, to provide some added pressure.

 

[DaveD]

Bottle jack. I have done this on my mower deck after running into a stump in the woods. A bottle jack will generally work if the valve sides is down and it will be in the position necessary to operate it. As stated earlier, use a 4x4 to fit the opening. Probably not necessary to remove the deck if you bottle jack fits the bill. Seat it against the upper back side where the frame is strongest.

 

[chim]

Use those existing holes in the lower lip to bolt a loop of chain. Stick a pipe through the loop and pull against the deck till you get it where you want it.

 

[bbxlr8]

Been there, done that on my old F@rd here in the land of boulders that "creep" out of the earth.

My 2-cent solution is a massive crescent wrench from my grandfather, combined with judicious use of a sledge. Also, the gauge on my deck is very thick, and I usually do it while the deck is off during service

 

[BlueRidgeRunner]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Now just have to decide which one to start with!