Converting rear bagger to discharge?

[Witchgrass]

Ive got a 2160 lawn tractor. (inherited from my father) It has the rear discharge, with hydralic dumping hopper. Its pretty cool in design, but doesnt really work well in my yard. Too many trees, and fences. Has anybody converted one of these to side discharge? ive never pulled the deck off to see what it looks like, but i can weld. Just not sure if its actually possible without ruining the mower in the process.
Thanks,

 

[coachgeo]

Ive got a 2160 lawn tractor. (inherited from my father) It has the rear discharge, with hydralic dumping hopper. Its pretty cool in design, but doesnt really work well in my yard. Too many trees, and fences. Has anybody converted one of these to side discharge? ive never pulled the deck off to see what it looks like, but i can weld. Just not sure if its actually possible without ruining the mower in the process.
Thanks,

hmmm.... do a close look at other model of same era. Someone here might know already......

but in the mean time you might find your own answer by learning what model is basically the same but with a different designed deck that is a typical side discharge. With that you can start the long road of finding parts to swap decks.

Maybe even advertise you willing to swap decks with someone who would rather have a rear discharge? Or heck.... swap garden tractors if they seem pretty much equal in wear.

 

[100 td]

Consider selling and buy something else more suitable for your yard, someone else surely wants a good hydraulic dump unit.

 

[coachgeo]

hmmm.... do a close look at other model of same era. ....

well it appreard you do NOT have a 2160...... but a G2160 and not even that.. but a variant of it. the G2160 does have the normal side discharge..... the variant has the rear catcher.

So if you want to convert (it was "dads") so I can see the potential reason... you have to find a standard G2160 and swap out the decks etc.

See http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/000/3/7/377-kubota-g2160.html

 

[lugbolt]

I am familiar with your questions....had two of them actually, and got familiarized with them quickly.

There basically 2 different G2160's.

One was a G2160.

The other was a G2160-48RS.

The "48RS" version is a rear discharge direct-shoot bagging system. The regular G2160 had a side discharge deck.

Big difference too....the 48" rear discharge DECK cannot be converted to a side discharge; or at least not without completely redesigning the entire deck system, and I mean completely redesigning it! That is a complicated deck and bagging system. HOWEVER...there was a rear mounted side discharge adapter for them, that is no longer produced. I can't even remember the wholegoods number. Basically you'd remove the rear bagging attachment and attach the side discharge baffle. The downside is that if the chute assembly under the tractor was rusted (like most of them were/are), the rear discharge did not work all that great. Pretty poor actually. The side discharge baffle assembly could be made pretty easily with some sheet metal, IMO, if you're good with a blue-tipped wrench, hammer, and welder.

The other G2160 was a "regular" side discharge, I think 48", 54" and 50" were option on those. I liked that mower. They cut really good. I hate the tractor though...at least the electric power steering. I never could keep one going in a straight line when the EPS worked and when it didn't work (often), it was worse than having manual steering, sorta like driving a car with power steering and the power assist not assisting-and this was worse on the G2160 because of it's high travel speed. Mine mowed at 12.5 mph. It was honestly dangerously fast but the neighbors got a kick of watching me cut the one side of the house because I could do it in no time flat (all 100% flat, smooth ground).

If they'd have only put the G2160 transmission in a GR2100 with the regular GR cutting deck, it would have been a total winner, IMO.