Ecstatic about my latest score - a zero turn mower!

[OilMagnate]

Very delayed, but as promised: link to the how-to thread that I amazed even myself on.

I probably tripled the life of these hydros and they are now almost completely silent.

Huge thanks to everyone who offered advice!

I forgot to take good pictures of the mower when complete. Whenever this already going on 72+ hours of rain decides to end I'll get it out and do that. But it looks like it's not letting up until Sunday...

 

[RazorsEdge]

Very delayed, but as promised: link to the how-to thread that I amazed even myself on.

I probably tripled the life of these hydros and they are now almost completely silent.

Huge thanks to everyone who offered advice!

I forgot to take good pictures of the mower when complete. Whenever this already going on 72+ hours of rain decides to end I'll get it out and do that. But it looks like it's not letting up until Sunday...

It's a good feeling! I rebuilt the mower deck on my Craftsman tractor. Before I rebuilt it, the deck was shaking when blades were engaged, blades were dull,bearings were shot,needed rust repair,etc. Now everything is silent and with alil more touch up paint,it as good as new.

Much like yourself with your project,this was my first time rebuilding the mower deck. Now we both have machines that are ready for the summer and the green grass.

 

[OilMagnate]

I did replace both belts while it was all torn apart. Both were pretty bad. The drive belt was the worst, pictures are in the above link. But the deck belt was worse than I thought. It looked great at a glance, but a closer look revealed several slices in the belt that I wouldn't have seen unless I removed it. Here's an example:

Also, I discovered the only unexpected setback so far. I assume this setback is also a major reason he let the mower go so cheap. Thankfully I was trying to burn out the assumed old gas and mowed first. When it was almost bone dry, I refilled it with fresh E-0. I went inside and wasn't going to touch it for at least a week. Thankfully, I thought I forgot something out in the shop, so I went back out there. I opened the door and was smacked in the face with the smell of gasoline. I discovered it had a cracked gas tank on the upper left side. I bought it with the fuel level below the crack, so I had no idea. It also explains the gash in the left fender (along with the missing Hustler sticker) and the strange hand control symptoms on the left side that I noticed recently. It obviously ran into something. All of these issues are now fixed (except the gas tank itself which is already ordered and in-transit). I'll probably do a how-to guide on that as well. So even being out the extra $100 for the tank, on top of the $175 in maintenance items, I'm still WAY ahead at $675. No complaints.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Geez...and I always mowed my ~2 acres with an elderly 1980s Craftsman rider...

 

[OilMagnate]

Finally caught a dry sunny day where I wasn't ridiculously busy...I took some pics before I mowed the lawn so it was still clean. The grass was still soaked from the rains the week prior, but it HAD to be cut.

As promised:

 

[Jarlaxle]

So...better than a 35 year old Craftsman rider?

 

[JTK]

That was an incredible deal!

Heck, I paid $300 for my ~2008 model year Craftsman LT2000 back in 2012.

 

[dareo]

Sweet Ride!

 

[JavierH19]

God I wish I was you. Would've been so happy with deals like those. my old gravely zero turn is showing its age.

 

[coder]

Congrats on the score. Super Nice!

Have you decided on the hydro fluid? The Ariens/Gravely branded and recommended 15W50 Hydro fluid is the M-1 15W50 Advanced Synthetic motor oil, so can't go far wrong with the Mobil-1 15W-50. (The Gravely XL-s have the same Zt-2800 hydros)

Some people also swear by the purpose built Amsoil Hydro gear fluid. The hydro filters are 52114 Hydrogear or something that x-refs. Be careful sub-ing, these filters do not (should not) have a bypass valve. Possible subs: Wix 10102, Napa Gold 400102, Stens 120-738.

For the Kawi engine, Fram XG4967 full synthetic media filter.
Depending on how dusty your mowing will be, you can put a Donaldson air box on these engines
with a cylindrical, double layer filter element. (That is what I have on my FR-691)

 

[coder]

On the battery: I would just top off the dest. water in the cells and continue using it until it dies.
What is the downside? You are held up for an hour or 2, until you get a replacement and swap
it out, if it dies on you. A replacement battery is easy to get on short notice.