This is part 6 of an 11 part series on an MTD 16HP yard tractor. This tractor has the loved 16 HP opposed twin cylinder motor and is why I "saved" it. In this video I remove the mower deck for repair.
Well I understand. However, you are not watching a Steven Spielberg production. I went to your channel and noticed you have not made any videos. So, I will make you a deal!!! I will make sure I improve my videos and at the same time I want you to make one video of something you like. I will watch it and enjoy your effort. This is a very difficult thing to do on a budget as there is only one person producing the entertainment. There is no one else doing this. Including----- Ideas, Filming, Production and Editing, Sound and Lighting. I hope you enjoy my other productions and I truly want you to enjoy my other videos. Bruce Pender A Retired Guy Making Videos.
Thanks for the video. The old trick for springs is when stretched, put thick washers or quarters. Then release the spring tension, and it's much easier to remove and put back on.
I just did mine. Same model, same problems, same swearing. I didn’t drop the deck. Undid the hangers, one side at a time and hooked the belt inside, then replaced the hangers. Repeated on other side. I started without letting the big spring go but found it easier when the spring was released. The hangers became easier to mobilize . Used a loop of wire on a T-piece to pull spring back on. I’m 77 and crawling around was no fun even with a carpet on the floor. The mind says “ go” but the body says “ no”. Huge sense of satisfaction when the job was done. Keep the videos coming!
Bruce, thank you for the informative video and I have been repairing riding mowers for the past year. I have been repairing the same mower for the first time and I lost the location of the big deck spring and yours was the first and only video that actually showed the location. I worked as an auto mechanic for 30 years and I have repaired and modified so many different models. Thank you for being so formal and videoing everything.
Howdy Bruce, I have a 1989 MTD with this same deck. I have come up with more words while I'm working on it. Oh by the way, I'm going to be 84 this year. Enjoy your videos.
Hey Bruce I was just watching this one and here is a trick I use to get tough springs off and on. I tie a piece of starter rope in a loop and hook it onto the spring then I can pull the rope to stretch the spring to unhook or hook it. I find it saves time and head aches.
Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot. Quite a bit later on i came up with a wire loop on a hook. It changed the entire thing as I never wanted to use the vice grips again.
Love my MTD and love your video! Thank you! I would love to watch all 11 parts. Where might the others be? I couldn’t find them on your channel. Thanks for helping us work on these old beasts! 😊
These are one of the harder decks to remove and put back in wait till you have to put the spring back on. I use a chain hoist connected to my rafters to lift the front of the tractors sure makes life easier
Man Bruce what a struggle to get that deck off. I didn't see you raise the deck lever to get the detached linkage farther out out the way. That might have made it easier to remove and slide back under. Then lower the lever to reattach the linkage.
When I replaced my head gasket on my mower, I did it in the garage, which already has old carpet for under where the car parks, and I had another old roll that I rolled out to not only protect the floor but my knees. In fact I drove my truck in this afternoon to see what tools I would need to replace one of the o2 sensors and parked truck so I could lay on the carpet and crawl underneath. Seems like my wife always has some area rug that is ideal. I've tried the knee pads and seems like they're always slipping down and get on my nerves. I'm 60 myself and the bending and stooping down hurts my old bones. Lol. Nice series of videos and a joy to watch your progress !
Thanks Gilbert. I am by no means an expert. I don't like to give up. I use carpet too. But usually spill oil on it. Interesting that you mention the carpet as i use some to put the deck back on. I use it to pull it under the tractor.
The old carpet is exactly where I want my spills to go. Catches alot or crumbs too that can be just shaken out on the outside. Regardless nice video and I love that mower !
If you haven't already mounted the deck back under the mower, use a piece of wire, make a loop to hook onto the end of the spring and a stick to pull the spring back on to the perch. That's how I remove them as well, for future info. They can be a pain! That's for sure! Sean~
Thanks. Too soon old too late smart. I did get it on. Vids coming soon. The next 2 are deck repair and the one after that (spindle repair) I use my homemade jack press to rebuild a spindle. (pressing bearings) That one is m,my favourite.
i usually use a screwdriver through the hook and use the end of what the spring hooks onto as a lever point, then move the screwdriver past the end and the end of the spring will slide down the screwdriver and in place.
Get you some magnets from a friend that scraps microwaves or cut some from some speakers. Stick a magnet to the frame of the mower then stick the adjustment bar to the magnet. Do that on both sides and it is a lot easier to get the deck out since the bars are out of the way. ~!~! Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!
Hey Bruce,how'd you like to meet the rocket surgeon/engineer who designed that deck setup?Have you thought about building or buying a lift table that would lift tractors and folds flat for easy storage?Also,I have some ideas for a homemade easy/cheap to make tire changing tool made from some pipe and threaded rod(I know that you have a welder,grinder and spray paint) that just clamps into a bench vise. I've wrestled those small tires before.Not fun.
Thanks Mr. Frog. Yes the engineering for some of this stuff evolved from one machine to another. I think some of the newer MTD's have some kind of crazy spring setup too. I don't do enough tractor work to get a lift but lately i have been wondering about changing my setup. . ARGH!! my aching back.
You actually got a real manual with your MTD! My 2016 machine just came with a totally useless 'manual' that says DANGER FIRE IS HOT etc. though it does say it in a dozen plus languages. I've got my deck off bar the cable that engages the blades and for the life of me I can't see how to disconnect that. (your model doesn't seem to have that.)
MTD tractors are great working machines, but when they break, they are one of the worst to fix, The only tractor with those deck springs, and they can be a bugger to work with. One other MTD nasty job is replacing the drive belts, and there are two with a centrifugal clutch between them. I am not sure if the newer ones are like this or not
need help adjusting the clutch rod o a 7 speed variable Mrs 700 serious.belts won't let it go in drive or reveres the new belts keeps swelling and won't move at all.belts just squeal and won't go in gear
I don't know why people complain about paying $75 an hour to get their equipment fixed. Laying on concrete trying to remove a deck is hard work, everyone should attempt it just once. The worst engineering I had seen was changing the drive belt on a Murray select from the early 90's PITA.
Thanks for the comment. The main problem (for me) about paying $75 an hour for labour (Canadian spelling) is that it doesn't take too long to have the time cost add up to more than the unit is worth. But after this I will be smarter and use a hook with a long handle as i have seen on You Tube. I should have looked up up before I dove in.
2016 now it's 2022, can you tell me what belt that took? mine is 1996, and all belts have been wrong... driving me crazy, please don't tell me it's a 954-0371 a LOL
I'm 74. I did not have much trouble removing the deck and I did not unhook the big spring at the rear as it didn't seem necessary. Now for the life of me I can't get it back together and I just don't have the strength to remove that spring. I got all the pins back except for the two on the 1/2" bar which I cannot thread across through the 3 holes it goes in due to tension. I wish I had someone here to help me. EDIT: I popped the spring off with a crowbar. Wish I hadn't because after getting all the hairpins back in I couldn't refit the spring. I made a tool out of fencing wire and wood for a handle but I had to take it to a neighbour who is way stronger than I. He managed to pop it back on. This is the last time I will ever be doing this job.
After this video i made a spring too. It is a T shape with strong wire loop at the end to grab the spring. This is an old video and I don't think I am strong enough now to do it as i was back then.
I'm installing a new belt on my mower tomorrow. I have taken the old one off already. I removed the cross bar last and I will (after watching this video) put it back first while the deck is still easily flopping around. I did not remove the spring to take the deck off. We'll see how it goes.
@@austinl.2703 You don't need to drop the deck to change the belt. You can remove the hairpins one by one , slip out the old belt at each point and slip in the new as you go around the deck. No need to remove the cross bar.
P.S. the mini tire changer at Princess Auto is the same as the Harbor Freight here in the United States of America,and to the Republic for which it stands.but it's TWICE as much at PA www.harborfreight.com/mini-tire-changer-61179.html
So painful to watch as I am 68. I have two John Deere and they are so much easier, but in the past I have owned MTD, so I know what it is like....... :-)