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Lifting mower to change blades

14K views 97 replies 31 participants last post by  Forest Gump 
#1 ·
What are the ways you raise the front end of your garden tractor so that you can change/sharpen blades. Are there any methods that allow you to do this without taking off the deck?

I have a Deere 455 and a Deere x758. I've been told that the front-end mower lifts (the kind that cradle the front tires and lift the mower from that point) are not heavy duty enough to raise the front end. Any other suggestions?

Thanks
 
#12 ·
10 years ago when I didn't mind laying on my back under the tractor with wet rotting grass falling on me, I would throw a sling over a rafter and hoist the front up with a come-along.
https://www.mytractorforum.com/460108-post9.html

I now have an attachment I made for my P-handle dolly that clamps onto the deck to flip it over to work on it at a comfortable height. Some day I should start a thread on it and post a few pics.
 
#11 ·
^^ When Sears service came out to do something under warranty, they used a similar truck mounted crane. His closed up inside the van though so he could close the van's back doors.

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Related question ... other than then type of lift you have available, does it really matter if you lift front, back or either side as far as engine fluids go?
 
#30 ·
Yes..
It is important not to tilt the tractor too much if the engine will have its cylinder head & spark plugs facing downhill,oil can pool up behind the piston and leak past the rings,or go thru the crankcase breather,and possibly fill up the combustion chamber ,and cause a hydrolock situation,the piston wont be able to move and it could harm something ,the connecting rod,starter,etc..also oil will spill out of the breather or muffler if tilted too far..best to pick it up so the cylinder(s) are facing uphill if possible..


Safety first:..
Of course I always put a 4x4 post or something else under the tractor,a jack stand,log,etc, so if it did happen to slip off the chain,I wont get crushed...

I know someone who made a pair of ramps out of 2x12 pressure treated lumber and used large strap hinges to bolt them to the studs on the rear wall of his garage--and rigged up a winch with pulleys on the rafters and wall,so he could use it to pull the tractor up onto the ramps,and attach a chain from the wall studs to the tractor to hold it in place--then he used the winch cable
to lift the pair of ramps up at the rear,and place a sawhorse under the ramps..this gave him a safe way to work under a tractor without having to exert a lot of effort..

A similar setup I saw in a guy's yard uses ramps of similar construction,he put the ramps at the top of a small hill in his back yard and anchored them to concrete posts he poured in post holes on both ends..the ramps stuck out past the hill and he could drive the tractor onto them and work under it easily that way..he used to repair tractors as a hobby for extra money and needed a easier way to get at the undersides..granted,that's a lot of work to make,but worth it in his case..maybe not so practical for a homeowner who'll sharpen blades or change a belt once a year though..
 
#13 · (Edited)
I use my chin fall at the bottom of the basket ball goal.. the post for that is a 4X4 steel post set in concrete.. in my shop I use a 12 volt converted front end winch (mounted on the ceiling).. it will also move for\aft in a rail.. in my shop i've made "mower" stands.. I can put the whole mower on the stands (with the deck on).. & still get the blades off with an air powered impact..
 
#14 · (Edited)
I have two old utility poles cut down to about 15' in the ground with a 2 1/2" thick pipe attached across the top. I use a come-along to raise my LT almost straight up vertical. Makes cleaning and blade sharpening real easy. As far as fluids like engine oil: Look at your engine and see if there is one side of it that has nothing on it. On my V-Twin Kohler the rearward facing side of the engine has nothing attached to it so nothing is really going on inside the engine at that end. I'm sure it is perfectly OK to let the oil roll to the back if the engine. Been doing it this way for several years.


You might need to beef up your front bumper or attach a chain around the axle or something strong.
 

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#20 ·
I'm absolutely horrified reading these posts about jacking up tractors, winching, lifting, etc. to sharpen blades. It seriously takes me a minute to remove my deck and safely remove and sharpen the blades. It takes about 2 minutes to put the deck back on.

Moral of the story. Just remove the deck and sharpen the blades in that fashion. Much safer. It's probably the recommendation by the manufacturer anyway.
 
#21 ·
Wife says I like to horrify people. I can also remove and install my deck in about the same time. Just call me lazy if you want, but what's safe about trying to manhandle 60+ inches of deck and hoping it doesn't fall on me or using the lift? Yes the deck is off about as much as its on.
 
#23 ·
I have a Simplicity. I pull one pin, release the belt, and lift off the front frame and done. I like the drive over concept though. The Simplicity decks have the rollers which I find helps to move the deck around easier.
 
#25 ·
I would jack the front end of my zero turn (Gravely ZT XL 42) up with a jack-all, then wedge it up with a block of wood, and use an impact to zap the bolts in/out to remove/install the blades for sharpening if it was in my trailer. If it was on the garage floor, I would just take out the 6 pins holding the deck in place, slide it out and tilt it up to take the blades off and clean the deck.

For my 52" Snapper Pro walkbehind, I just lift the front end up by hand and wedge it up with a block of wood. I am considering fabricating a bracket of some kind that will stay in place better.
 
#26 ·
What ever method I use to raise a mower or garden tractor for access underneath I always use two methods for safety against a fall, one is a backup in case the other one lets loose and/or I use a additional safety stand. (unless I can get Bro in law to lay underneath)Just kidding here.

Heard of too many guys being found dead underneath tractors or brush hogs.

I completely remove my lawn tractor mower decks about every 3 years to check bearings and lube.
 
#29 ·
It was a huge PITA to get the deck off my old MTD, and a slightly smaller PITA to get the deck off my new Poulan. I envy the older rear engine riders that were designed to be tipped up on end. Or the newer articulated jobs with front mounted decks that tip up.
 
#31 ·
I use the HF lift on my Craftaman's mainly to clean under the decks after mowing. Blade sharpening is done with the winter maintenance with the decks removed. I don't use the full lift of the jack, I only go to the second safety pin hole. The Briggs opposed has the correct orientation for lifting, but you can dribble gas if the tank is too full. Thanks for the tip about the oil! If I need to lift the Roper 20T I will keep that in mind.
 

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#33 ·
^^ Posts set in concrete with pads on top. Removable ramps and drive platforms between the posts/pads on each side. After it's in place and those are removed, it would be setting on the four points only. Two foot high or so should be enough for most tasks.

Would something like 6 or 8" diameter PVC be tough enough? Maybe 10"?
 
#36 ·
I would not trust any PVC.. it get it strength from the inside outwards.. if u hit it with anything u can bust it..
 
#37 ·
OK, those two pictures show me a problem with lifts I hadn't considered. Too much on the floor underneath to work around or slide between. That turns me away from them once and for all.

On the PVC or other post idea, maybe filling them with concrete or using the cardboard post forms for concrete footings and filling them to make a solid concrete post. Problem there is if you don't get the mix right they can spall out.

Steel posts would be too expensive around here.
 
#38 ·
UUUUMMMMM how about premixed concrete in bags from the farm store.. add the water gently..
 
#41 ·
I use the Fischers 750 LB from HFT too. I like the safety lock feature. As the foot does get the way some but I never get completely under anything raised unless I am 100 % sure it is safely blocked. I might even over do it at times.

I lift the JD 925A, 950 ZTR, and Scag Tiger Cat with a 61" deck without problems. Now I do have problems get some the Cub Cadet ZTRs on the lift as decks don't clear the lift's foot but the solution to that is a couple 2x10's to drive up on raise the deck enough to clear the foot. These Cubs have the fabericated decks so that are fairly heavy especially when loaded down with wet grass.

I will try my hand lifting the JD 455 as I just got one in the shop but the deck appears the same the 445 I just got a week ago and lift worked fine on it.
 
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