50" mower deck for JD 420-430

6464 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by dirtintheeye, Sep 16, 2015

92430

Discussion Starter · Sep 10, 2015

So I am in need of a mowing deck for my old 420. It would have originally came with a 50" or 60" shaft drive deck. I bought it without a deck and am trying to decide if I want a 50 or a 60. I had a 430 with a 60 and honestly thought it was too big for my yard. I don't have an acerage or anything big I just like the older bigger garden tractors. I have never used a 50 or seen one for that matter, but I do know a guy that has one for sale, at a premium of course. I am wondering if anyone on here had used both and how they compare. Do they both mow good? Is one preferable? I know the 50 isn't much wider than the tractor wheels, is that an issue? Is there anything bad about a 50 other than its not as big as a 60. I am thinking maybe the 50 wont scalp my yard in places the 60 did, and will fit it tighter places. Were the 50" decks just no popular because most people wanted to mow bigger areas or is there something else I'm missing?? I even talked to a guy who has been buying and selling this stuff for 26 years and had only ever seen one 50" deck! Also, wondering if a 50" from a 318 or similar would be able to be retrofitted with the shaft drive assembly or not. Thanks.

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Rydplrs

· #4 · Sep 10, 2015

you pretty much nailed the pros and cons. the decision is yours.

on note on converting a 50 deck, the gearbox is not the same on a 50 deck and a 60 deck. your blade speed would either be dangerously fast or too slow to be useful. I also think the drive shafts are different. but I could be wrong. as other have said its not practical to convert to 300 series deck for the 420/430 tractors

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Rydplrs

· #9 · Sep 16, 2015

92430 said:
Where the crap did you find a 50" deck for a 420??! Aparantly they are rare? I want one !

Why? The 60 smokes anything from that era. 50'S are rare for the same reason 41's are. To small for tractor is bad.

My front lawn is 55" wide, ill still take the 60.

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Rydplrs

· #11 · Sep 16, 2015

I think 4" overhang is being generous. that is the big issue. its so much easier to trim near things with a 60. the other thing is I have cut with a 430/60 in the middle of a thunderstorm and the yard still came out great they move alot more air then a 50

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