# Converting a finishing mower to a pull behind with motor



## t-roy211 (Jul 7, 2010)

Ok, im already kinda started on this project, and havent really came to a bump or anything, so that should tell you how far i am into it! LOL! 

So, i have this old mower deck that I kinda thought was a finishing mower, but I think it may just be from a large riding mower.  It doesnt have belts, its all...whatever you wanna call it, and it runs off a pto i believe.  if any of this is wrong, tell me the correct way to say it.  Anyhow, i have this mower deck, that is not locked up and it does still turn very smoothly.  So i am going to add a motor to it.  Does anyone have any suggestions on motor size, and to how to get the motor connected to the square shaft on the deck so that the blades will turn?  I have a lil 6 horse motor that I am going to try this out with in the beginning, although i think i will need more power than that.  I want this thing to be able to bush hog if needed!  So I can get my height adjusting and all that figure out, i just need some help and suggestions for how to get the shaft that comes out of my motor, connected to the square shaft that comes out of the gear box of the mower.  The motor im using has the shaft coming out of the side, so i am going to mount the motor on the front of the blade deck.  Are there any couplers or fittings that I can put on the motor to get it to attack to the deck?  Also, im assuming i will need another U Joint near the shaft of the motor?

If the pic isnt clear or big enough, i can take another


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## t-roy211 (Jul 7, 2010)

ok nevermind on that last line the pic turned out good


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## rjcruiser (Jul 7, 2010)

I think you are going to have major torque issues with a 6hp motor being able to turn that shaft.  Just think about the amount of torque that comes out of a PTO on the tractor.  Now compare that to what comes out of a 6 hp B&S.  

I think you'd probably have to re-gear the thing if you are going to make it work.  As far as a coupler, it would have to be custom made.  You could mount the motor at an angle so that the shaft goes directly into the square tubing on the deck.  Then, you wouldn't need another u-joint.  

Maybe weld (or JB weld) the two together.


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## t-roy211 (Jul 7, 2010)

The 6er is just for testing, i am going to buy another prob 12 horse motor for it.  Which leads me to another question, does anyone have a 12 horse motor for sale?


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## rjcruiser (Jul 7, 2010)

Make sure you get a side shaft motor too.  Might want to get one with an oil filter which will keep the oil flowing if you get on some side hill lies.

btw...for a matter of perspective, how big is that deck?  In my original response, I was thinking it was larger than 48"

I'd think 12 hp would be a minimum for you.


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## CC Rider (Jul 8, 2010)

If I was going to try and use this set up, I would remove the the square shaft and the U-joint yolk from the gear box. Then mount the biggest pulley I could get to fit on the gear box shaft (hopefully the shaft is not splined), mount the motor above the gear box with a small pulley and use a belt driveto make the blades turn. You might want to check the crank shaft rotation vs. the gearbox rotation before you make upyour mig how you want mount the motor. Good luck.


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## mudpuppy928 (Jul 9, 2010)

*wanna be bushhog*

mount motor off to the side and install brackets to mount a pully system to it that way the belt will slip or break before you break a hard part.bearing off a plow will work on the sqaure shaft.then weld a pully to the end off the shaft,i also recomend more hp.good luck .let us know how it turns out


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## Buck Rabbit (Jul 9, 2010)

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=203953&highlight=

my dad built this one a couple yrs back, has a 16 hp motor.  Works great


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## knot (Jul 10, 2010)

I believe you do have a finishing mower.  If you removed the 2 top shields on the deck there should be a spindle and pulley on each side with a pulley attached to bottom of gearbox. The reason i am saying this is because it appears to be grease fittings for the spindles in the holes of each shield.


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