Restoring 50c deck with gators
 

Over the last couple of months I've been working on getting my super ready to mow. I was going to restore the original deck but it had too much daylight showing through it. Some rust much abuse. I picked up a very nice used one from a fellow in PA and restored that. I took it apart and sandblasted everything.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...50014Small.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...50017Small.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...50016Small.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...50015Small.jpg

Then I painted the whole thing with "ezslide" graphite paint from TSC. Sorry if the color offends the purists but this tractor is for working not pretty.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...50019Small.jpg

My spindles were in decent shape so I just rebuilt and greased and added new seals top and bottom.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...80030Small.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...20002Small.jpg

I've been mowing with a tractor with a mulcher and plug for over 10 years. I like the way it leaves the yard so I bought some "gator blades" for this deck. About as close as I could get to a dedicated mulcher. Only thing is the baldes were just a very tiny bit too long.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...70026Small.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...70027Small.jpg

I got a little carried away grinding the end of one blade so I overdid both ends and put it in the middle and just buffed the ends of the outer 2. I balanced them on one of those little cone things. Thought I might have taken too much off the one blade but it mows great with no gaps of unmowed grass.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...80028Small.jpg

Ready to mount.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...20003Small.jpg

Lets mow some grass.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...80031Small.jpg

Nice work! I have gators on both my 44 and 50" decks, the 50" seriously outcuts the 44. (Both have the speed up pulley)

Although both decks are spinning the same rpm, the speed at the tip of the blade is faster with the 50" which is why I think it cuts better.

that deck looks almost identical to the one i have, what is the difference between the 50, 50a and 50c? and is the speed up pulley worth the money and where can i find one:bigthink:

squatch,

Nice job. I've read from another user that that paint works wonders on the underside keeping grass from sticking and it clean. Hope you get the same mileage.

Thanks for the kind words. As for the deck differences I can't answer that question. I'm a relative newby to cub world(1st one) and learning more everyday. This is also the 1st I've heard of the speed-up pulley. Do you lose much torque at the blades in heavy grass when you install it?

50 and 50A are basically the same deck...the 50 was used on the 1x8/9 series, 50A on the quietlines. The 50C is identical with the exception of a 5/8" drive pulley instead of 1/2" as on the 50 and 50A.

Any torque loss with the speed-up pulley would be negligible.

I put Gators on my 44A deck 5 or so years back. A couple of years ago I took some steel I had laying around that was just the right width and bent it around a wheel to get the same arc as the blade spins and bolted it in as a block off plate. Made a huge difference as to the ability for the blades to really mulch. Other wise you're just cutting grass and throwing it out, not mulching and dropping back onto the lawn. If I cut too tall of grass it will leave a little row of clippings around the yard. But it's easy to blow that around with the power blower and you don't notice it after that.

I want to clean mine up and put that graphite paint on the bottom, but will repaint the top white.

Nice work,
Keith

I had thought of making a baffle like that for mulching. Thanks for the info. I figured I would try it out 1st as is. I did install a metal chute deflector as a 1/2 way step. I was going to paint the top white or with rustoliem pro black but it was just easier to do it all the same. I always seem pressed for time. Besides I figured the leading edge of a white deck just gets crudded up quick anyway.

Squatch, nice job. Is the hood of your 1872 metal or plastic?

Thanks, Metal!

spindles and bearings
 

where can you get new spindles and bearings for that deck i have one but cant use it

I would start with the sponsers on the top of the page or your local cub dealer. That's where I got my seals. The spindles are rebuildable. Not much to them really. a bearing top and bottom and seals top and bottom. Rest is just housing, spindle and spacers.

Where did you get the belt guide??

You do realize this thread is over six years old and the OP hasn't logged in since May 2015. :bigeyes:

Ah, what's 6 years? I would like to see the OP would jump back on here and let us know how his deck has been since then. :)

Did a search & found that these are replacements for OEM Cadet part number.

http://www.agrisupply.com/cubcadet-mower-blade/p/45724/

Anyone have any recommendation for a blade with more lift to fit the 50c deck?


Thansk

Since this old thread has already been returned to life, I'm curious to know if anyone (especially the OP if he's still around) has any comments on the graphite paint used; has it held up well? Does it perform as expected? Does cut grass stick to it and is it easier to clean than standard paint?

I'm working on a 48-inch cast nose that'll be getting some paint in the next couple weeks and I'm still not sure what to use underneath.

Sorry folks I haven't been on in a while. Still have the Super and use it all the time.

I wouldn't use the EZ slide paint again on the deck. It has pretty much worn away. Next time I'll try an epoxy coating like this.
http://www.tapplastics.com/product/f...with_kevlar/30

I used that on the bottom of my river jet boat. It's very slick and tough stuff.

The gator blades held up fine. I really haven't done anything to the deck since this thread except clean it yearly and sharpen blades. It's about time to coat it again.

anyone ever use them on Haban 60"? was thinking of getting them but wasn't sure how they performed???

Pretty much the Gator is a mulching blade for things that don't have mulchers. Without a mulching plug for the deck it just works like any blade.

It is also heavier(thicker) than stock and hardened steel. Hard to sharpen by hand but holds an edge for a long time.