54" deck Installation Manual
 

I'm looking for the instructions for fitting a 54" 324 deck to my 2082. I removed the 60" deck for some badly needed repairs and want to put the 54" deck off my 2086 on until the end of the season and the blower gets put on. I put it on the way it came off the 2086 but it doesn't seem to hang correctly and looks too far forward ( right side front deck wheel fouls with tire in turns) . I just got the 2086 and have the engine out for service, I never got a chance to run the deck so I don't know if it was ever installed correctly. The 60" deck I took off the 2082 never seemed to lift high enough before I took it off. Both of these machines were second hand and neither was well cared for, I am not sure if either has the correct deck mount parts. I could use the manual to find out what holes in the mule drive to hang the mounts from.

Look at the first pic. Your mule drive isn't "snapped" in all the way.

I pulled it all apart this afternoon, the mule drive is fully seated in the clips and the release bar is all the way up holding the pins tight. I'm not sure the hangers from the rock shaft are in the correct holes in the mule drive. Not sure the hangers are the correct (too long?) length either.

Take some time and look at the different part numbers on Parts Tree for you deck and lift links by comparing the two tractors. The 2082 has a different rock shaft than the 2086 and I think they use different length links.
http://www.partstree.com/parts/

I suspected that might be the case, you hit the nail on the head. I keep forgetting my 2082 is an early serial number and therefore sometimes requires different attachments and parts than the later 2082's or my 2086. The correct links look much shorter the ones I have one there on the mule drive and hanger from the 2086. You guys bailed my sorry butt out once again. Thanks.

I found the correct lift brackets from one of the forum advertisers, they are on the way, that should solve the problem I have . Still looking for the owners manual for the 324 deck, tried a link from this forum to the MTD site for manuals but it didn't work.

Try this link.
http://manuals.mtdproducts.com/mtd/Public.do

You'll need the model & serial numbers.

I already tried that one, when I put the model / serial numbers in , selected the download and accepted the terms it put me back to the search again.

what #s are you using?

Used the model number 190-324-100 both with and without the dashes and 491908 which is the serial number off the deck. I guess those are CCC numbers.