44A Mowing Deck Mods and Mulching

[SchroedingersCat]

I am new here. I have a ~1974 CC 1450 that I got when my grandfather when he closed his IH dealership in 1974.

He, and then I, have maintained (not restored) the tractor over the years and she still runs well. BTW, that is recent picture of my son only slightly younger than when a similar picture was taken of me driving the same tractor.

I have a 44A mower deck. It runs fine, but since it is from the pre-mulching era it leaves huge furrows of hay on the lawn. I'd like to modify it to mulch.

I am looking for suppliers/manufacturers of parts for the modification along with recommended parts/numbers. I have seen a (old) post on here about speeding up the 44a (small pulley) but its not clear where the part came from. I see Gator has (though out of stock) the right size blades (15.125"). Most of the new blades have non-slip type arbors -- does it make sense to put new aftermarket spindles with a different arbor on? Which ones fit? Does anyone make a discharge chute blocker or should I just make one?

So recommendations (make and model) for:
Mulching Blades for 44A with existing spindle and arbor?
Hi speed pulley?
Aftermarket spindle with non-slip arbor? Mulching blades for same?
Chute blocker or just build it?
Drive belt (length 78"?, material kevlar?, manufacturer?)

Any other advice?

Thank you for the info...and thank you for all the great info on here.

[Mike McKown]

The smaller deck belt pulley was called a "speed up pulley" by my CC parts man. Don't know what CC called it. I put one on a 44" deck years ago and I recall it sped the blades up a lot. My 44 never threw out clumps of grass unless it was wet. Do you have the blade baffle in place?

[SchroedingersCat]

Hi Mike,
Thank you for the response. The internal blade baffles are in place. I've looked for a part number or way to order it. I suppose I could spec a pulley and find some generic one. Is the center pulley 2 discrete pulleys in a stack or one piece? The stock pulley seems to be PN IH-59703-C2-- not sure if that is a single piece or assembly.
Would be good to get a part number for the "speed up pulley." If not at least the diameter of the pulley.

[R Bedell]

The 44/50A series of mower decks were first introduced for the 1x8/9 Series of Cub Tractors.

When the Quietline Series of Tractors were introduced, they also used the 44/50A series of Mower Decks. One of the differences between the 1x8/9 and the Quietline Series Tractors, was the 1x8/9 had a Mechanical PTO while the Quietline's had an Electric PTO. The Diameters of the PTO Pulleys were different and necessitated the change in the Center Pulley of the 44/50A decks to maintain the RPM speed. Thus, the Center Pulley was downsized for Quietline Tractors.

There is NO such thing as a "speed up" pulley by Cub Cadet. Using the later pulley on the 1x8/9 tractors made the deck spin faster.

Original Pulley: IH-59703-C2 for 1x8/9 Tractors - Deck S/N: <81471
Update Pulley: IH-126393-C1 for Quietline Tractors - Deck S/N: 81472>

[Mike McKown]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

T

There is NO such thing as a "speed up" pulley by Cub Cadet. Using the later pulley on the 1x8/9 tractors made the deck spin faster.

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

The smaller deck belt pulley was called a "speed up pulley" by my CC parts man. Don't know what CC called it. I put one on a 44" deck years ago and I recall it sped the blades up a lot. My 44 never threw out clumps of grass unless it was wet. Do you have the blade baffle in place?

Here is a link for you to purchase a "speed up" pulley. I'd sell my used one if you get desperate as I no longer use that deck.

https://www.ihccw.com/newitems.html?product_id=4862

[Mike McKown]

Use this as a search term on Google for a CC speed up pulley and you'll get enough links to keep you off the street for awhile.

cub cadet speed up pulley IH 126393 C1

[R Bedell]

As I said prior, Cub Cadet NEVER called it speed up pulley. What private dealers and internet people call it, is entirely up to them.

[mortten]

That pulley is NLA from Cub Cadet. Thus the $110 price tag. I bought a new one a couple of years ago for $35.

[SchroedingersCat]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

The 44/50A series of mower decks were first introduced for the 1x8/9 Series of Cub Tractors.

When the Quietline Series of Tractors were introduced, they also used the 44/50A series of Mower Decks. One of the differences between the 1x8/9 and the Quietline Series Tractors, was the 1x8/9 had a Mechanical PTO while the Quietline's had an Electric PTO. The Diameters of the PTO Pulleys were different and necessitated the change in the Center Pulley of the 44/50A decks to maintain the RPM speed. Thus, the Center Pulley was downsized for Quietline Tractors.

There is NO such thing as a "speed up" pulley by Cub Cadet. Using the later pulley on the 1x8/9 tractors made the deck spin faster.

Original Pulley: IH-59703-C2 for 1x8/9 Tractors - Deck S/N: <81471
Update Pulley: IH-126393-C1 for Quietline Tractors - Deck S/N: 81472>

Mr Bedell,

Sorry, I may be being a bit dense here. My deck serial number appears to be 49700 (according to the tag on the deck, pic above) and it says 44A. Are you saying that this is likely to already have the smaller pulley since it is on the Quietline tractor? ...and thus there is no stock part that I could use to speed up the deck?

Would anyone happen to have the outside dimension of the main drive pulley, either stock or "speed-up"? I can go measure mine to determine what I have.

Thanks.

[R Bedell]

I'll look into that and get back.