IM 500 Bush Hog Rust Through

[Anonymous-0]

About six years ago I bought a new World Agritech International Machinery 5 foot bush hog built in Ohio.Apparently "World" and "International" have to do with the Chinese steel I suspect it's made of.It's already rusting through from the bottom up under the paint and bumper sticker type labels.Thumb size holes are showing up in the 10 gage deck.I don't use it in wet conditions,it spends 8 months a year under a shed hooked to a tractor,the rest up off the ground on blocks.When I first got it I drilled 3/8ths" drain holes where ever water would stand on the deck,and I clean it off after every use.I knew I was buying a light weight bush hog for light duty use and have no complaints about it's performance,but am surprised and disappointed that it feeds the 'iron worms' so well.

 

[souNdguy]

Yep.. that is bad.. I have a 10yr old economy king kutter with nary a bit of rust on her.

If I was you, I'd flip her up and power washer her and then rust treat any spots you find.. wire wheel.. grind.. etc.. then chemically get them with naval jelly or similar.... then weld up the holes with patches.. then prep and paint the entire hog underside as well.. perhaps using a rust control paint. heck.. double or tripple coat the bottom.. once it's sealed.. it will be more protected from rustthru.

any holes you have drilled.. clean them and paint them so they are sealed as well.

soundguy

 

[AndrewFromNS]

It wouldn't be as cheap as a coat of something like Rust paint, but slapping a layer or two of POR15 under the beast once you've got the crud cleaned off the underside, and any holes patched, would do wonders for the lifespan.

We had an old lawnmower deck we used to take off every fall and treat with a bucket of used motor oil. That deck was in its 30's and still looked as good on all sides as the day Sears stuck their name on it. Shame the same couldn't be said for the rest of the tractor.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for the ideas and advice fellows.I'll get to work on it this winter.