Patching a mower deck

[Charlie M]

The IH deck on my IH 184 has a couple of holes rusted through it and I'd like to patch them as the grass blows up through them. The rest of the deck is solid. I have some thin sheet metal I have tried using a super glue on and it holds for a while and then lets go. Its metal you find along with threaded rod at Tractor Supply. Any chance I could attach the metal by brazing? If there any chance of welding all I have is a stick welder. I do have thicker material I could use. Any ideas.

 

[IH Guy]

Wire welder would be much easier to weld with, especially on thin sheet metal. Depending on the size of hole, would patching using pop grits be an option. Could always silicone the edges to really seal it up tight. Silicone also has some good holding capabilities. Just a thought, if welding isn?t working.

 

[Lucid]

Could bend a thicker piece over the hole(s) and just tack it every inch or so. Could try automotive fiberglass to make patches.

 

[tomdowling]

Set your welder on it's lowest amperage setting for sheet metal. 90 amps or less. Be sure to patch with same gauge metal as deck, makes it a little easier,less chance of burn through,clean paint and rust off area of contact. Purchase a little extra metal to practice on before you do the deck. I agree a wire welder would be much easier but it can be done with stick with a steady hand and practice. Be sure to wire brush, clean and prime as soon as possible, rusting starts faster if you don't.

 

[Bob]

Clean up the area, make the patch larger than the hole, and stick it on with silicone caulk or gasket maker.

Once it cures you couldn't tear the patch off if you tried!

We've done this on combines, as well.

Of course, properly welded with the right equipment and skills may be better, but this avoids the warping and burn-throughs that an amateur attempt will cause.

 

[Mike Van]

JB Weld does a great job holding metal -

 

[rustyfarmall]

That sheet metal you find at Tractor supply, etc., is very thin stuff. I've tried wire welding it. It can be done, but it is touch and go. Otherwise it just burns through.

 

[ss55]

Worst case some pop rivets should hold the patches on too.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The mower deck on a 184 is pretty thick stuff. Should be able to run a bead on it with 1/16" rod and the welder at 45-60 Amps. Might be a little touchy to strike the arc, but it is doable. Worst case you "stitch weld" it back together. Tack, move an inch, tack, move an inch. Work your way around. Clean the slag, and do another series of tacks.

But, you have to get to good metal. That can be 2-3" back from the edge of the rust hole.

These people telling you to use silicone, gasket maker or JB weld are just setting you up for more failure. I don't care how much you clean the metal none of these products are going to hold a patch on a lawn mower deck. You may as well use Gorilla glue as any of those. Minimum I would use is a product designed as body panel adhesive.

That said ALL the metal has to be CLEAN. There's a coating on the metal that you buy at tractor supply to keep it shiny on the shelf. About the only thing that sticks to it is the price tag. Nothing sticks to rust either.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Similar issues with the deck on my old rear engine Snapper. I had some sheet metal from a salvaged house furnace and wire welded it on. Those patches held, but eventually the patches rusted through. By the time I gave that mower away, the deck had patches on top of patches.

 

[DR. EVIL]

Actually, I can weld thinner steel with 1/16th inch 6013 welding rod than I can with .030" wire in my MIG welder.
ANY of the suggestions to use something from a tube or jar, or can, or bottle here are kidding I hope.

Pop Rivets could work, use the large flange rivets, plated steel or stainless, aluminum is too soft and weak.
Brazing is the right process for some repairs. If you have a gas welder with the right tips to braze, and the right brazing rod and flux your in business. GET TO WORK.

Been around Cub Cadets since a brand new 1963 Original with the 2 bladed 38 inch deck. And there's been over a dozen since that one, NONE of them ever rusted a hole thru the mower housing. Did replace the entire deck on the '65 Cub Cadet 70, the heavy cast iron ended deck, replaced it with the next style newer, doesn't have the cast iron ends on both sides, still using that deck 45 years later.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

A dozen mowers in 56 years is only 4-5 years per mower. I should hope that you'd never seen a deck rust through.

It's those of us that keep the mowers for 10+ years that run into rust-through/wear-through. Unless the thing is made out of 1/4" thick AR500 steel, just the grass going through is going to wear a hole in it, even if you're meticulous about cleaning the deck.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 11:12:30 04/10/19) A dozen mowers in 56 years is only 4-5 years per mower. I should hope that you'd never seen a deck rust through.

It's those of us that keep the mowers for 10+ years that run into rust-through/wear-through. Unless the thing is made out of 1/4" thick AR500 steel, just the grass going through is going to wear a hole in it, even if you're meticulous about cleaning the deck.

I went for many years using mowers that others had given up on and wanted rid of.

 

[gab]

If you don't want to weld it drill 1/4 inch holes through the patch plate and deck, silicone around the hole and edge of patch and bolt it together. Could also use these 1/4 inch rivets used to put window regulators in cars but the installation tool is probably expensive.

 

[Mark in Upstate]

Clean grind to bare metal, JB Weld both sides?