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Mower Deck Mounts On Front Of ATV
Gale Wells, Orland, Calif.,    didn’t want to use a conventional riding mower on the steep slopes around his mountain cabin. So, he mounted a 36-in. deck off a Deere riding mower on front of his Suzuki 4-WD ATV, adding an 8 hp Briggs & Stratton engine to power it.
    “My 4-WD ATV can climb hills and turn, even on steep ground, without tipping over. If it can climb the hill, it’ll mow it,” says Wells.
    The trick was getting the mower deck to pivot up or down and also side to side so it would cut evenly. “Even if the ATV leans one way and the mower the other way, or if the ATV drives up and down over bumpy ground, the mower deck can flex enough that it’ll always stay in contact with the ground,” says Wells.
    The deck hangs from a frame made from 1 1/2-in. sq. tubing that attaches to the ATV. It can pivot up or down on a pair of metal arms spaced 18 in. apart, which attach to the ATV with cotter pins. The deck blades are activated by pulling a belt tensioning lever on one side of the deck. Another lever is used to raise and lower the deck. Mowing height can be adjusted from 1 to 4 in.
    Wells added a pair of 8-in. caster wheels on front of the deck frame and 5-in. high wheels on back of the deck. The rear wheels are “donut shaped” which allows them to slip sideways on sharp turns.
    “I mounted the mower on front because I have arthritis and can’t turn back all the time. With a front-mount mower I have a great view and can get as close as possible to trees, shrubs, and buildings.
    “I use an electric winch to raise the deck for transport. If I could do it over I’d use a 48-in. deck, which is the width of my ATV.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gale Wells, 710 Trinity St., Orland, Calif. 95963 (ph 530 865-2377; gdwells7100@att.net).


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2012 - Volume #36, Issue #4