Backwards mounted mower deck ..... help !!!!

We have an "interesting" (maybe not the correct word) situation here. We came across a 3-blade 60" Kubota mower deck that was originally a belly mower for a yard tractor. Someone converted the mower to be a rear 3-point hitch (class I size) and did a reasonably decent job fabricating everything. We just noticed that when operating behind our 3-point tractor, the mower itself is "backwards" (front to back), that is the rear of the mower deck is facing forwards as it is pulled behind the tractor. The guy who fabricated it had no choice since it is tractor PTO driven and the way the mower gearbox is facing he had no choice. So right now, the middle mower blade (which usually is at the front of the deck) is at the rear and the two outside blades (which are usually to the rear) are positioned at the front. It is designed to be a right discharge but because it is backwards, it is now a left discharge (well, I guess it's still a right discharge located on the tractor's left side really).

Question is this ..... what sort of cutting performance can we expect? Can we expect to use this with any success? I suspect it might have to be pulled more slowly, not sure about that. Just don't know what to think about all of this but someone with a lot of mowing experience can probably shed some light on where we are and where we are maybe going with this set up.

Thanks, Crazy Horse

Been a Kubota dealer for years, what you have now is a cobbled up mess. Seen it tried many times. Would have took 30 minutes to go into the gear box and move the input gear from one side of the driven gear to the other then he could have attached the pick up hitch to the front side of the deck. See people try to turn the gear box but it is easier to go in the box and move the gear. Good luck hope you did not pay too much for your MADE FINISH MOWER.

I can't see how it could make any difference that really matters. Seems like my push mower cuts better when being pulled backwards.

It can't be no worse than running one of those front mowers backwards.

Many years ago a really good man told me, "If it works, don't fix it!"

My Bush Hog RDTH cuts real good when backing up.

Good luck!

Scott

Isn't there a "slight" RPM problem to
correct-easy or more cobbled-?
2000-2500 (ish)
540-960-1000 (ish)

What I notice with my 3 blade garden tractor mower when mowing in reverse it doesn't throw the grass out the chute like normal. Instead the cut off grass is spread out about the width of the deck going underneath whatever is the back in relation to the direction of travel.

Wouldn't you need to change the blades? I bought a used Woods RM59 mower and it didn't cut very well. I replaced the blades with the same (right hand)blades and saw no improvement...then looking in an AgriSupply catalogue, I saw that there are both right hand and left hand blades for the RM59...I changed to the left hand blades and the mower cuts like a charm.

you need blades for massey ferguson groomer mower like i have the blades are for reverse cut

Just back up !
LOL
Someone had to say it.

Steve A W

Couldn't the gearbox be turned around? Maybe too late for that now, but without seeing it I'd think it would be easy to unbolt the gearbox and turn it 180 degrees.

From what little use we have put this through so far, I think that's what is happening.

But nothing is changing for the rotation of the blades, they are still cutting in the same direction as it would be if the deck were mounted correctly (clockwise looking from the top). Not sure why you think a blade like you mention might help out with anything. It's just the deck direction of movement (back of deck moves forward) that is changing.

Since you seem to know about Kubota mowers, two quick questions for you. 1)Are the blade bolts for this mower (model MR6000)right or left-hand thread? 2)How old might this mower deck be?

Never thought of that, maybe jm. above, if he reads this, might know what input RPM an MR6000 Kubota operates at. Meanwhile, for information ...... the tractor is a little Satoh 650G tractor that has a Mazda ealy 70's truck engine in it (from the factory). It runs at a high engine RPM and at recommended governed 2800 RPM's of engine speed, the two speed PTO puts out either 610 or 1085 RPM's in low or high speed PTO ranges. So we have that choice of speed selection anyways. The price we paid doesn't come into play, it was essentially a freebie thrown in with the tractor.

No, it's not going to work well.

When moving forward, the correct direction, as the leading edge of each blade cuts, the cuttings are directed toward the discharge. Every thing under the deck is designed around this concept. If moved backward, the clippings will have to be brought around to the opposite side of the housing, where they will fall out of suspension, ball up and make a big mess!

The other concern is the speed of the blades. Not sure what the gear box ratio is, but unless it is over driving the blades, it's going to be turning way too slow.

Mower was made prior to 1987, the blade bolts are right handed. And you can use the same blades IF you switch the gear as I suggested. I hope you got it cheap because good usable
finish mowers can be had for 400 or 500 pretty easy. Over the years I have seen this tried many times and most time it was a failure.

I guess i was thinking your problem was blade rotation but from what i am now understanding your cutting or trying to cut with a belly mower pan by pulling it backwards.
I believe Steve has the best advise on this i do understand what he is saying.

If its an older deck for a Kubota some of the old one the PTO on the tractor ran backward so you had to have a deck made for it. This could be one of these and the way it is now is the only way they could get it to work on another tractor. Just a thought. Bandit