OT—John Deere Lawnmower hood disintegrated.

641Dave · Feb 20, 2015

This past weekend I removed the already broken hood from my lawnmower, 10 year old John Deere gtx and the plastic hood literally feel apart in my hands. Before it was over all of the hood fit into a 5 gallon bucket.

Things sure aren't what they use to be.

FBH44 · Feb 20, 2015

I think it happens to all of them. Happened to my Troy-Bilt, all the plastic crackedd apart. I just removed those parts, kept the steel top hood braced up into place. Got lots more working room around the engine now.
Bought new Cub Cadet shaft-drive lastyear, happened again, PLUS this time parts of it got in way of the exhaust, and melted. Went to scrap yard, got a hood off a 1950's Ferguson TO model, tin-smithed it, installed it, and it looks really cool , a sort of gangsta-hoodlum-retro-dangerous lookin' mowin' machine. PLUS lots more room to work, PLUS the thing doesn't trap every bit of heat and dust inside the engine compartment.
I think you gotta make your own improvements.

JRSutton · Feb 20, 2015

That's pretty common for those mowers.

Really bad if they stay out in the sun a lot.

Watch closely as you drive around on any spring
day and you're sure to see at least couple
hoodless john deere lawn tractors.

danmcdonald · Feb 20, 2015

Mine did the same thing if the peaces weren't green you would see them all over the lawn.

Chris Jones · Feb 20, 2015

Yea, I've heard the same thing about the hoods breaking up. The reason people are driving around w/o hoods though is they've priced the replacement hoods!

sd pete · Feb 20, 2015

Mama Deere has to make money somehow.

bison · Feb 20, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:05:31 02/20/15) This past weekend I removed the already broken hood from my lawnmower, 10 year old John Deere gtx and the plastic hood literally feel apart in my hands. Before it was over all of the hood fit into a 5 gallon bucket.

[b:25671a1b17]Things sure aren't what they use to be.[/b:25671a1b17]

ou got that right.
I have 2 john deere lawn tractors from the early seventies,..hoods are still perfect.

I have a industrial entry door with a plastic bottom sill in my 3 year old shop, the sill did not even last one winter.
The rubber seals on the bottom of the overhead doors are also torn and cracked :roll:

Geo-TH,In · Feb 20, 2015

My gt275 hood is in good shape. Been kept inside
out of the sun. Was yours kept inside? Sun does
break down plastic.

David G · Feb 20, 2015

My 10 year old JD LX280 hood fell apart.

old-9 · Feb 20, 2015

They don't make them like they used to. My model 73 Cub Cadett steel hood is rusted, but still there. joe

GordoSD · Feb 20, 2015

My 13 year old Cub Cadet is just like new. I keep it covered inside the farm shop.

gtractorfan · Feb 20, 2015

I've owned a GT 275 since '98 and it's still looking/working good. I mow a neighbor's yard with a JD 345 same age and 2 years ago a piece broke off at the pivot point above the exhaust outlet for no apparent reason, except maybe heat from the exhaust. Both kept inside.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 20, 2015

Why are some junk and some are good?

I like my gt275, 48 inch mower, 30 inch tiller. I use mine as a trim mower, about 30 minutes. Finish with a 72 inch mower, 45 minutes.

504 · Feb 20, 2015

I have a 325,the top half cracked and the it just fell apart after I took it off for repair. A new half is around 250.00 plus the decal kit, 325.00.(prices are from a year ago, and a bad memory)

D beatty · Feb 20, 2015

Not true that they all fall apart and as said sunlight does damage to paint, plastic and rubber. I have this Yard Pro that is 18 years old and the hood still looks great. The hood does get waxed several times a season and does not set out in sun light very often when not in use.

rusty6 · Feb 20, 2015

Maybe they had better plastic back in the 80s? My
JD 111 has a few scratches but no cracks or breaks
in the hood. Dad bought it used over 20 years ago.
If it is not cutting grass it is inside the shed
which probably helps.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 21, 2015

Bet that will cost a pant load of money to replace.

It just occcured to me that people would make fun of Jap bikes because they were made of plastic.

People think JD mowers are the greatest thing since sliced bread, yet all the green on mine is plastic.

Texasmark1 · Feb 21, 2015

I have a L 110, 15 hp Kohler Command that wore out the deck
over the years so I removed it and use it for my "Gator". Has the
plastic hood and since I don't have the bed in the rear like a
Gator, you won't believe what I pile on top of it when using it for
a Gator. It's scratched up and all but still in excellent mechanical
condition.

Possibly temperature has something to do with your problem. I
know when it's really cold here, nothing to compare to you guys
up North however, PVC is easy to splinter. Have no idea as to the
composition of the plastic hood.

Mark

jd36a · Feb 21, 2015

I have a JD F510 that I purchased in 1995. Have the same problem
as it has several pieces broken out of the fender wells. It is a fine
mower but just doesn't look as good as it once did.

641Dave · Feb 27, 2015

(quoted from post at 00:13:07 02/21/15) My gt275 hood is in good shape. Been kept inside
out of the sun. Was yours kept inside? Sun does
break down plastic.

Under a barn and out of the sunlight. Albeit, the day it feel apart it was about 30° outside but for the most part, it's been keep under tin all it's life.

I grew up with high regards of that running deer logo. ...that's changing.

641Dave · Feb 27, 2015

(quoted from post at 00:13:07 02/21/15) My gt275 hood is in good shape. Been kept inside
out of the sun. Was yours kept inside? Sun does
break down plastic.

Under a barn and out of the sunlight. Albeit, the day it feel apart it was about 30° outside but for the most part, it's been keep under tin all it's life.

I grew up with high regards of that running deer logo. ...that's changing.

641Dave · Feb 27, 2015

(quoted from post at 00:13:07 02/21/15) My gt275 hood is in good shape. Been kept inside
out of the sun. Was yours kept inside? Sun does
break down plastic.

Under a barn and out of the sunlight. Albeit, the day it feel apart it was about 30° outside but for the most part, it's been keep under tin all it's life.

I grew up with high regards of that running deer logo. ...that's changing.

OT—John Deere Lawnmower hood disintegrated.

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