I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front
blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC . The mower deck
has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm trying to decide whether to
just double it up on top or cut out the affected areas and patch . I'm a
little leery of the cut/patch way , afraid of stresses from localized heat
causing warpage . If I double it up I can retain the original mounting holes
, use them to hold the patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the
curves . I have plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for
the deck repairs .
I didn't realize when I went to look at it how big it is , I'll be going
back tomorrow with a trailer to get the tractor itself . I figger if the
motor isn't locked up I can probably get it running fairly easily . Once I
get it to run I can get all the rest repaired as I can . I figger if I can
get away with under 300 bucks in parts for a running unit that has
everything working I'll be OK .
I think first priority will be getting the blade hydraulics sorted out ,
that's gonna come in real handy this winter . Well , if the talking heads
are right about the coming weather it sure will!
--
Snag

Terry Coombs wrote:

I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front
blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC . The mower deck
has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm trying to decide whether to
just double it up on top or cut out the affected areas and patch . I'm a
little leery of the cut/patch way , afraid of stresses from localized heat
causing warpage . If I double it up I can retain the original mounting holes
, use them to hold the patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the
curves . I have plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for
the deck repairs .
I didn't realize when I went to look at it how big it is , I'll be going
back tomorrow with a trailer to get the tractor itself . I figger if the
motor isn't locked up I can probably get it running fairly easily . Once I
get it to run I can get all the rest repaired as I can . I figger if I can
get away with under 300 bucks in parts for a running unit that has
everything working I'll be OK .
I think first priority will be getting the blade hydraulics sorted out ,
that's gonna come in real handy this winter . Well , if the talking heads
are right about the coming weather it sure will!
--
Snag

The mower deck on my old Deere rider had a rusted through hole. I just
pop riveted some similar sheet metal over it and it's been fine for
years. Then I fabricated a new double stack deck drive idler pulley when
the original one's integral bearings exploded. No place in the area
carries the correct blades so I just get ones that are slightly too long
and whack them to size with a cutoff wheel in the angle grinder. Much
more rewarding keeping a 40 year old mower running than buying a new
one.

On 10/20/2014 9:05 PM, Pete C. wrote:

Terry Coombs wrote:

I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front
blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC . The mower deck
has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm trying to decide whether to
just double it up on top or cut out the affected areas and patch . I'm a
little leery of the cut/patch way , afraid of stresses from localized heat
causing warpage . If I double it up I can retain the original mounting holes
, use them to hold the patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the
curves . I have plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for
the deck repairs .
I didn't realize when I went to look at it how big it is , I'll be going
back tomorrow with a trailer to get the tractor itself . I figger if the
motor isn't locked up I can probably get it running fairly easily . Once I
get it to run I can get all the rest repaired as I can . I figger if I can
get away with under 300 bucks in parts for a running unit that has
everything working I'll be OK .
I think first priority will be getting the blade hydraulics sorted out ,
that's gonna come in real handy this winter . Well , if the talking heads
are right about the coming weather it sure will!
--
Snag

The mower deck on my old Deere rider had a rusted through hole. I just
pop riveted some similar sheet metal over it and it's been fine for
years. Then I fabricated a new double stack deck drive idler pulley when
the original one's integral bearings exploded. No place in the area
carries the correct blades so I just get ones that are slightly too long
and whack them to size with a cutoff wheel in the angle grinder. Much
more rewarding keeping a 40 year old mower running than buying a new
one.

Good points. And with the Deere when you get it - change the oil and
grease everything and change all filters. That will get you out on
a head start. You can bet the person didn't maintain it up to the end.
Driving with a grimy oil can do a number on you.

Don't forget to get the 'oil' for transmission and 'grease' for the
mower 'transmission'.

Martin - I have a series 1.

Martin Eastburn wrote:
On 10/20/2014 9:05 PM, Pete C. wrote:

Terry Coombs wrote:

I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck
and front blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC
. The mower deck has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm
trying to decide whether to just double it up on top or cut out the
affected areas and patch . I'm a little leery of the cut/patch way
, afraid of stresses from localized heat causing warpage . If I
double it up I can retain the original mounting holes , use them to
hold the patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the curves .
I have plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for
the deck repairs . I didn't realize when I went to look at it
how big it is , I'll be going back tomorrow with a trailer to get
the tractor itself . I figger if the motor isn't locked up I can
probably get it running fairly easily . Once I get it to run I can
get all the rest repaired as I can . I figger if I can get away
with under 300 bucks in parts for a running unit that has
everything working I'll be OK . I think first priority will be
getting the blade hydraulics sorted out , that's gonna come in real
handy this winter . Well , if the talking heads are right about the
coming weather it sure will! --
Snag

The mower deck on my old Deere rider had a rusted through hole. I
just pop riveted some similar sheet metal over it and it's been fine
for years. Then I fabricated a new double stack deck drive idler
pulley when the original one's integral bearings exploded. No place
in the area carries the correct blades so I just get ones that are
slightly too long and whack them to size with a cutoff wheel in the
angle grinder. Much more rewarding keeping a 40 year old mower
running than buying a new one.

Good points. And with the Deere when you get it - change the oil and
grease everything and change all filters. That will get you out on
a head start. You can bet the person didn't maintain it up to the
end. Driving with a grimy oil can do a number on you.

Don't forget to get the 'oil' for transmission and 'grease' for the
mower 'transmission'.

Martin - I have a series 1.

My rusty spots are right where the blade bearings mount , pop rivets ain't
gonna cut it here . I'll be researching the serial number when I get it home
, see just when it was made as that makes a difference in which motor it has
.. Later ones were better . I'm pretty optomistic , the guy's father in law
had the mower and supposedly used it lightly - but it's been sitting for an
unknown to me length of time . I too find it an enjoyable challenge to
keep old equipment running . And I'd bet this unit is better made than the
new stuff by a wide margin .

--
Snag

....
had the mower and supposedly used it lightly - but it's been sitting for an
unknown to me length of time . I too find it an enjoyable challenge to
keep old equipment running . And I'd bet this unit is better made than the
new stuff by a wide margin .

I also like to keep the old stuff running. A lot of my farm equipment
is old enough to collect social security

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
...
had the mower and supposedly used it lightly - but it's been sitting
for an unknown to me length of time . I too find it an enjoyable
challenge to keep old equipment running . And I'd bet this unit is
better made than the new stuff by a wide margin .

I also like to keep the old stuff running. A lot of my farm equipment
is old enough to collect social security

Karl

I have a Harley that old ...

--
Snag

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...

My rusty spots are right where the blade bearings mount , pop
rivets ain't gonna cut it here . I'll be researching the serial
number when I get it home , see just when it was made as that makes
a difference in which motor it has . Later ones were better . I'm
pretty optomistic , the guy's father in law had the mower and
supposedly used it lightly - but it's been sitting for an unknown
to me length of time . I too find it an enjoyable challenge to
keep old equipment running . And I'd bet this unit is better made
than the new stuff by a wide margin .

--
Snag

Maybe you could fit a flush patch and then bolt it in place with a
larger overlay, until you get around to welding all the the flush
patches. Before cutting out the rust I'd scribe some reference lines
on the deck and measure the existing hole pattern from them so it can
be reconstructed. Or make a hole pattern template from scrap sheet
metal.

I turn shouldered plugs that fit the existing holes snugly and have a
tap drill or transfer punch guide hole in the center. Two plugs is
enough to locate the template, then I clamp it and move the plugs to
mark more holes. That's how I raised the back of this office chair
with diamond-plate side brackets to make it an armless recliner that
fits under the keyboard shelf.

jsw

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:47:13 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front
blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC . The mower deck
has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm trying to decide whether to
just double it up on top or cut out the affected areas and patch . I'm a
little leery of the cut/patch way , afraid of stresses from localized heat
causing warpage . If I double it up I can retain the original mounting holes
, use them to hold the patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the
curves . I have plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for
the deck repairs .
I didn't realize when I went to look at it how big it is , I'll be going
back tomorrow with a trailer to get the tractor itself . I figger if the
motor isn't locked up I can probably get it running fairly easily . Once I
get it to run I can get all the rest repaired as I can . I figger if I can
get away with under 300 bucks in parts for a running unit that has
everything working I'll be OK .
I think first priority will be getting the blade hydraulics sorted out ,
that's gonna come in real handy this winter . Well , if the talking heads
are right about the coming weather it sure will!
Greetings Snag,
I repaired a John Deere mower deck for a customer and used the double
up method you described above. This deck was for a riding mower. It
was about 40 inches wide. What I did was to first have the customer
clean all the grass and dirt from both the top and underside and bring
the deck to my shop. I then ground through the paint and corrosion. I
then ground out the holes until I was seeing no more rust and the
metal was pretty close to original thickness at the hole edge. I then
welded patches over the holes. Finally I welded the edges of the hole
to the patch. This totally enclosed the area covered by the patch so
that water couldn't get in and cause further corrosion. Some of the
patches were on the topside and a couple I welded to the underside.
The patch locations were dictated by which place was easiest. The
customer told me he was going to paint over my welding and grinding
but I don't know if he did. The repairs were done over 6 years ago, I
never heard from the customer again, and I guarantee all my welds,
though not the HAZs, forever.
Eric

On Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:47:13 -0500
"Terry Coombs" wrote:

I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front
blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC .
snip

If you didn't already know, John Deere charges for pretty much
everything. Even the really, really old manuals and such. "Green
paint" is expensive stuff Sometimes you can get lucky searching the
net and find stuff that hasn't been taken down yet or is on a server
they can't touch...

That being said, they do publish their parts manuals. See:

http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/c... geServlet_Alt

Put "317" in the model search and see if it helps you any.

I would weld or bolt patches over the bad areas myself. That and keep
an eye on Craigs list for anything else I was interested in that might
fit it.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and
front blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC . The
mower deck has a few spots that have rusted thru , and I'm trying to
decide whether to just double it up on top or cut out the affected
areas and patch . I'm a little leery of the cut/patch way , afraid
of stresses from localized heat causing warpage . If I double it up
I can retain the original mounting holes , use them to hold the
patch while I heat and bend it to conform to the curves . I have
plenty of 11 gauge hr steel that will work just swell for the deck
repairs .
I didn't realize when I went to look at it how big it is , I'll be
going back tomorrow with a trailer to get the tractor itself . I
figger if the motor isn't locked up I can probably get it running
fairly easily . Once I get it to run I can get all the rest repaired
as I can . I figger if I can get away with under 300 bucks in parts
for a running unit that has everything working I'll be OK .
I think first priority will be getting the blade hydraulics sorted
out , that's gonna come in real handy this winter . Well , if the
talking heads are right about the coming weather it sure will!
--
Snag

This warns about the original engine:
http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-trac...deere-317.html
"The early versions of the suffered from poor lubrication of the
connecting rod journals when operated on hill sides. An improved KT17
Series II engine was used starting at engine specification number
24300 in 1982."

On Monday, October 20, 2014 8:47:13 PM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and front

blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC .

Snag

You might try to find a good mower deck from a mover with a blown engine. I have a Ariens mower deck that is in good condition that you could have. I think you could adapt it easily.

The shipping is a killer. But you might find something close to you.

Dan

wrote:
On Monday, October 20, 2014 8:47:13 PM UTC-4, Terry Coombs wrote:
I just scored an older JD model 317 tractor with a mower deck and
front

blade with hydraulic raise/lower , and it needs some TLC .

Snag

You might try to find a good mower deck from a mover with a blown
engine. I have a Ariens mower deck that is in good condition that
you could have. I think you could adapt it easily.

The shipping is a killer. But you might find something close to you.

Dan

There's a guy about 25 miles from me that has a large inventory of used
parts - the problem as I understand it is to get him to let go ... This deck
is repairable , I have the material , the tools , and the time . The biggest
expense I've found so far is going to be tires , them puppies is expensive .
But the very first order of business is to make sure the motor runs . It
turns over smoothly and has compression , both good signs . I gotta figure
out how to get the starter off and get it working as a first step , then I
can see if it'll run . If it runs , I'll test the transmission - LR wheel is
off due to a trashed bearing and axle/hub splines. Once I know it runs and
the trans isn't trashed , I'll start throwing money at it . First
approximation of costs looks like around $300-$400 to get the problems all
fixed and new tires all round . No paint yet , but maybe later when it's
mechanically sound again . Lots of "barnyard repairs" on this machine , the
guy was apparently a function over form fellow . But nothing that can't be
fixed with time and a little material .

--
Snag