No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

I know, it's an old adage but it seems to apply to me. I agreed to help out the in-laws this weekend by mowing their 2 acres for gas money. Unfortunately, my "little" 36" mower would have taken forever so I borrowed the 48" ZTR from my dad. What I didn't realize until I arrived was that it was about 8" high. Frick. I had to mow the fenced-in area 3 times just to get all the grass cut up. It wasn't pretty but it was cut.


Long story short, after I got done with the fenced in area, I began mowing around the rest of the property. I always cut in around trees and do the perimeter before I do the flat open space. I was cutting on a hill near the street when BLAM. Before I knew it the mower hit something which forced me forward. Since I'm holding the drive sticks the motion caused me to punch it. Next thing I remember I was up on a tree facing the sky. If it weren't for the hill I was on I would have probably flipped the mower. Luckily, when the mower climbed the tree the back of the mower caught on the hill and pulled the wheels off the ground. I hopped off, caught my breath and dislodged the mower enough to back it up. After a quick look I realized I had caught a stump buried in the tall grass. Matter of fact, I pulled it out of the ground with the mower.


Well, I had busted the deck. The casualties were 2 tensioners (sheared the guides), bent discharge, bent spindle cover, and a busted grease fitting. It took about 2 hours but I was able to get the sucker back together. It wasn't fun but at least I didn't permanently break anything. As my prize, I went back the next day with both my 36" walk behind and 48" ZTR and finished the yard in the rain. I guess any day I crash a mower and get to walk away isn't all that bad. I'll take it.