Help identify this 32" Metro

[FrankenScagMachines]

Hi guys,
I was given this eXmark 32" Metro w/b in this condition, had been disassembled, sandblasted, and is minus engine, front casters, spindles and some other misc. objects I don't know about yet. The serial number decal got blasted off by the sandblaster so I don't know the numbers on it. Could you tell me by looking at the following pics what serial number range it might be in so I can get a parts and operators manual and so I can get parts for it? I plan on rebuilding it. Thanks,
Eric :)

[FrankenScagMachines]

Now for pictures of this baby beast...

[FrankenScagMachines]

...

[eXmark]

BushHogBoy,

That might be difficult. The best thing to do would be to call us and we'll try and figure it out. You can reach us at 800-667-5296. Some things we'll want to know are:

Is the tank a square box or does it looks like the current one with Exmark molded into the front.

What type of baffling is under the deck? Does it have front baffles and what do they look like?

Try to find out if the original spindles were greaseable or maintenance free.

Is the gear shift held in place with a nut on the stud of the transmission or a bolt that threads into the stud on the transmission?

It's a start. We may not be able to figure out what the exact manual is but we should be able to get close.

Thanks

Terry

[FrankenScagMachines]

Man this is a PITA waiting for messages to be reviewed. I noticed that the second pic didnt' work right let me try again, and I have others, one of under the deck but its not real good.
Terry,
The gas tank is not here, neither are the spindles. The gear shifter isn't the original either and not sure if the tranny is even original. As for deck baffling, I will attach a pic of under the deck if you can see it good. I'm trying to go through the pdf's of manuals on the eXmark website and find the mower that looks like mine but the cover pic doesn't show a 32" just a larger 48" or so mower which doesn't look much like mine at all really. Thanks for your help,
Eric

[eXmark]

BushHogBoy,

Sorry the photo had not posted yet when I responded.

What you've got there is a Striped Grassasaurus Rex, native only to North America. Plant eater, prefers native grasses but will consume other species as well.

Actually she's a Standard Five speed. We won't be able to tell with 100% accuracy which manual is for your machine but we can get close.

Just e-mail me with your name and mailing address and we will be able to get you a manual that should do the trick.

Thanks

Terry

[FrankenScagMachines]

Thanks for the fast reply Terry. You can tell it's serial number range by the spindle cover pan? Cool. I will email you that information. Here's another shot.

[FrankenScagMachines]

Under deck photo...

[eXmark]

Hog,

Correction! Lenny spotted the gear selector tab welded to the handle bar and your last photo reveals the final clue. You've got an old Variable Speed model. This is the great grandfather to the Grassasaurus Rex. We'll get the correct manuals out to you ASAP.

The gearbox threw me off. A previous owner added that transmission to your machine.

Just a suggestion, after you get the manuals, do a complete inventory of the parts you have and the parts you need. Most of those old mowers worked great but were expensive to build. They are even more expensive to repair depending upon what they need.


Thanks

Terry

[FrankenScagMachines]

Originally posted by eXmark
Hog,

Correction! Lenny spotted the gear selector tab welded to the handle bar and your last photo reveals the final clue. You've got an old Variable Speed model. This is the great grandfather to the Grassasaurus Rex. We'll get the correct manuals out to you ASAP.

The gearbox threw me off. A previous owner added that transmission to your machine.

Just a suggestion, after you get the manuals, do a complete inventory of the parts you have and the parts you need. Most of those old mowers worked great but were expensive to build. They are even more expensive to repair depending upon what they need.


Thanks

Terry

Terry,
I got the mower from a lawnsite member, AlanKY who thinks it may be a 1994 model??? I don't think he got it new but I could be wrong. He didn't say anything about owners manuals for it so maybe he didn't. He never said anything about swapping gearboxes either so apparently the trade was made before he got it. He also gave me a spare gearbox for it, the one on it is a 5 speed with a reverse assist that he said didn't work that good, so he got the second one for $15 and it has a positive reverse. He threw it in as well as a one wheel velke. I was planning on "taking inventory" of the parts I had and needed after I got the books. Hey, do you think that maybe just these handlebars are wrong and it really is a geardrive? I don't know much about them really. The spindle cover deck that still has the paint and pinstripes on it says "32" on it, but after measuring it some (not real carefully) it seems like it could almost be a 36" mower. It has two blades but the total width is about 36 1/2" outside of deck, which is just like mentioned in the owner's manual dimensions for the 36" Metro (earliest one available on exmark website). The spindles seem inward enough from the deck to hold a 18" blade as well... But the tires do seem awful wide tread for the deck like a 32, as a 36 seems set inward a little for better trimming. Hmm.... this thing has obviously seen better days LOL. We dont' have the numbers on it, we don't know if it's variable speed or gear drive originally, we don't know the exact width of cut, etc. LOL what a jalopy. I got your emails, thanks.
Here's a pic of the velke and spare gearbox and some of the parts for it.

Thanks alot,
Eric

[Flex-Deck]

bushhogboy - go for it -just mounted a flex-deck on a 1985 hydro eXmark and the guy says it doubled his production. In fact the Flex-Deck shoots the grass and leaves under the main deck so well, he bags with the flex-deck on and in operation.

Thanks, Brad

[eXmark]

BushHogBoy,

From what we can identify on your machine it really looks like an old Variable Speed model. That would indicate that that transmission is not the one that your mower was built with originally. It's a real tough call when looking at the pictures. If I had to guess it looks like the engine deck, 36" mower deck, belt shield and handle bar were Exmark standard issue variable speed components. The wheels and transmission may not be.

Although you do have two spare 5-speed gearboxes for future use and the velky looks to be in great shape.

Thanks

Terry

[FrankenScagMachines]

Terry, so do you think it's a 32" or 36"? If it was originally a 36", why would the spindle/belt sheild say "32" on it? Why would I make it variable speed again when I could have gear drive? I know the differences and on a garden tractor I see the advantages, but on a w/b mower I don't see what makes one better than the other except I know the gearbox is maintenance free whereas variable sheaves are a pain in the butt to keep lubricated sometimes. They get dry and dusty and then don't work good. I have one on my Bush Hog tractor (see my Avatar picture). It works good but needs periodic lubrication. Plus, making it back into variable speed would be expensive and useless since i already have the gear tranny. But I don't know what parts of this are missing and since the parts manual would not show conversion parts to gear drive, it would be hard to guess! Arrgghhh... :confused: :blob4: :dizzy: :dizzy:
Thanks for your help,
Eric
PS Brad- a FD would be nice someday. Can you run the main mower deck with the FD in the up position (not running)?

[eXmark]

BushHogBoy,

It's tough to tell for sure from the photos but the drive tires look like they came off of a 36", the belt shield for the 32/36 is identical (except the decal), and the gusset appears to be spaced from the outer edge of the deck like a 36". Like I said it's tough to tell from the photos.

As far as converting from a VS, to a Gear or from a Gear to a VS you can do anything. The only question is whether it's worth it or not. As an example if you want to convert to the Metro type drive system you would need to radically modify the engine deck. You'd probably be better off buying some steel and starting over. If you want to convert to a Viking 5 speed you might be a little closer dimensionally than you are to the Metro and you wouldn't need to make such radical changes (maybe). It's even possible that you may be able to convert it to our old Standard Five speed.

If you want that mower to be a gear drive machine your probably going to need to make it a one of a kind just as it must've been for the previous owner.

Again, I may be way off base but from what I can tell from the photos (had the old timers look at it too, thanks John and Garry) you have an old VS walk behind. It may be a 32 or a 36, it may be fixable if you have enough parts or it may not be worth it either. Either way should be either a great project or a heck of a conversation piece.

Thanks

Terry

[FrankenScagMachines]

Thanks Terry. I would like to get some commercial contracts this year for next years schedule and then go get a new eXmark or Toro w/b. I haven't looked closely at the two but I know eXmark is well loved here, but I love Toro mowers (have two homeowner ones, they're as reliable as the sun and cut super smooth and stripe good. But I don't know about the Toro SFS deck, it doesn't rechop clippings that great. I will worry about it more when the time comes. Thanks,
Eric

[FrankenScagMachines]

Terry,
I got the manuals in the mail Friday, thanks. The parts manual I noticed is only for the VS models but the owners manual showed me that this looks alot like the standard 5 speed as well. It seems to have the sprocket/chain drive parts for it like that shows. So, I am wondering what all parts it may be missing for that? Could you mail me a parts manual for the standard 5 speed model? Thanks,

Eric

[eXmark]

Eric,

There are a couple of things that would indicate your mower was something other than a VS unit. These items would include the chain and sprocket. The handle bar and engine deck, from what we can see indicate the unit was originally produced as a VS model.

Those manuals are pretty old and we don't have them in electronic format, paper copies only. I'll have a five speed parts manual sent out to you.

Thanks

Terry