sulky on a gear-drive

We're thinking of a stand-up sulky for our 54&quot; Ransomes Gear-Drive WB. I've heard from a couple of different people that it's not recommended to get one for a gear-driven machine, only hydro. Belt-slippage I guess. We'd be cutting schools with it - wide open and flat. Anyone run a gear-drive w/sulky? Any problems? <p>Thanks.<p>P.S. Afraid if we opted for a sit-down sulky I'd have to stop the machine every 20min to take a leek...to much bouncin' of the kidneys!<p>----------<br>Dave in S.Ontario<br>www.cutntrim.com

 

No problem espically for a flatlander like you Dave.<p>I would buy a spare tranny just in case and<br>install new tranny output shaft bushings and<br>snap rings.<p>Also you should also weld some heavy angle iron over the mounting area on the mower so<br>the attachment plate has something solid to mount up to.<p>If it is not real bumpy a used standard toro sit down sulky is an option.<p>But any two wheel job were you hands always<br>are the same distance from the controls will wore fine. I bought my first stand on sulky <br>back in 1994. <br>

 

Lawrence, just curious, why stand if you could sit?

 

I havent had a problem running velkes on my gear drive walk behinds. Know lots of people who also have them without any problems.<p>----------<br>ProCut Lawn Service<br>Lakeland, Fl<br>

 

kermit wrote:<p>&gt;Lawrence, just curious, why stand if you could sit? <br> <br>Standing the turf rider give true zero turn<br>abilities and are better for use on most<br>sites and especially residential and small<br>commercial work. When the turf is rough a<br>stand on sulky is worth its weight in gold.<p>All my machines can accept one of the stand on units or a toro standard sit down sulky.<p>I only use the toro sit down sulky on the<br>athletic fields at this time.<p>In the works is a new homemade wide area combo core aerator and sulky made from a old piece of<br>golf course equipment. 48&quot; width.

 

If you plan to use a sulky of any type behind a Peerless tranny make sure you know how to change the tranny especially on wider cut/heavier mowers. The Peerless tranny is weak and will only last for a couple of hundred hours before failing.

 

You can usually get 300-400 hours before the<br>needle bearings take a vacation. <p>If you want to play with gear drives you need<br>a spare tranny behind the seat of your truck at all times. But it's still much better<br>riding at 5 mph than walking at 3mph in 90<br>degree heat with 80% humidity.<p>You have to accept the transmission failures<br>as a fact of doing business and have spares.<br>

 

Anyway, as I was saying, (All else being equal) it's cheaper to mow with a Hydro than a gear drive.

 

On average it costs me $50 to rebuild (parts)<br>a tranny. Hydros are $1500 over gear drives<br>so I will have to go thru 30 trannys at every<br>400 hours or put 12,000 hours on the gear drive to equal the inital cost over the<br>hydro.<p>But then when you factor in that I only buy<br>good used mowers for $700 now that if my transmission costs are a staggering .13 cents<br>per hour you can now see that old gear drives<br>are actually cheaper to operate.<p>I spent a lot of time and money this winter <br>to get my equipment in bristol condition.

 

If you add in your time or the cost of a new transmission, the costs approach .50/hour. In transmissions ALONE, the hydro can pay for itself in 3,000 hours. Add in belts, wet conditions useablility and resale value and MOST operators cannot afford to work with belt drives.<p>Small ones are okay and competent mechanics such as Mr. Stone make belt drives okay.