Lawnmower Lift-Kit

“Lawnmower Lift-Kit” I know. Sounds like something you just wait for Jeff Foxworthy to step out of the bushes and chime in, “You might be a redneck.” But you know, sometimes we just have to be creative to accomplish the things we set out to do. I mean how often have you found yourself wanting to do something but you didn’t have the right equipment or tools to accomplish it? Just means you have to get a little creative is all!

I mentioned in my article in this month’s magazine how I found myself in just that position. We planted food plots that needed to be cut at a minimum of 6” and my rider cut at a maximum of 4”. Now I might have a redneck lawnmower but I can still do enough math to know that doesn’t add up! So I got the bright idea “why not just raise the push mower?” Trust me… I tried to think of a way to lift my rider first, but it would be much more complicated to do with the drive belts aligned to the motor and such. However, I have not given up on the idea as of yet! (smile)

I started with ¾” angle iron and cut the lengths to drop the assembled frame just enough to add the extra 6” I would need on the mower. Then I pulled the wheels to get the shaft diameter for the wheel spindles and the distance front and back between them. A ½” bolt did just the trick, so I welded two ½” ID (inside diameter) black pipe (gas line pipe available at any plumbing supply) to the top of each side frame to go over the existing wheel spindles on the mower, and two ½” bolts to the bottom of each side frame to act as the new wheel spindles. Once that was done all I needed was to weld the frame pieces together and add some cross-bracing then a rod across the back to protect my feet. Done!

Assembly then was simply to pop the wheels off the mower, slide the drop frames on, bolt them on and bolt the wheels on and “WHALA!”… one tricked out push mower ready to go. I couldn’t help but smile as I stepped back and observed my creation, which of course turned into a chuckle as I thought of what I’d done. But hey, it worked! And with a shout of “IT’S ALIVE!” as I fired it up, I mowed those plots like a farmer showing off his prize Holstein.