Rebuilding a john deere 212 Deck

[Mosc0wbuck]

Hey, I'm hoping to get some help from the JD community here. I've been rebuilding an old 212 and am now working on the 47 inch mower deck.

The front roller doesn't seem right to me, and the bracket on the left side looks like it was re-welded and isn't level with the other side. It's giving me a bad feeling, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be that way or not.
Could someone with a similar deck maybe give me some pro tips and advice on how to make both of their front brackets perfectly level?

Also, what's the best tool to use if I have to cut and reweld that bracket to make sure it's dead level? Thanks!

 

[DirtDozer]

You're right to be suspicious. That bracket should definitely be level and parallel to the deck's bottom lip! If it looks re-welded and is off, it needs fixing. First, I'd check the deck shell itself for any bends using a straightedge. If the bracket is the problem, the cleanest way to remove it is with an angle grinder and a thin cutting wheel. To ensure it's dead level when you re-weld it, use your straightedge and a good magnetic welding square to hold it perfectly flat and square against the deck's mounting surface while you tack it back on. Trust your gut on the unevenness!

 

[Alan]

To level the front brackets on your John Deere 212 mower deck, just use a straight edge to line them up. If you had to re-weld a bracket, you might need to grind off extra metal or add some with a welding rod, a MIG welder works great here. After welding, smooth it out with a file or sander, so it matches the original shape. This keeps everything balanced and working right.