MacGyver a worn out weed whacker to my zero turn mower!

What do you do with a worn out weed whacker? Well if one of your nicknames is MacGyver, you take it apart and add it to your Hustler Raptor zero turn lawnmower.
The first picture is when I had just gotten everything put together and then in the first part of the video I'm trying it around a trailer, works well but that belt sure is moving a lot, in the next part I've welded the nuts underneath the deck and the spacer to the mount so it can be easily attached and removed, I've also added an idler pulley, makes the belt run much smoother.

[@user-ek5xb3fg3o]

Отличная идея и конструкция!

[@bigredbeard65]

Thank you, glad you like it.

[@captainover-tighten6729]

That's awesome. I can't believe there have only been two comments. That's the cats ass! Thanks for sharing. Top shelf stuff.

[@bigredbeard65]

Thanks, it does work. It's not a big channel and not many videos yet, I need to put some more together and post em.

[@captainover-tighten6729]

@@bigredbeard65 lol bigger than my channel - I know what you mean. I marvel at some of my favourite channels because I takes forever to edit a video. Well for me it does. Take care.

[@bigredbeard65]

Thanks, take care.

[@bigredbeard65]

Thank you.

[@aprilgeneric8027]

how do you let more line out? just like a bump trimmer or is there stihl autocut head or do you have some other method? also you're going to have an ugh moment when i mention trimmy attachment.

[@bigredbeard65]

There's no letting more line out, these use a set length of large line that you can either get precut packs or rolls that you cut to length and replace them when they get worn.

[@dkaspar67]

Hahahaha, for the love of your face, put an idler pulley on that beast!

[@bigredbeard65]

An idler certainly helps, a cover of some kind also helps.

[@revelationakagoldeneagle8045]

Novel Idea 💡

[@chuckgilbert2035]

Still thinking of doing this to my Scag Tiger Cub. To old to handle a weed eater for an hour.

[@bigredbeard65]

I think if I were to do this as a permanent attachment now I'd probably make it a pivotal electric so I could move it out of the way and use it independently of the blades. It is a handy attachment. If you do make it sens me a pic or a video of it. I'd like to see it.

[@chuckgilbert2035]

I am in the middle of making one now, will update when I get it done, kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5rFY517fZKCo5Y : @@bigredbeard65​

[@chuckgilbert2035]

There is a trimmer on the market with electric motor that pivots. I has bad reviews on motor dependability @@bigredbeard65

[@bigredbeard65]

@@chuckgilbert2035 I'd steer clear of it then, the motor is the main component for something like that, there are a lot of companies selling junk out there, check those reviews and look for updates on reviews to see if they made it right or not.

[@charlesbeall2589]

I have a TRIMMER, it isn't as tough to handle.🤡

[@dnrhodes6221]

How did you make this bad ass thing? Huh huh please tell me !!

[@bigredbeard65]

I had an old weed whacker that was falling apart and decided to mount the spindle to my zero turn mower, after checking my junk pile for material I drilled holes in the deck, welded nuts to the underside of the deck, bolted a piece of metal to the spindle and then bolted that to my deck. I removed the nut from the top of the belt pulley, added another pulley I had and reinstalled the nut, an impact helps greatly for doing that. I bought the appropriate belt and put it on. After trying it, I then added an idler to help tension the belt. Sorry I really don't have a design or instructions on doing this. Most important thing is to do a lot of measuring.

[@dnrhodes6221]

@@bigredbeard65 Does it only spin when the mower blades are engaged or can you use it and the mower blades not be spinning ?

[@bigredbeard65]

Mine only spins when the blades are engaged, if you wanted a truly separate control you'd have to mount a clutch and pulley system to the engine and then run belt(s) up to an idler pulley and then to the spindle, or you could get an electric motor and mount it to you spindle with a power cord running out to it with a switch mounted somewhere that was convenient for you.

[@chuckgilbert2035]

The one I am building only works with the mower deck PTO engaged. It extends the cutting surface from 48" to about 64" it is at the same height as the mower blades. And overlaps the cut so no uncut grass strips@@dnrhodes6221

[@NewImageLawnCare830]

Do you have a step by step

[@bigredbeard65]

Sorry, I just took apart and old weed whacker, made a few measurements, looked around my junk and found some stuff that I could use, bought a belt and an idler pulley and put it all together, I would suggest that you do weld the nuts on the mower deck so you can easily remove it when you need to.