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So, I figured as an intro to the forum, I'd post up a cheap, quick 'n simple way to side step a problem.

The problem was that my recently purchased '89 Series 4 rear engine rider didn't quite match up to the "Ninja," mulching cover I'd purchased from www.partstree.com. By "Didn't match up," I mean that it seems more like it was an entirely wrong part number. The rear portion of the cover didnt have any way to actually attach to the deck. I went with some self-tapping screws as the first approach because I needed to mow the yard, but a more professional and elegant solution needed to be in place.

So here it is. Complete with pictures, in an attempt to make a tedious subject more interesting.

The fasteners that came with the cover worked out OK, where there were square holes in the deck to engage the flats of the carriage bolts:



But on the back of the thing, the expedient fix was sloppy and didn't look like it belonged there:



But with just a few cheap, generic parts that can be ordered online, you can add some nut plates that should stay around as long as the mower deck, dont get in the way of the blade, and haven't clogged anything with clippings.



The nut plates are part numbers MS21060l010. They are self locking, corrosion resistant and high quality.

The rivets are part number CCR244SS3-4. Those are counter sunk blind rivets that shouldn't go anywhere anytime soon and can be pulled with any standard POP-style rivet puller.

A #40 drill bit is the right size for the rivets, but I also used a #5 (I think...) drill bit for the center hole and a #1 bit to chamfer all the holes so everything would be smooth and the nut plates would sit flush with the surface of the deck.

Since I already had holes punched in the correct location from having the self tapping screws in place, I didnt have to mark any holes in the deck.



Once the holes for the bolts are in place, the easiest way to figure out where to drill the rivet holes is to set the nut plate on the outside of the deck and thread a bolt into it from the inside; the locations for the holes can easily be marked and punched for drilling.



Dont forget to chamfer the holes on the inside and outside; The outside should be a little more than just smoothed out, as the rivets are very lightly counter sunk.



Next up fun tool we get to use is:



That's right...the rivet puller.

Anyhow...

Use your rivet puller to pull some rivets. The nut plates go on the inside of the deck, with the flat side towards the surface of the deck; the rivets are pulled from the outside of the deck. Four rivets later there are some nice, clean, permanent threaded inserts that can be used over and over, forgotten about and wont interfere with either the mulcher cover or the chute.







It's not a terrible idea to add some kind of grease to the fasteners before securing them. I happen to think that Cor-Ban 35 is the best thing to use for long term corrosion resistance on fasteners.

It looks kinda gross but works incredibly well.

Looks good, and yes sometimes we have to improvise or fabricate.