X500 hood broke!

[thewheelman]

Hey, need some help here. I just bought a 2012 X500 John Deere yard tractor with 54 inch mowing deck with a "crack" in the hood. When I got it home to examine it closer, the hood looks like it got whacked while it was up. The inner screw holes for the air plenum are broken, which makes the side vent trim loose. Indeed, the hood has a crack in it, and a hole too! Cosmetically, it's not too bad--Hobby Lobby has some JD green duct tape that's not too bad. But, it's the shake, rattle and roll that bothers me. Looks like it may be broken down at the attachment point as well, but I haven't taken it off yet. At least half my yard is pretty rough and I'm afraid it will further damage the hood.

I just can't see the $$$ for a new hood. It appears the same part # fits the x300 and the x500 series. Where can I find a used hood and plenum?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bertsmobile1]

Plastic welds very easily with little more than a hot air gun.
All you have to do is make it very clean then heat.
Somewhere on the hood will be the recycle code and that will tell you what kind of plastic the hood is made from
Then it is simply a matter of getting some of the same material, heating it till it looks glassy then rubbing the part together and leaving till it goes stone cold.
Do not grab our old filthy soldering iron and try to use that.
1) soldering irons get too hot
2) they are dirty and contaminate the surfaces
3) they heat too small an area.