Introduction: Transforming Your Riding Lawn Mower Into the Ultimate Snow Mover.

In 4 easy steps and 45 minutes, this instructable will show a non expert the ways to transform his/her riding lawn mower into the best snow removing machine.  This will save money as one can clear his/her own driveway and not have to pay anyone to do it for them! 

TIP:  This will display a John Deere X740 mower that is not all wheel steer and not 4wd.  The equipment used will work on all new X700 models and past X400 models.  There will be differences if mower is all wheel steer and 4wd. 

Step 1: Materials for Each Step

Removing Mower Deck
• n/a
Installing Tire Chains
• 2 - appropriate sized tire chains
• 1 - floor jack
• 1 - tire block
Attaching Snow Blade
• 1 - snow blade assembly
     • Blade
     • Mower bracket
Attaching Weight Bracket
• 1 - Weight bracket
• 4 - Weights
• 4 - 5/8” bolts
• 8 - 5/8” washers
• 4 - 5/8” lock washers
• 4 - 5/8” nuts
• 1 - Tow strap
• 1 - 5/8” wrench
• 1 - 5/8” socket
• 1 - 1/2” ratchet

Step 2: How to Remove the Mower Deck

TIP: Removing the deck is needed to attach the snow blade and increases ground clearance
1. Park mower on level ground
2. Lower the deck
3. Remove front attachment bar - IMAGE 1
     • Pull and rotate pin LH and RH side
     • Unhook from front of deck
4. Slide deck to rear of mower until touching rear tires
5. Unhook deck from height adjustment bars - IMAGE 2
     • LH and RH side
6. Remove PTO - IMAGE 3
     • Slide collar forward to disengage from shaft
     • TIP: Easier to do on LH side
7. Rotate guide wheels for the deck to roll out from under mower - IMAGE 4
     • Pull spring pin
     • Rotate wheel
     • Release pin into proper hole designation
8. With everything from mower unhooked from deck, slide deck from LH side to RH side
     • TIP: Removing deck from LH to RH is easier because of the deck design
9. Set deck aside - IMAGE 5
     • TIP: Place deck inside and out of the winter weather to prevent wear

Step 3: How to Install Tire Chains

TIP: Installing tire chains to the rear tires adds traction
1. Place a tire block in front of front tire to prevent roll-away - IMAGE 1
     • TIP: This should be done when raising the rear tires off the ground on any rear wheel drive vehicle/equipment
2. Raise both rear tires off the ground - IMAGE 2
     • Center the floor jack between the rear tires
     • Place the jack underneath rear differential of mower
     • Raise the jack until tires move freely
     • TIP: Work on one tire at a time
3. Separate each tire chains and place one tire chain next to each tire
4. Locate the lock bar on the end of the chain and place away from tire
5. Place the tire chains at the top of the tire letting the chains fall along the side of the tire - IMAGE 3
6. On the inside of the tire, grab the locking link and place inside link of the other end of chains- IMAGE 4
7. On the outside, place locking bar link in same manner of the inside - IMAGE 5
• TIP: Tire chains should fit tightly around tires for better performance.  Make adjustments by place the locking bar and locking link farther up the tire chains.
8. Repeat for other tire
9. Lower jack
10. Remove tire block from front tire

Step 4: How to Attach the Snow Blade

TIP: Attaching a snow blade is the most critical step to move snow
1. Install mower bracket
     • Place mower bracket in front of mower - IMAGE 1
     • Lift bracket and place on front mower frame so that the rod of bracket sets inside groove of mower frame
     • If done correctly, both pin holes should line up - IMAGE 2
     • Rotate spring pin and fasten to the mower frame LH and RH side
2. Attach hydraulic hoses
     • Route the hydraulic hose inside the two rings on RH side of mower - IMAGE 4
     • TIP:  The caps of the hydraulic hoses are color coded to match with caps on mower hydraulic remote.  Remove one colored cap at a time to eliminate confusion.
     • Remove two like colored caps and install the hose to the remote - IMAGE 5
          • Push in on the remote socket
          • Place hose in socket
          • Release socket
          • TIP: Gently pull on hose to check hose installation
     • Repeat for other three hoses - IMAGE 6
     • Fasten liked colored caps together to prevent loose ends
4. Attach blade
     • Set blade up right in front of mower bracket - IMAGE 7
     • As before, lift blade up so that the rod on blade sets inside groove on mower bracket
     • If done correctly, both pin holes should line up
     • Rotate spring and fasten to mower bracket  LH and RH side - IMAGE 8

Step 5: How to Attached the Rear Weight Bracket and Weights

TIP: Adding weight to the rear of the mower adds traction
1. Attach weight bracket
     • Lift weight bracket and place outside the mower frame
     • Line up all four bolt holes on mower frame with weight bracket - IMAGE 2
     • Secure weight bracket to mower frame - IMAGE 3-6
          • Place 1 washer on bolt
          • Set bolt/washer into holes of bracket and frame
          • Place 1 washer on bolt, inside of frame
          • Place 1 lock washer on bolt next to second washer
          • Fasten 1 nut onto bolt/washer assembly with 5/8” wrench and socket
          • Torque down to 50 ft-lbs
     •  TIP: Do one side first then repeat on other side. 
2. Install weights - IMAGE 7
     • After all four bolts are torqued on bracket, lift one weight at a time and place on the bracket
     • Place four weights on bracket next to each other
3. Secure weights - IMAGE 8
     • Take the tow strap and loop inside handle on all four weights and underneath weights
     • Hook the two hooks on both ends together
     • Tighten strap

Step 6: COMPLETED

Congratulations!  Now you are ready to move any snow that gets accumulated on your driveway.  When spring comes and the grass needs cut, just follow these instructions in reverse to remove the snow equipment and install the mower deck.