The transaxles will mount very easily since I am replacing a hydro gear hydraulic with a hydro gear electric. I have purchased the Zeon hydro gear SMARTEC electric transaxles and the deck motors from a Hustler dealer. I will rip off all of the belts, pulleys, and Hydro-gear transaxles an motor and gas tank. I found a JD Z225 used and dead mower ( I need to keep mine functional to cut grass ) as a donor. In the process I plan to correct all of the Zeon problems. My object is to duplicate the Hustler Zeon on a John Deere Z225 chassis. So being an electrical and mechanical engineer I did a lot of research and am taking the plunge. Other than it is the perfect size (42 inch ) and zero turn ( perfect for my lot ) and it is a mess. 3 sets of belts, motor, both transaxles, set of tires, 4 air filters, 2 fuel pumps, 4 batteries, seat, seat switch, 6 covers. So far I have had to replace all of the following. You can jam a small piece of wood between the blade and the mower deck to keep things from turning.Have been using a JD Z225 for about 11 years. It's also advisable to use a small piece of wood to stop up the blade from turning while you reinstall it. It's a good idea to wear thick mechanic gloves when doing the job, to keep your hands safe.Tighten the new blade onto the bolts carefully, since it'll likely be much sharper than the old one. Be sure you have the same length as the old blade before mounting the new one, and make sure the clearance from the lawn mower deck is the same. Most blades are either specific or universal fit.

X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source If not, just make sure not to over-tighten and warp the blade, which can cause vibrations in the mower. If you have the owner's manual, there should be torque specs for tightening the nut. Line up the blades as they were lined up before and reinstall the washers and nuts, or use new washers and nuts of the appropriate size. Mount the new blade in the appropriate direction.

John deere zero turn blade change