I said
I have chain hoisted my ride-on onto two workmates ready to wire brush and red lead (or what passes for red lead) the deck as I do every year. Mower kept in garage, car outside, not sure that's the most economical arrangement!
And Ricard responded
Can't you drop the deck ? Mine comes off easily if you don't have a creaky back and knees. Two bolts undone at the front, a small car jack to lift the ride-on body then the deck slides out and forward.
I started using wax-oil, seems to work better than any rust curing rubbish and the grass doesn't stick.
I think the deck can be removed but it looks a bit fiddly and doing it with the hoist I don't have to sort the level out again. I'm not familiar with wax-oil. An eBay search comes up with "Hammerite Waxoyl - The original" or "CarPlan Tetroseal" - are those the sort of products you are suggesting?
In the meantime I have fallen at the first fence! Can't get the nut off that secures the blade. Done all the usual, soaked in WD for 24 hours, tapped it, put a bar on the wrench. I'm convinced from memory (there's a dangerous thing) that it is a standard thread not left hand. Looking from underneath the blade cuts anti-clockwise and unscrewing a normal nut would also be anti-clockwise, does that sound mechanically correct? It's a Hayter if any body has any ideas please.