The sturdiness of riding mowers can be compared by measuring the thickness of the deck metal.
I run a sharpening shop, I have sharpened probably 2,000 mower blades a year for 16 years. I sometimes take them off and re-install them. On any mower, the first thing to go is the deck. They wear through the sides from erosion. They also crack at the spindles.
One eighth - 11 gauge) is a death sentence.
Three eighths (7 qauge) is good.
A quarter inch (5 gauge) is better.
Cub Cadet and John Deere both have beefy decks. The only thing I don’t like about John Deere is the “proprietary” nature of many of their fasteners. For example, I once took the blades off a large John Deere bush hog. The nut is 2-17/32” a “non-standard” socket. Two and half (very common) won’t fit. JD would have sold me a 2-17/32” socket for $80, but rather I got underneath with a side grinder and took the nuts down a 32nd until the 2-1/2” fit.
That’s good info!......................
What a great and clever solution! I wouldn’t have thought of that. Years ago, I bought a Stilton style wrench with smooth jaws. Think of the hex opening in a Crescent wrench, only much bigger. The more pressure you apply, the harder it grips the hex head. It was a huge help in my first field service job and occasionally around the house. It probably would have worked perfectly on that nut.