48 " Deck Leveling Issues

[oker 12]

I´m trying to level the deck , but unfortunatelly i was not able to get a clean cut , i have read the quality cut manual a thousend of times ... and  the cut is uneven...so my lawn doesn´t look good. 

 

Finally i started to look some parts that i think can be subjected to wear , the first thing that i realised that the deck suppension in some point the is a big clearance with the washer , some of them missing and the remain ones , the thickness it´s close to a sheet of paper.

 

In the drawings i have highlighted the parts that have a big gap , but i don´t know if i put a new washer to keep both bars tight to the arms is the right solution , it´s supposed to be some clearance or need to be tight. ? I think that i need new washers to keep the bar tight as possible to the arms...but i´m not shure if i´m pointing in the right direction.

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,178]

 

If your entire deck is tilted, I would look at the tire pressure and the diameter of the rear tires on the tractor.     The rear wheels on the deck need to also support the deck properly.

Look at the size , bearings and support brackets of these deck wheels.  With the deck lowered on a flat hard surface, measure the height of the blade tips with the blades positioned left to right.   They should all be equal.  With the blades positioned  Front to rear, the blade tips should be 1/8" less than the rear.

 

If the individual blade cuts are uneven,  then you need to look at the spindles, bearings, bent or warped deck shell.

 

 

[8ntruck 7,004]

I'll argree with @Ed Kennell.  The problem is probably in the deck, as the deck is designed to 'float' on tre lawn moving mostly independently from the tractor.

 

Take a look at the gage wheels on the deck.  Also look at the shaft connecting them - if it is twisted, it will tilt the deck.  Are all of the blades the same?  Are all the spindles the same length?  Are the spacers on the spindles under the blades the same, and are they in the same plane?  Are all of the spindles vertical?  If the deck is tweaked, that blade will not be parallel with the others causing an uneven cut.

 

Might take a look at the Tach-O-Matic mid hitch, too.  Some wear in the hooks and latches might throw the deck off a bit.

 

Good luck.

[Rick3478 428]

You're not trying to control deck height with the lift handle, are you?  The lift is off center, and will tilt the deck if you do that.  Cutting height is set by the gauge wheels on the rear of the deck, and the deck should rest firmly on those on the ground.  It's also possible to install a blade upside-down, which will result in the wings doing the cutting a half inch lower.  And like others have said, bent shell or damaged spindles can cause angled blades.

 

 

[Brockport Bill 1,662]

yes, of course makes sense to check it fully installed as stated above.... as well as check the lift carriage assembly and the attach-omatic  -- if those factors are all ok however it might also help to take it off tractor -- turn upside down and just inspect the underneath -- just to eyeball and see if anything looks wrong? Crooked spindle - bent blade - - or even might see a warped deck shell thats not obvious from top???

[oker 12]

Thanks for your replies, but I have checked them all, the tire pressure, spidles, axles are brand new, the blades are level and balanced... the lift bars are at the same level... the only thing I feel I have doubts about the platform connecting bars....I don't know if the bars need to be tight to the arms or if some clearance is needed.

 

A warped deck ...seems imposible to me ... i don´t know what are the thickess of the steel plate , but 6 to 8 mmm... i don´t think that a deck of this thickness could be bent without any sing of damage .

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,178]

7 minutes ago, oker said:

the blades are level

 

                            

Did you check the blade height as I stated?

14 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

 

  With the deck lowered on a flat hard surface, measure the height of the blade tips with the blades positioned left to right.   They should all be equal.  With the blades positioned  Front to rear, the blade tips should be 1/8" less than the rear.

 

If the individual blade cuts are uneven,  then you need to look at the spindles, bearings, bent or warped deck shell.

 

 

Does your deck rest on the two rear wheels and two front wheels when it is lowered to the mowing height?         If it does, the carriage does not affect the deck height, it only drags the deck along.

[doc724 925]

Oker,  it is very easy for the deck to be warped.  The material of the deck is only about 1.5 to 2 mm thick.  Ed Kennel is correct about how to measure blade height.  However, making that measurement accurately is very difficult.  The best way I found to do it is make GO-NO GO gage blocks out of wood.  You will need several.  Make 5 with heights of 52, 56, 60, 64, 68 mm.  With the deck on the tractor, and the height adjustment wheels (the ones in the back) at the middle setting, lower the lift mechanism so the rear wheels are on the flat floor.  Now take one of the gage blocks and slide is under each blade tip.  It will either "go" or "not go".  Make sure you check each blade in both the front to back and side to side positions.  Repeat the process until you find a gage block that will go under all the blade tips and the next largest block will not go under any blade tips.  If the deck is warped and a blade is bent, you will learn it very quickly.

 

By the way, I was a WH owner for over 40 years and I had a deck (used) that I could not find out what was wrong with it.  It happened to be a 48 inch deck.  All my previous decks were 42 inch and the position of some of the brackets is different between the two types.  I could not see any apparent damage on the 48 inch deck.  I finally bought a brand new 48 inch deck (very costly) and when I compared the new one to the old one, the bent brackets were easily seen.  Once I knew what was the problem I was able to disassemble the deck and straighten it to within 1.5 mm of perfect.  If you find this is your problem, get back to me and I will advise on how to straighten.  Please note you cannot straighten a deck with a hammer, even a very big one.  Best of luck.

[Red-Bovine 309]

There is an adjusting bolt that levels the deck fore and aft. I don't see it on the picture. If the deck isn't leveled fore and aft, the cut could be affected. Mine broke several times over the years and caused the deck to cut very badly.

Edited January 6 by Red-Bovine

[Red-Bovine 309]

Here is a link to the fore and aft adjusting rod.

 

https://www.toro.com/getpub/9772

[lynnmor 7,306]

Use a deck leveling gauge on a flat floor.

 

[Lee1977 6,659]

 

There can be one other problem If the wheel bracket is bent or twisted you can't lever it. I got a new 48" deck with my C-120, came from the factory with the wheel bracket welded wrong. 

Mowed an inch or so lower on one side.

[oker 12]

On 1/6/2024 at 2:41 PM, doc724 said:

Oker,  it is very easy for the deck to be warped.  The material of the deck is only about 1.5 to 2 mm thick.  Ed Kennel is correct about how to measure blade height.  However, making that measurement accurately is very difficult.  The best way I found to do it is make GO-NO GO gage blocks out of wood.  You will need several.  Make 5 with heights of 52, 56, 60, 64, 68 mm.  With the deck on the tractor, and the height adjustment wheels (the ones in the back) at the middle setting, lower the lift mechanism so the rear wheels are on the flat floor.  Now take one of the gage blocks and slide is under each blade tip.  It will either "go" or "not go".  Make sure you check each blade in both the front to back and side to side positions.  Repeat the process until you find a gage block that will go under all the blade tips and the next largest block will not go under any blade tips.  If the deck is warped and a blade is bent, you will learn it very quickly.

 

By the way, I was a WH owner for over 40 years and I had a deck (used) that I could not find out what was wrong with it.  It happened to be a 48 inch deck.  All my previous decks were 42 inch and the position of some of the brackets is different between the two types.  I could not see any apparent damage on the 48 inch deck.  I finally bought a brand new 48 inch deck (very costly) and when I compared the new one to the old one, the bent brackets were easily seen.  Once I knew what was the problem I was able to disassemble the deck and straighten it to within 1.5 mm of perfect.  If you find this is your problem, get back to me and I will advise on how to straighten.  Please note you cannot straighten a deck with a hammer, even a very big one.  Best of luck.

 

This deck starts to grind my gears ....serioulsy i cant imagine what is wrong ....deck spindles are brand new , so any gap is present here.  Measures from deck to blades are very similiar , only a few milimiters of difference , so i consider it as the blades are leveled , but the cut is uneven...so i think the problems come from the linkage to the tractor , of course i have checked the bolt that regulates deck side to side. The only way i can mow without doing a mess in the lawn , is putting front  antiscalp wheel a about 3 cm lower from one side , this do the trick but the wheel cant hold the weight all the time , and the with the pressure of the deck , the axle becomes hot and the wheel melts....so i dont know how to solve it .

 

 

[Rick3478 428]

Might I suggest some photos of *your* deck?

 

The Toro parts drawing will always look perfect, of course, and doesn't tell us much about your actual situation.

 

[Ed Kennell 38,178]

2 hours ago, oker said:

 

 Measures from deck to blades are very similiar , only a few milimiters of difference , so i consider it as the blades are leveled ,     The level has to be checked to the flat surface the deck is sitting on when it is on the tractor and in the lowered mowing position.      This means it is resting on the two rear height adjusting wheels and the front is suspended from the mid attach-a-matic bracket.    , of course i have checked the bolt that regulates deck side to side.   If you are refering to the threaded rod at the rear center of the deck, it does not level the side to side.  It only levels the front to rear.   antiscalp wheel a about 3 cm lower from one side ,  If your deck is not level side to side,   You need to make an adjustment to one of the rear support wheels.   Something is bent or twisted on the rod that supports the two rear wheels. 

 

Again, when the deck is on the mowing position,  It should be supported from the three points.  That is the two rear height adjusting wheels determine the side to side level.

The front of the deck is  simply supported by the attach-a-matic bracket.     

 

If you cannot determine what is twisted or bent on the two rear wheels,  I would suggest you install a larger wheel on the low side to relevel the deck.

 

[lynnmor 7,306]

 

5 hours ago, oker said:

 

The only way i can mow without doing a mess in the lawn , is putting front  antiscalp wheel a about 3 cm lower from one side , this do the trick but the wheel cant hold the weight all the time , and the with the pressure of the deck , the axle becomes hot and the wheel melts....so i dont know how to solve it .

 

The antiscalp wheels should not carry any weight except for occasionally crossing a high spot in the lawn.  My thought is that you did not follow the instructions in the owners manual and have the deck tilted considerably front to back.

As stated previously, the rear wheels on the deck regulate the side to side leveling, the only other thing I can come up with is that the belt may be adjusted so tight that it can lift the deck.

[Rick3478 428]

3 hours ago, lynnmor said:

 

The antiscalp wheels should not carry any weight except for occasionally crossing a high spot in the lawn.  My thought is that you did not follow the instructions in the owners manual and have the deck tilted considerably front to back.

As stated previously, the rear wheels on the deck regulate the side to side leveling, the only other thing I can come up with is that the belt may be adjusted so tight that it can lift the deck.

 

I thought an issue with the lift might be pulling it out of level, but that suggestion didn't get any comment at all ...

And I don't know for sure what tractor this is on.  The drawing looks like one of the LXI decks, maybe(?)

 

[lynnmor 7,306]

1 minute ago, Rick3478 said:

 

I thought an issue with the lift might be pulling it out of level, but that suggestion didn't get any comment at all ...

And I don't know for sure what tractor this is on.  The drawing looks like one of the LXI decks, maybe(?)

 

It might be best if photos were posted along with model numbers of both the tractor and deck.  We can shoot in the dark forever without complete information.

[Rick3478 428]

On 1/6/2024 at 9:17 AM, lynnmor said:

Use a deck leveling gauge on a flat floor.

 

 

I didn't know I needed this until I saw it.  Ordered myself one from a famous site.  See what you made me do?