42 rear discharge deck misses spots while turning

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Hi all, I am new to Wh and snagged a decent 416 with a 42 rear discharge. Love the tractor but having some issues. When mowing it seems to miss spots on turns. Does this mean my blades are wrong as in too small? It also seems like there isn't tons of suction to stand the grass up after the front wheel runs over it. I have it set about mid point on height. I was considering buying a tach and testing the engine max rpm, maybe the engine isn't spinning it fast enough. Lastly when I raise the transport Dec lever when mowing complete, the Dec barely goes up maybe an inch. I feel the weight of the deck in the lever so I know it's moving it, but it doesn't move much. Should the rear Dec wheels be off the ground when in this position? I have to turn on concrete quite a bit and want to minimize the wear on the deck guide wheels

Edited August 25, 2014 by kayvonmansouri

[slammer302 2,155]

If this adjusting rod is broke the back of the deck will not raise up right

And check and make sure ur blades are not on backwards that will cause the problems you described

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Excellent suggestions.  The bolt is not broken but the nuts are at the very end of where they could be.  Is yours adjusted properly in the picture?  should the guide wheels in back be off the ground when in the raised position?.   Thanks in advance

[slammer302 2,155]

Yes mine are off the ground not a lot but they are off the ground

[slammer302 2,155]

You can also adjust these stops up and will help make the rear of the deck come up

[64s 83]

I have all of the same issues, and have come to believe that its just the nature of these decks.  I replaced my blades thinking the originals were short, but on hard turns, there is a small 'missed' strip. 

The upward lift needs leaves something to be desired.  I tried three different levels (deck heights) and the "suction", or lack of, does not change.

And my deck barey raises up when lifted.  The rear wheels are off of the ground when perfectly level, but any movement or unevenness in the ground will cause the wheels to contact.

 

I've tied every adjustment I can think of, checked for level (the deck is not supposed to be level), spun trunnions up and down, and have only been able to marginally improve performance.  Like I said, I think its just the way these decks are.

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Well George that's a little depressing.   You know it has those rubber bump stops on the top of the deck,  I assumed those were to protect the deck from contacting metal on metal when in the fully raised position.  Mine when fully raised has like 5 inches to go.   Slammer how about your bump stops.  Do they come in contact with the body of your tractor when raised?

[64s 83]

My stops are in full contact.

 

What am I doing wrong???

[slammer302 2,155]

No mine have about a 1/2 inch gap

[bowtieguy 334]

Do you have the deck belt in the correct location on the PTO?....could affect the RMP's of the deck

[boovuc 1,090]

I'll bet that:

(1) Your grass is a little high. (Like all of ours is before we mow this year)!

(2) Your mowing in 3rd or 2nd gear and not slowing down when you make the turn.

 

Next time you mow, run it fast on the straight stretches but slow it way down on the turn then look at your quality of cut. I'll bet it is much better.

These are garden tractors and not specifically designed for just mowing. (Ever notice why your neighbor's Crapsman's mower deck sounds like an airplane propeller)?

You can fine tune the deck and make the blades sharp as a knife but if you take turns fast while mowing, it will leave a strip of grass each time.

[kayvonmansouri 10]

I mow in first gear high with the engine at full RPM, and I've been going the same speed around corners as straight,  i'll give your suggestion a try of slowing down in turns.  I'll also measure the bump stops and see if I can post a picture.  thanks for all the help guys.

[Racinbob 11,036]

The blades aren't keyed in a specific position. Moving straight ahead the blades overlap each other. Now position the center and one of the outer blades so the ends are at their closest and you see they miss by about 1/2". A product of the center blade being farther forward than the outside blades. Designed this way otherwise they would hit. Turning to about 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock positions the center and outer perpendicular to the grass and the gap is missed. It's always to the inside of the turn and easily cut on the next pass. As the blades wear it's magnified some. Kinda hard to explain.....at least this early in the morning.

[doc724 925]

Racinbob,

 

I like your explanation and it makes sense to me.  I also notice this when using my 42 inch SD deck.  I did not take note as to whether it is on the outward or inward side of the turn or whether it is on the discharge or non discharge side.  I do not recall having this on my 42 inch RD deck and I don't think I have it on my 48 inch SD deck.  I originally attributed it to lack of lift as I mow my grass high in the summer and with the 42 inch deck, set at the highest setting, the bottom of the deck (the edge closest to the grass) may even be above the grass level, thus reducing the vacuum effect.  My 48 inch deck is deeper and set at the same height, it definitely is in the grass at the bottom edge.  I any case, I just get the uncut "arc" on the next pass.

[mrc 810]

hello sir,  rear discharge deck has the entire rear portion of deck OPEN for discharging grass.  thus, not much suction.your rubber bumpers are the travel stops and and should contact the bottom of the floor boards. to get max lift height you need to have the lift trunion in the proper hole of the rock shaft.  yes wheels should be off ground when deck is in travel position.  hope this helps you.  mike in mass.

[Racinbob 11,036]

Don, it's more of a theory of mine but there's clearly about a 1/2'" space between the tips of the blade where they would meet. Maybe the turbulence gets some of it, I don't know. It's always to the inside of the turn. If you're turning to the right the center and right blade can be perpendicular to the grass 'exposing' the gap and missing the grass. The center and left blade would actually overlap a bit more. If you position all the blades straight side to side they overlap. All the above suggestions are great. A properly adjusted deck with sharp blades will minimize it. Whenever I can I either swing out over a mowed area and make a u-turn so I come back at the unmowed grass straight or, if I need to turn right, I mow just past the row and make a 270 degree turn to the left. Or just stop, back up and do the turn that way.

[boovuc 1,090]

I do a lot of that, Racin'Bob. And it isn't just one deck. My 42" RD deck does it bad. Both my 42" SD and my 48" SD deck do this. The only deck that has minimum missed strips on turns is my 37" SD deck. I just love that little deck. It and the 48" deck give me the best cuts. All the decks are tuned, sharp and in good mechanical order.  

[Ed Kennell 38,020]

My decks all leave a strip in the turns. I just do a couple end run passes to clean it up when I'm finished.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

My decks all leave a strip in the turns. I just do a couple end run passes to clean it up when I'm finished.

More seat time!

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

I also notice the missed cuts on turns with a 42 inch deck much more than a 36 inch deck!

Edited August 29, 2014 by Lane Ranger

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Has anyone used a tach to see if they engine is turning fast enough at full throttle? I'm going to buy a model airplane tach that you can point at the engine to see. Also my belt is on the larger pto pulley which the owners manual says is correct

Edited August 29, 2014 by kayvonmansouri

[slammer302 2,155]

I've been using gator/mulching blades on one of my decks seems to work very good

[specialwheelhorse 174]

I'm just like everybody here, just can't seem to understand

These were not ment to be Z turn mowers. When I got that

Out of my head a little strip here and there don't bother me.

I just hit it t a different angle along the way.

And one in a while I mow in a completely different direction

As recommended by some. Seems there is always a twig or

Two here and there that needs zipped back over to really look

Nice.

[kayvonmansouri 10]

I've been using gator/mulching blades on one of my decks seems to work very good

[kayvonmansouri 10]

I've been using gator/mulching blades on one of my decks seems to work very good

I was curious to know if they made a difference. Do they seem to make it stand up better after the wheel rolls over?