48" SD Mower Leveling

[Gadget 37]

This should have most of you experienced guys shaking your heads:

The grass in South FL, is St Augustine, due to the way it grows (runners that form thick spongy mats) you have to set the deck height VERY high. With my 520, when you raise the deck to its higher range, it gets slightly out of level side to side. I checked and rechecked for anything bent or damaged. When you lower the deck, it comes back into level but unfortunately, in my case, that makes the cut heights to low, and you scalp the grass. I need the blades to be almost 5" from the floor to compensate for the weight of the tractor (and my big a##) sinking down in the mat of St Augustine. You can get the front and back adjustment level (Toro says 1/8 or so higher in the rear) with the stock guide-wheels at normal mowing height but there is no side to side adjustment so........ added larger guide-wheels welded a clevis to the footrests and the deck on eigther side, and found some turnbuckles that allow for plenty of easy adjustment, and can be removed easily (one pin) when you need to service the deck. Works like a charm and only about $10.00 worth of materials

I just thought I would post this up in case anyone needed to mow at the highest available limit of the deck with a 520

 

[DougC 2,641]

Great idea Gadget. That would also work good to mow the rough on the golf course.  

 

Lets see what Bill thinks....