'89 310 42" SD setup

[echris 1,425]

I scoured the forums today looking for an answer to this, but came up empty.

Let's say you have a 42" SD that needs a full setup because someone monkeyed around with it before and screwed it all up.
I'm getting sprayed with clippings from the front of the deck when it's really dry. I've seen the posts about lowering the front of the deck. But my setup, I think, is just screwed up and needs a factory reset.
 

The manual doesn't really address this. And some images in the manuals aren't clear enough.


1). Manual states that the carriage bolts on the front deck stops should be at the bottom of the slot. Mine are almost all the way at the top. When I lift my deck, the front hardly lifts at all.

 

2). When setting the deck height adjustment at max,  you have to tug really hard on the adjustment lever.
3). I think it also is affected by the leveling rod at the rear of the deck, Is this in the correct hole? If not/if so, what's the difference between the two holes? I know this affects the lift on the front of the deck, but how does it work with the carriage bolt stops in #1 above?

 

4). When I first looked at the deck setup, I found that the deck was not lifting even close to max, I moves the lift chain to the correct rear hole on the lift arm, and cranked down on the link under the dash to bring it up until the rubber stops touched the footrests.

And also, you can see some of the holes in my deck in the 1st pic.
Come winter, she's getting a full up restoration.

So if anyone has any tips, tricks, Dummy, do it like this, I'm all ears.
 

[8ntruck 6,991]

Working from memory, I believe that the leveling rod is in the correct hole on the gage wheel shaft.  Tomorrow, I'll try to take some pictures of where the front stop bolts are placed.

[peter lena 8,583]

depending on your lawn and  mower set up, for the cut you want , the front edge of the deck should be higher then the rear ,  allowing both grass entry and most important discharge. pretty easy to do a cut check ,and adjust for yourself. my decks are set up at highest setting , majority of wheel support  at rear of deck. i also regularly drop decks , and clean them out , also penetrating oil spraying down the under side and drying in the sun to feed the metal and stop any deck rot. i also leave my decks upside down over winter soaking in chain and cable fluid , zero rot or rust .  just my own experience , pete

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

On RD decks the front should be 1/8" lower than the rear when measured by the center blade for best cut. Find you one of these gauges...

[8ntruck 6,991]

Sorry about the delay, but I finally got pictures of my 42" SD deck.  This one is a '73 or '74 model, but I think the setup should still be the same.  The deck stops on it are at the bottom of the slot, and the leveling rod is in the hole closest to the shaft.  I was having difficulty getting my deck to latch in the up position.  I found that the trunion that connects the deck lift linkage to the rock shaft was not sliding on the deck lift rod.  This was caused by excess slop between the hole in the rock shaft and the trunion.  A washer and new hitch pin in the trunion cleaned that up.

 

Good luck.

[tunahead72 2,411]

8 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

 

...  I was having difficulty getting my deck to latch in the up position.  I found that the trunion that connects the deck lift linkage to the rock shaft was not sliding on the deck lift rod.  This was caused by excess slop between the hole in the rock shaft and the trunion.  A washer and new hitch pin in the trunion cleaned that up...

 

 

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I'm having a similar problem and don't quite understand what you're saying here.  Can you clarify?

 

[8ntruck 6,991]

2 minutes ago, tunahead72 said:

 

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I'm having a similar problem and don't quite understand what you're saying here.  Can you clarify?

 

I'll take pictures of the related area on the tractor tomorrow.

[8ntruck 6,991]

@tunahead72 -  Here are the pictures:

 

This is with the deck lifted, lift lever locked.  Notice that the lift trunion is contacting the lift height adjusting nuts on the silver lift rod behind the battery.

 

This is with the deck lowered into working position.  Notice that the lift trunion is well below the adjusting nuts on the silver deck lift rod.

 

In order for the lift lever to work, the lift trunion needs to slide easily on the silver deck lift rod.  If the trunion is a loose fit in the lift lever on the rock shaft, it will tilt and jam on the deck lift rod before it gets all the way up to the adjusting nuts on the deck lift rod.  This causes the deck to hit the up bumpers on the frame before the lift lever can lock in the up position.

 

I was able to tighten mine up by adding a flat washer under the hairpin type hitch pin that holds the trunion on the lift lever.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited June 23, 2020 by 8ntruck

[tunahead72 2,411]

Yes it does.  That makes a whole lot of sense, and gives me a good place to start looking.  The deck and tractor that are giving me this problem are both 33 years old, and all the lift mechanism parts are original.  I won't be at all surprised to see worn holes and trunnions and pins when I start looking at it more closely.

 

Thank you!