Cub Cadet 53AJ8CT6050 service manual Maintenance Service, Cleaning your Deck, Mower Deck

levels. Bahia blades are configured without offset, and with a maximum amount of sharpened cutting edge.

Mulch- These blades are generally designed for use in cutting decks equipped with mulch baffles. The shape of the blade generally produces higher turbu- lence in order that the grass can be repeatedly cut and re-cut into smaller pieces. These blades gener- ally require more horsepower than other blades. Mulch blades work best when the grasses are cut at the highest levels, minimal lengths of grasses are removed, and grass conditions are generally dry.

MAINTENANCE AND

SERVICE

WARNING:

Disconnect the spark plug wires or remove the key from the ignition to prevent the engine from accidentally starting before performing any maintenance on this mower.

A. Cleaning your Deck

Use the Deck Wash System to rinse grass clip- pings from the deck’s underside and prevent the buildup of corrosive chemicals. Complete the fol- lowing steps after each mowing:

IMPORTANT: Make certain the machine’s dis- charge chute is directed away from people, chil- dren, animals, and your house, garage, parked cars, etc.

a.Drive the machine to a level, clear spot on your lawn, near enough to a water faucet (spigot) for your garden hose to reach.

b.Make sure that the PTO (mower deck blade engage) control is in the “OFF” posi- tion.

c.Move shift lever or speed control into the “Neutral” position.

d.Set the parking brake, and turn the ignition key to the “STOP” position to stop the engine.

e.Thread hose coupler (packaged with this manual) onto the end of your garden hose. See Figure 6. Attach the hose coupler to the water port on your mower deck’s sur- face. See Figure 6. Turn the water on.

f.While sitting in the machine operator’s position, re-start the engine and place throttle lever in the Fast (rabbit) position.

g.Move the PTO control to the “ON” position.

h.Remain in the machine operator’s position, and with the mower deck engaged for a minimum of two minutes per wash out, start with the trim (operator’s left) side, and allow the underside of the cutting deck to thoroughly rinse.

i.Move the PTO control to the “OFF” posi- tion.

j.Turn the engine off.

k.Turn the water off, and detach the hose coupler from the water port on your mower deck.

l.Clean up the grass clippings and other materials washed from underneath the mower deck, and dispose of them properly.

Hose Coupler (Shown without Hose Attached)

Water Port

Figure. 6

B.Mower Deck

1.Removing the Mower Deck:

a.Apply the parking brake. Remove ignition key and both spark plug caps.

b.Lower the cutter deck to the ground. Cap- ture the lift handle by placing the height of cut clevis pin in the “lock” position.

c.Remove tension of the PTO belt by moving the belt tensioning rod.

Note: There is a certain amount of spring tension due to the weight of the deck. When removing the lift linkage from the deck the ten- sion of the springs will go from the deck to the lift handle. Not capturing the lift handle while removing the lift linkage from the deck will cause it to snap back.

d.Detach the mower drive belt.

e.Remove six linchpins (See Fig. 7) (4) from the deck and (2) from the front of the mower. Remove the linchpins on the left and right rear side of the cutter deck (2); remove the linchpins on the left and right front side of the cutter deck (2); and remove the linchpins on the front of the mower (2).

f.Turn front caster wheels outward.

g.Shift the deck toward the ignition switch side of the mower and remove.

h.To install reverse the process.

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