LEVELING THE MOWER DECK
When correctly adjusted the mower deck should be level side to side, and the front of the deck should be approximately 1/4 inch lower than the rear of deck.
Side to Side Leveling
If the cutting deck appears to be mowing unevenly, a side to side adjustment can be performed. Adjust if necessary as follows:
•With the tractor parked on a firm, level surface, place the deck lift handle in the top notch (highest position) and rotate both outer blades so that they are perpendicular to the tractor frame.
•Lower the deck to the middle height position.
•Measure the distance from the outside left blade tip to the ground and the distance from the outside right blade tip to the ground. The measurements should be equal. If they’re not, proceed to the next step.
•Comparing the two measurements, determine whether the left side of the deck must be raised or lowered.
•Loosen, but do not remove, the hex cap screw on the left deck hanger bracket. Refer to Figure 32.
•Level the deck by using a wrench to turn the adjustment gear (found immediately behind the hex cap screw just loosened) clockwise to raise the left side of the deck, or counterclockwise to lower the left side of the deck. See Figure 32.
Lower | LT. |
| Raise LT. | ||
Side of Deck |
| Side of Deck | |||
Adjustment |
| Hex Cap | |||
| Screw | ||||
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| |
Gear |
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Figure 32
•The deck is properly leveled when both blade tip measurements taken earlier are equal.
•Retighten the hex cap screw on the left deck hanger bracket when proper adjustment is achieved.
Front to Back Leveling.
The front of the deck should be approximately 1/4 inch lower than the rear of the deck. Adjust if neces- sary as follows:
•With the deck raised off of the ground, rotate the outer blades so that they are parallel to the frame of the tractor.
•If the side to side leveling was done correctly, measuring just the right blade should be acceptable to attain the correct back to front pitch of the deck.
•Measure the distance from the front tip of the blade to the ground and the distance from the rear tip to the ground. The front distance should be approximately 1/4 inch less than the rear. If it is not, proceed to the next step.
•From the front of the tractor, loosen the outer nuts on the deck front hanger rod, and turn them away from the inner nuts. See Figure 33.
Inner
Hex Nut
Outer
Hex Nut
Front Hanger
Rod Bracket
Front
Hanger Rod
Figure 33
•If the front of the deck was too low, turn the inner hex nuts clockwise against the hanger bracket to shorten the front hanger rod and raise the front of the deck. See Figure 33.
•If the front of the deck was too high, turn the hex nuts counterclockwise to lengthen the front hanger rod and lower the front of the deck.
IMPORTANT: The deck front hanger rod should be at the front of the slots of the front deck bracket. If one side of the rod is not at the front of its slot, turn the inner hex nut on that side until rod just touches the front of the slot. Then re- measure and
•When the correct pitch of the deck is acquired, secure the inner hex nuts with a wrench and tighten the outer hex nuts against the inner hex nuts to lock them in the adjusted position.
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