GT 3235 w/Gator Blades Bogs Down

[Vernonator]

I just put a new set of Gator Blades on my 54" Deck of a GT3235. Unless I drive a a virtual snails pace it bogs down horribly, even when cutting only 1/2" off the grass. The blades loose speed and I can (sometimes) smell the belt getting hot as it slips. The blades also can take up to 10 seconds to come up to speed when the PTO is engaged. Has anyone else seen this with gator blades? I am going to get my OEM blades sharpened and put them back on to see if this fixes the issue.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

Mark

 

[Vernonator]

I just put a new set of Gator Blades on my 54" Deck of a GT3235. Unless I drive a a virtual snails pace it bogs down horribly, even when cutting only 1/2" off the grass. The blades loose speed and I can (sometimes) smell the belt getting hot as it slips. The blades also can take up to 10 seconds to come up to speed when the PTO is engaged. Has anyone else seen this with gator blades? I am going to get my OEM blades sharpened and put them back on to see if this fixes the issue.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

Mark

 

[EuropaChris]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I just put a new set of Gator Blades on my 54" Deck of a GT3235. Unless I drive a a virtual snails pace it bogs down horribly, even when cutting only 1/2" off the grass. The blades loose speed and I can (sometimes) smell the belt getting hot as it slips. The blades also can take up to 10 seconds to come up to speed when the PTO is engaged. Has anyone else seen this with gator blades? I am going to get my OEM blades sharpened and put them back on to see if this fixes the issue.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

Mark )</font>

Mark, don't be offended if you think this is a dumb question - but did you install them the proper direction with the lip of the blade facing UP into the deck?

I put the blade on my Lawn-Boy upside down once, and it took me a few minutes to figure out what the heck was going on.

Also, are you sure all the belts are routed correctly and not rolled over in the pulleys?

Do the blades rotate the right direction? Maybe (I have no idea) there are left and right hand rotation blades?

Just covering all the bases!

Chris

 

[EuropaChris]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I just put a new set of Gator Blades on my 54" Deck of a GT3235. Unless I drive a a virtual snails pace it bogs down horribly, even when cutting only 1/2" off the grass. The blades loose speed and I can (sometimes) smell the belt getting hot as it slips. The blades also can take up to 10 seconds to come up to speed when the PTO is engaged. Has anyone else seen this with gator blades? I am going to get my OEM blades sharpened and put them back on to see if this fixes the issue.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

Mark )</font>

Mark, don't be offended if you think this is a dumb question - but did you install them the proper direction with the lip of the blade facing UP into the deck?

I put the blade on my Lawn-Boy upside down once, and it took me a few minutes to figure out what the heck was going on.

Also, are you sure all the belts are routed correctly and not rolled over in the pulleys?

Do the blades rotate the right direction? Maybe (I have no idea) there are left and right hand rotation blades?

Just covering all the bases!

Chris

 

[bermuda_ken]

If you only changed blades, they may be on upside down or something else has gone terribly wrong. Gator blades don't require any more power to run than normal blades. Check the belt routing and see if a spindle has locked up.

I use Gators on my 782 with 44 inch deck and is great!

 

[bermuda_ken]

If you only changed blades, they may be on upside down or something else has gone terribly wrong. Gator blades don't require any more power to run than normal blades. Check the belt routing and see if a spindle has locked up.

I use Gators on my 782 with 44 inch deck and is great!

 

[Vernonator]

All,
They are on correctly - and when they are cutting they cut well. They just bog down very easily. I will take a look at the belts and verify that it is tight, but when they bog I can see the spindle thru the deck housing and it slows down drastically..... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Vernonator]

All,
They are on correctly - and when they are cutting they cut well. They just bog down very easily. I will take a look at the belts and verify that it is tight, but when they bog I can see the spindle thru the deck housing and it slows down drastically..... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[dqdave1]

Make sure you purchased the correct blades for the mower. They do make different blades for different model cub decks.

 

[dqdave1]

Make sure you purchased the correct blades for the mower. They do make different blades for different model cub decks.

 

[Fordlords]

Also make sure you have the blades torqued correctly and not torqued so abusurdly tight that they are squeezing the spindle bearings. Also check to see that the PTO clutch is not slipping. The part where you say the blades take 10 minutes to come up speed tells me right off its probably not the blades themselves.

-Fordlords-

 

[Fordlords]

Also make sure you have the blades torqued correctly and not torqued so abusurdly tight that they are squeezing the spindle bearings. Also check to see that the PTO clutch is not slipping. The part where you say the blades take 10 minutes to come up speed tells me right off its probably not the blades themselves.

-Fordlords-

 

[MrWiggles2]

I don't have them yet, but that is the first time I've ever heard that. If they aren't too tight are they too loose? Are the blades actually spinning on spindle and that is why they are taking forever to get up to speed.

 

[MrWiggles2]

I don't have them yet, but that is the first time I've ever heard that. If they aren't too tight are they too loose? Are the blades actually spinning on spindle and that is why they are taking forever to get up to speed.

 

[Vernonator]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't have them yet, but that is the first time I've ever heard that. If they aren't too tight are they too loose? Are the blades actually spinning on spindle and that is why they are taking forever to get up to speed.

)</font>

I dont think so. When it bogs down I can see the spindle thru the deck guard and its slows down and I can smell the belt slipping. I am going to take the deck off and make sure its level and verify that the belts are on correctly and such. I will also put the OEM blades back on (once they are sharpened) to see if its the Gator Blades or something else.

 

[Vernonator]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't have them yet, but that is the first time I've ever heard that. If they aren't too tight are they too loose? Are the blades actually spinning on spindle and that is why they are taking forever to get up to speed.

)</font>

I dont think so. When it bogs down I can see the spindle thru the deck guard and its slows down and I can smell the belt slipping. I am going to take the deck off and make sure its level and verify that the belts are on correctly and such. I will also put the OEM blades back on (once they are sharpened) to see if its the Gator Blades or something else.