It's not mowing level

[jlbash1]

I have a Kubota T1400 HST that we've had for 16 years now. I love this mower, but this year it has really gone down hill in mowing quality.

If I mow over an area that isn't level the mower will leave a spot that is much shorter, or when I make a turn it mows lower on one side. Stuff like this is really getting to me.

There is quite a bit of play in the deck, at least when I park the mower on pavement and get down to look at things. I can move the deck both horizontally and vertically very easily. Not sure if there is too much play or not.

Anyway, any suggestions?

I think I am going to try to adjust a turnbuckle in the rear to bring the rear of the deck up, and also change out the positions of a few pins on the front of the deck to raise that. maybe this will help?

Thanks in advance.
Jarrod

 

[Nasty135]

Jarrod, This sounds like a floating deck(on its own wheels)not a suspended deck? From your description of horizontal play, that when on a slope gravity is putting your deck high on one side and lower on the other... If you can limit somewhat your horizontal play this would probably help.
Another check may be tire pressures, if run too low it can compound the problem somewhat...Also on turns you say it has become noticable,this is what makes me think it is a floating deck,as you turn it whats to stay straight which causes the deck to pull right or left giving the highside lowside effect on your turns.. I don't know your machine,but could you possibly using bushings in the hangers and brackets if worn? Or do they need replaced?
Maybe you could modify your mowing technic and make your deck more of a suspended which is closer to a fixed position type??

I dunno, just my thoughts

 

[slowrev]

When parked on concrete does the deck measure level ? Also does someone step on the deck getting on and off the machine ?

Ben

 

[ejtaylor822]

In addition to the tires all being inflated properly, are the blades loose? Have you hit anything lately? I had similar situation once and thought I had bent the shaft. But, what had happened was that I had stripped the shoulders on the star shaft and the blade had twisted.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[jlbash1]

The blades are in good shape, and nobody steps on the deck getting on and off. I tried making some adjustments the other day, but didn't have much luck.

When the deck is on concrete, should the front of the deck be slightly higher or lower than the back?

Thanks

 

[ovrszd]

The blades are in good shape, and nobody steps on the deck getting on and off. I tried making some adjustments the other day, but didn't have much luck.

When the deck is on concrete, should the front of the deck be slightly higher or lower than the back?

Thanks

It should be lower in front. I think most manufacturers say 1/4 inch. I just make sure mine isn't high in the front. I don't worry about having exactly 1/4 difference. Make sure you measure side to side height also. I turn the outside blades until they are crosswise to the tractor, which puts the outer tips the farthest out. These two tips should be equal in height. Then turn the center blade until it's pointing forward/backward and do a measurement of the front tip. That measurement should be slightly lower than your side measurements. Do the side measurements/adjustments first, then finish with the front measurement.

If your deck runs on casters, you are going to level it by adjusting the casters. If it is carried by the tractor, then one side will have an adjuster and the front bracket will have an adjustment. Good Luck!!!

 

[rswyan]

It should be lower in front.

This isn't always the case. While I can't speak to that specific Kubota model, I recently did the adjustment on our Simplicity CFC 18 ZTR - the owner's manual says level to 1/8" higher in the front. ..... go figure.

 

[ovrszd]

This isn't always the case. While I can't speak to that specific Kubota model, I recently did the adjustment on our Simplicity CFC 18 ZTR - the owner's manual says level to 1/8" higher in the front. ..... go figure.

Yeah, go figure??? That's gotta be an error maybe?? The reason that would seem illogical is it makes your blades cut the grass twice. Then if it's a side discharge the blades have to carry the second cut to the front of the deck and then discharge them out the side. Hmmmm, that certainly doesn't sound right does it. Maybe if it was a rear discharge??? I've never had one of those so don't know. I would almost want to try setting it low in front and compare the cut quality just for an experiment. If you do, let us know what you find out.

 

[rswyan]

Richard,

I'm tracking with ya. I'll look at the manual again but I'm nearly 100% certain that it says level to 1/8" higher in front. It is a side-discharge deck .... with kind of an odd design: the deck width is is 46" and it uses two blades - one is smaller .... maybe 20" and is on the left side. The other is significantly larger (26" ?) and is on the righthand (discharge) side of the deck.

I may try setting it low in front and see what happens - though I probably won't do that until I pull it out of service for the year.

The cut currently is pretty good - although it doesn't always cut every single blade. I've taken to not sharpening my blades to a fine edge - I generally leave a 1/32 or 1/64 flat on the edge - which might account for that to some degree. Or it could be my ground speed (too fast.)

At any rate the cut is better than the cut of the 72" MMM on the B2910 (probably cause the Simplicity doesn't have large R4's out front mashing down the grass ), which I consider is good.

 

[BTDT]

I had a finishing mower on a Ford 1300 that had chains attatched to mower for when you went over a hill it would hold mower, or if you went through a dip chains would get slack. Sometimes the chains would slip on one side or the other and it would cause mower to hang unlevel. Check to make sure lift arms are not bound up, sway bars adjusted. Bearings in trailing wheels in good shape and rotate freely. Does it have "shoes" on front sides of mower deck to keep from digging into ground, check to make shure they haven't dropped down and are dragging. Lot's of variables.