Need Help! ZTXS4 48

[Cub Cadet TN]

Putting on the mulching kit. Everything smooth. Lowered deck all the way. Step 4(e) in picture. Stuck wrench into alignment holes to lock deck lift in place. Step 5. Got done with mulching kit. Ready to reinstall. For some unknown reason, I stepped on the deck pedal, bent the wrench, and cannot get it back out. I was able to reattach the deck. But what can I loosen to get the wrench tool out of the adjustment holes? Yes, I do see that warning in big bold letters in the picture. Don't know why I did what I did. It is just bent and in a bind. Recommendations? Suggestions? Prayers?

 

[Cub Cadet TN]

Putting on the mulching kit. Everything smooth. Lowered deck all the way. Step 4(e) in picture. Stuck wrench into alignment holes to lock deck lift in place. Step 5. Got done with mulching kit. Ready to reinstall. For some unknown reason, I stepped on the deck pedal, bent the wrench, and cannot get it back out. I was able to reattach the deck. But what can I loosen to get the wrench tool out of the adjustment holes? Yes, I do see that warning in big bold letters in the picture. Don't know why I did what I did. It is just bent and in a bind. Recommendations? Suggestions? Prayers?

Addendum - it is stuck all the way up at transport height.

 

[Cub Cadet TN]

Update! When the deck was attached, the weight was enough to re-engage the deck pedal. I was able to lower the deck completely and wiggle the tool out. Now I know how to remove the deck, how to reattach the deck, and what not to do when I have the deck off. All in all, a good day. Much knowledge acquired by fire and trial and error.

 

[Runner]

Cub Cadet is really weird about telling owners to remove the deck for everything. They even tell you to remove the deck to change mower blades. This has to be caused by lawyers worried about having owners working under the machines and having them drop on them.

I can't see any reason you need to remove the mower deck to install the mulch kit. I did it with my machine jacked up and it was easy. I found that a mower lift like this one has been worth its weight in gold for such tasks.

https://www.harborfreight.com/750-lb-heavy-duty-atvmower-high-lift-jack-63298.html