Why is this happening

   / Why is this happening #1  

Rogator

Silver Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
134
Location
Manitoba Canada
Tractor
2010 John Deere 2520, John Deere 185, John Deere 155
I have a new 2305 John Deere with a 62 inch mower. I have spent a total of about 3 hours trying to get this mower to cut right. I am using a leveling guage and am parked on flat even concrete. I have the mower at the same level from one side to the other with the blades pointing straight ahead. The front of the mower is 1/4 inch lower in the front than the back on both sides. When I mow the lawn all three blades are cutting lower on the right side than the left. The left side blade is worse than the other two. It is as if the blades are on an angle. Has anyone had this problem? If so how can I fix it. Thanks.
 
   / Why is this happening #2  
My first thought is that the blades are not "set" on the shaft properly.
Have you checked that all three are flat against the shoulders on the shafts?
Second thought.... blades bent?
 
   / Why is this happening #3  
Sorry, but have to ask - have you checked the air pressure in the tires? Sitting flat with no one on the mower the deck and blades can measure out correctly. But, add some weight on the mower and low pressure in one tire is noticeable - especially when cornering on the low pressure side.

Also, I believe that most lawn tractors are shipped with the tires over inflated. Could cause same thing if one side is at pressure and other side over.

Agree with GotRocks - check the blades are seated correctly. I would loosen the blade in question enough to turn it by hand and make sure seated on the shaft. My Craftsman has the "star" shaft. I noticed a new set of blades were not cutting evenly. Checked tire pressure and looked at the blade on the shaft multiple times. Was convinced the blade was bent. Went to take it off and found it was not seated all the way.

Good luck and let us know who it goes.

Eddie
 
   / Why is this happening #4  
On my cubcadet my dealer told me to leval everything off of the center pully.I used a level and set front to back and sid to side as close to level as I could get it. It cuts perfectly. I don't understand why you would tip the front end down 1/4". It seems this would give you an uneven cut but maby it's not noticeable.
 
   / Why is this happening #5  
Rogator said:
I have a new 2305 John Deere with a 62 inch mower. I have spent a total of about 3 hours trying to get this mower to cut right. I am using a leveling guage and am parked on flat even concrete. I have the mower at the same level from one side to the other with the blades pointing straight ahead. The front of the mower is 1/4 inch lower in the front than the back on both sides. When I mow the lawn all three blades are cutting lower on the right side than the left. The left side blade is worse than the other two. It is as if the blades are on an angle. Has anyone had this problem? If so how can I fix it. Thanks.

I have the same deck, different tractor. I have not noticed any problems like this. I sharpen my blades every third cutting and thoughly clean the deck and spindles at that time. Great suggestions in the previous posts, I would look into those possibilities.

If the tractor is new, as in under warranty, I would make the dealer fix it.
 
   / Why is this happening #6  
Rogator, It almost sounds like each spindle is not level to the deck, I would check the spindles to see if they are level, also if they have some kind of spacer (shim)between the spindle and the deck on one side of the spindle that would offset it from being level, If you don't see an obvious problem with the deck you may end up having to shim the spindles yourself to make it right.... Unless you can throw this problem in your dealers lap... Good Luck!!
 
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   / Why is this happening #7  
If I'm understanding what you're saying, you're getting a zig-zag effect in a sinlge 62 inch wide swath, with 3 high ridges where one side of each blade passes and 3 low areas where the other side passes. If I don't understand what you're saying, you're getting a single wide swath that is lower on one side than on the other.

In the first situation, the blades are not rotating parallel to the deck. They are all apparently angled in the area where the spindles are mounted to the top of the deck. Shims between the blade and spindle would make the blade hang unevenly, but it would cut level since blade speed is so fast compared to ground speed. You could check for this by measuring the height of each blade at various points in it's path. Set them straight left-right and see if they're all level. If not, your problem is in the deck, not the mount.

In the second situation, the entire deck is not parallel to the ground while moving and the problem lies either with your tires or the way the deck is mounted to the tractor. Tires are easy, check the pressure and make sure it's even all around and within specs. (If you have a passenger on one side, that would do it, too, but I presume you are being safe and have no one else on the tractor with you.)

For the deck mounts, make sure everything is connected properly and bearing weight when you are leveling the deck. The thing could be hanging there level in a stationary situation with one bracket not doing anything. Then when you start moving, the bad connection point allows movement of the deck. It might be a bogey wheel (if you have them) that's free to move up and down in it's mount, or a hanger that's loose on one end or the other.

My old Cadet has an annoying tendency to lose a hairpin, then the link comes loose and one side of the deck drops, but only when moving across the uneven ground. Sitting there stationary, it's fine and held level by the other three attachment points.
 
   / Why is this happening #8  
If it's a new deck I'm sure you have the leveling instructions, but on my deck the manual says to place the blades looking from side to side, not front to back, and measure from the blade tips on each side to the level surface. Then face them front to back to get the correct tilt.
 
   / Why is this happening #9  
Also make sure your deck wheels are all set in the same hole. JC
 
   / Why is this happening #10  
The key word is new, put it back in the dealers hands, have him make it right, if he is a good dealer he should make it cut right before you use it again. You pay for it to be correct and it should be correct. It is a John Deere after all.
 

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