Z Force Lap Bar Steering Adjustment ?

[Saxbird]

Hello
First post. Great site!
I just bought a new Z Force L 60 Lap Bar Model. I drove it in the parking lot at the dealer (as I live a good distance from them) I wanted to make sure it tracked straight and it did. I got it home and started to notice after mowing a while that I was needing to hold the left bar forward about an inch more than the right to get it to drive straight. It doesn't creep when stopped. I have 3 hrs on the mower now. I am guessing its a simple adjustment to straighten out? Help appreciated.

 

[Richard001]

Sax,

Welcome to TBN. Yes this site does have some pretty sharp cookies.

Brand new, take it back to the dealer.

Richard

 

[Saxbird]

Taking it back is not really an option. Id have to drive 40 miles just to rent a trailer $50 then back home to load the mower and then round trip to the dealer is about 100 miles for a total of 180 miles and then I might have to go back another day to get it.
It was fine the day I bought it so something has moved or a belt stretched maybe.

Can someone please explain the adjustment procedure to straighten out the tracking is it the "Adjusting Rh & LH Drive Control Levers" in the Manual or the "Drive Control Lever Stop Adjustment"?
Appreciate any help

 

[Bravo Xray]

It might be worth a call to the dealer. In addition to offering a tip or two to make the adjustment, they 'might' have a technician who either lives near you or someone they can send to adjust it. You shouldn't be on the hook for two round trips to the dealer to fix something (under warranty) that shouldn't have gone wrong in 3 hours of use.

 

[Saxbird]

Thank you for the reply.
After checking it out further I have noticed that even when its parked the left handle is farther forward than the right handle a couple inches also . So this should be an easy adjustment. I am very mechanical and have rebuilt motors but wanted someone to point me in the right direction as the manual is a bit vague and the mower still feels "new" to me.
Appreciate any help

 

[Richard001]

I don't have the Z force repair manual, but here is the RZT manual. It maybe the same.

View attachment Cub Cadet RZT17 Service manual.pdf

Good luck,
Richard

 

[Saxbird]

Thank you Richard
The Lap Bar Adjustment looks really easy on the RZT where as I believe on my Z Force its located down further underneath.
What do I need to remove to get down to the lap bar adjustment?

 

[GBHRPS]

Saxbird,

I've done mine back a year or so ago, and its pretty straight forward. Remove the deck, jack up the rig from the front and crawl underneath. You'll see hime joints (spelling?) at each end of several threaded rods. Each joint has a locking nut. Loosen both (one at each end) and then rotate the rod to lengthen it or shorten it to where you think it needs to be and lock down the nuts, Lower the tractor and try it out. If correct, reinstall the deck and cut grass. If not, go back under again and do some more messing around.

As the tractor ages you'll find that you'll need to get back down there every couple of years as various bushings wear. Its not a hard job, but one that can take some time and fiddling. Good Luck!

Gene

 

[Saxbird]

Thanks Gene
I have attached a couple of photos I got off other manuals which I believe are much older models.
The one that pivots (yellow photo) looks the easiest way so I adjusted it like that ( I didn't notice it at first because the washer covered the pivot slot but I figured it out.
So Gene are you referring to those Control arm Ferrules down on the neutral plate below, If so I don't see why you would need to remove the deck to do it that way? So are you out of room up above on the pivot slot?
Help Appreciated

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

The yellow photo is just an adjustment to position the lap bars forward and backward but has no effect on the actual drive. When the adjustment is made (found) to equalize the drive on both sides, then the lap bars can be adjusted to both be centered.

Bob B.