zd326p 60" deck lost its level on slopes

[workinallthetime]

is there a remote chance anyone can scan the page out of their manual and post it on how to level the deck on a 326? i have spent hours trying to adjust the thing and cant get a straight cut. i have measured the deck, measured the blades, added "rake" the the deck just about everything i can think of. somewhere in a one of our moves i have misplaced the manual that came with it. the worst cut seems to be when operating on a hill perpindicular to the slope. i am either low or high on one side and cant get it to straighten out. tire psi is the same scaplers are up and out of the grass dang thing wont cut level at less then 400 hours.
right now the best cut is having one scapler wheel running lower than the other but that just isnt right should not have to do that.

 

[art]

We have seen sprung linkage from hitting things with the deck but rare. You should not be having the issue you are having as we have commercial people cutting level with that same model in excess of 7,000 hours! Find your manual! Check it over completely from assembly, this is not common or anything easy to tell you what is the problem without seeing it.

 

[Arkaybee]

I am having the same problem with my ZD326 deck becoming out of level from side to side.
I had a big problem getting it level when I first got it (NEW). The instructions for leveling the deck are abysmal in my opinion. With four leveling screws/bolts on the suspended corners one has to
get the deck level from side to side (with all four bolts) and then change some of the same bolts settings to level the deck from front to back (with the front being about 1/4 inch lower than the back.
This then disturbs the side to side settings---- what to do now when that happens?

I finally got it level originally after a long battle which included lowering the tire pressures to soften the ride (way too much pressure originally).

Lowering the tire pressures helped the ride.

Art, I appreciate the hint about "sprung" linkages and I have checked that but so far can't see any of that. I had made a rough entry into a ditch while mowing and though I may have "sprung" something.

BTW, what is the idea of putting 2" wooden blocks under the deck housing before doing the adjustments when the deck never contacts the blocks? ? ? Is that a safety procedure?

I just finished re-reading the procedures for leveling and maybe I just can't comprehend the correct sequence.

Arkaybee

 

[junkyardwarrior]

I suggest to most people that are doing their own deck leveling to have plenty of patience, and buy a good deck level gauge. John Deere makes a dandy, I've got a couple of them. Kubota used to have one which was basically the same thing but steel instead of plastic, which I liked but it was about $100.

Always measure at the blade tip, not the deck. Decks are rarely "square".

You'll adjust side to side first, then front to rear. Front should be about 1/8" to 1/4" lower than the rear-I like them about an 1/8. Seem to cut better that way. Also, when measuring front-to-rear, I will usually turn the center blade AND the side blade so that they are both facing front and rear (parallel to each other and the direction of travel). Then measure the front tip of the front blade and compare it to the rear tip of the rear blade. I just got through doing this on my John Deere LX188 and it cuts like a dream now. Been fighting it for a year or so until earlier when a wise older gentleman advised me to measure the far front of the middle blade and the far rear of the side blade, then compare. Works great! That's probably what the manual says but who reads those?

And finally, adjustment of the anti-scalp rollers makes all the difference in the world. There is a sticker on the deck that entails how to adjust them as per your cutting height. They should never be continually riding the ground.

 

[workinallthetime]

Thanks ark and junk. Ark you said the key thing with starting with the front, I kept starting at the rear right. Did a quick few laps readjusted the scalpers to same height and it looks pretty good now. I have 10 acres of creek, woods, slopes, ponds, and yard to keep looking as best as possible. The cut was bothering me more than anyone else. I will do the fine tune when I put another set of blades on in july. I rotate them but the bota blades still banana out on me.

Thanks you 2 for the useful info!

 

[bones66]

I am having the same problem with my ZD326 deck becoming out of level from side to side.
I had a big problem getting it level when I first got it (NEW). The instructions for leveling the deck are abysmal in my opinion. With four leveling screws/bolts on the suspended corners one has to
get the deck level from side to side (with all four bolts) and then change some of the same bolts settings to level the deck from front to back (with the front being about 1/4 inch lower than the back.
This then disturbs the side to side settings---- what to do now when that happens?

I finally got it level originally after a long battle which included lowering the tire pressures to soften the ride (way too much pressure originally).

Lowering the tire pressures helped the ride.

Art, I appreciate the hint about "sprung" linkages and I have checked that but so far can't see any of that. I had made a rough entry into a ditch while mowing and though I may have "sprung" something.

BTW, what is the idea of putting 2" wooden blocks under the deck housing before doing the adjustments when the deck never contacts the blocks? ? ? Is that a safety procedure?

I just finished re-reading the procedures for leveling and maybe I just can't comprehend the correct sequence.

Arkaybee

Hope someone out there can add to this. I'm having the same problems. Move the side to side adjustments, get them somewhat correct then have to change them to get the front to back right thus now the side to side is off again. I must be missing something in this process as the deck and machine are mounted together solid with bolts. It's not like they can be adjusted independently. During my first adjustment I was having problems getting things correct. I contacted Kubota (not a dealer but a representative) about how the translation from Japanese to English must be tough as some of the instructions are very poorly written and the continuity in the manual is very poor. He didn't disagree with me and suggested I buy a service manual if I wanted to do my own work. Anybody got any suggestions that specifically pertains to the ZD300 series of mowers or know where some data on the net is located.
By the way what are the wood blocks for? I made some per the instructions wanting to do right and like it mentions above the deck doesn't contact them anywhere.
by the way don't think that I hate my ZD-326, I actually love the thing but sometimes I let things certain things drive me crazy. I think there's a word for it! .............
Thanks in Advance!

 

[jcummins]

I had the same issues with my ZD326. I no longer have it, traded for a F3680. BUT...I did resolve the problem by going back to the manual and follow the adjustment procedure...exactly in the sequence the manual outlines. Don't know why, but when I did that, I got my deck right.

 

[Scooby074]

As mentioned, get the Deere deck tool.

Then its simple to measure off the blades and get the L-R / F-R setup.

One thing I had to do was install longer bolts in 2 of the adjusters because I ran out of travel if I still wanted to use the jam nuts.

 

[workinallthetime]

it is very frustrating when it looks good it looks great but when these lines appear it drives me nuts. at present I am running the discharge side with front anti scalp wheel with 2 spacers below and opposite side with 1 spacer below. in addition I am running the opposite rear tire 7 psi lower. sounds nuts but my last cut looked great.
here is the thing that kills the cat next weekend it will look different without turning a bolt on the tractor. I can set the deck perfectly and a week later it will be different. something is broke, worn out or bent I just cant find it.
I mow at 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 front axel locked

 

[bones66]

I had the same issues with my ZD326. I no longer have it, traded for a F3680. BUT...I did resolve the problem by going back to the manual and follow the adjustment procedure...exactly in the sequence the manual outlines. Don't know why, but when I did that, I got my deck right.

I thought I was going by the manual step by step but it's easy to get ahead of yourself. I'm heading out in a few minutes and that is JOB 1 today! Get that thing leveled up.