Trying to find out why my deck cuts at two differe

[wingrider 21]

Got a question for the experts here

I have a C160A with a 42" deck that is giving me cutting fits. I'm mowing in the middle hight hole, and my problem is I'm getting strips of different hight grass. I just sharpend the blades before I put deck on and cleaned out under the deck also.

The strips are form 0 to 10" its one hight then from 10 to 12" its a little higher, from 12" to 26" it is shorter then from 26 to 28" its high again then

from 28" to 40" are shorter then from 40 to 42" its higher again.

It doesn't seem to matter what the groung speed is, but I do have motor &

blades running at max rpms.

It almost looks like the blades are 2" shorter but it is still cutting the grass

between the really short hight than the grass was before it was cut at all.

I just think it looks like crap the way it is and I sure would like to fix it.

Thanks ahead of time Wingrider

[Horse-Drawn 1]

I know if I hold the beer in my hand, my lines tend to wander a couple inches crooked. But if I use the cup holder, the problems go away. Oh, wait... wrong problem

Seriously...

I had a similar issue with my 36" deck last year. I oiled/lubed everything, adjusted everything 3 times, broke out the level & measuring tape too. I couldn't figure it out until my wife saw sparks coming from the deck belt cover. My problem was the set screw on one of the spindle pulleys was gone & eventually, ground my 3/4" spindle down to 3/8". The cut height difference was the speed of that blade varied with the grass thickness. Thicker grass=Taller grass under that blade. That deck is still out of commission.

Just a thought :D

[wh-jason 32]

make sure you didnt put 1 or 2 of your blades upside down. :thumbs:

[Kelly 1,028]

I have a deck here that has been repaired at some point, they put a 3/8" thick plate at the base of 1 spindle, must be it worked, it was covered in grass, I only seen it when I was cleaning it to sell, the belt did not line up right on top either.

But if I'm reading your problem right, you have a loose blade, I'd check that.

[mavfreak 11]

Are the blades on in the right order? Are the blades different lengths put on in the wrong order?

[Trouty56 565]

Maybe the leveler is not adjusted correctly and the front is way lower than the back...

I only have one deck and when I first tried it ... well the cut was terrible until I got it leveled correctly.

[GlenPettit 1,714]

(1) On flat cement, from the ground level laying down, just look at the deck level.

(2) Check the tire pressure on all four tires, they should be 10# psi; just one tire being off by 1

[C-Series14 15]

Measure the blades. Measure from one corner of the end to the opposite corner of the other side...Depending on what deck you have, they should be anywhere from 13 27/32" to 14 1/2".

[refracman 166]

Glen is leadin down the right path doin this will tell you also if the deck is true, by this I mean all the spindles are on the same plane to each other. I've seen where if you hit something you came knock the splinde out of square and you will get the cut you describe. Sometimes you can fix it and sometime you can't.

I take a straight edge line up the blades and check.

[can whlvr 991]

i have a deck that the top is warped,when you put a straight edge on the blades they dont line up at all spots,tryed shims,helps a little but the shell is basically scrap

[GlenPettit 1,714]

Don:

A bent, twisted or warped deck shell is basically 'scrap'; so then it's worth trying to re-shape it since nothing is lost. Remove everything and then try and force it back, be creative.

May take using a 12' 4x4 and leverage some places, hopefully you have a big 20-ton 'press' you can use somewhere, use hammering as a last resort. A new shell is $200.

Good Luck

[refracman 166]

Glen,

might want to recheck your priceing a new 42" deck shell is $697 and 48" is NLA per Parts Tree.

[can whlvr 991]

i have tried to bend this deck back,it returns to its bad spot,i also replaced the entire top of a deck with 1/4 plate,this is a real nice deck now,it doesnt vibrate and is so smooth its like new

here is the deck,if you look you can see the new metal