42MS02 Deck Not cutting consistently

[Team70R 157]

I'm used to messing with the narrow, rear discharge decks. The deck on my newly acquired C165 doesn't seem to cut evenly with multiple passes. It cuts great with one pass but if I make a second pass the grass is super uneven! What do I need to adjust to make it cut consistently? Here are some pics after 2 passes, in the same direction 

[slammer302 2,157]

are the deck wheels in good condition? Maybe a pic of the whole deck so we can see what ur working with.

[Team70R 157]

1 hour ago, slammer302 said:

are the deck wheels in good condition? Maybe a pic of the whole deck so we can see what ur working with.

They are all there and seem to be sturdy. I'll have to get a pic when I get home 

[Team70R 157]

Sorry pics are terrible. Best I can do tonight. Has a total of 7 wheels with 2 of those being the adjustable ones on the rear. Am i not using the adjustable wheels and the adjuster knob for the lift handle correctly?

[AMC RULES 37,259]

 

Edited June 23, 2017 by AMC RULES

[Team70R 157]

3 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

 

I don't think it's a uneven blade issue. It cuts even if I make one pass. But if I make I second one it doesn't line up with the first pass. Maybe it's just more noticeable after 1 pass? 

[AMC RULES 37,259]

It's definitely got an issue...

could be somethings up with it's mount. 

[Team70R 157]

One of the spindles is squeaking too so I guess that gives me enough reasons to take it off for a full inspection 

[daveoman1966 3,884]

Deck mounted correctly and LOCK IN ? ? ?  If one side isn't locked in, it will run lower than the other.  That is, the deck is TILTED ....

 Make sure it is locked in place ON BOTH SIDES.  Here is a pic or two....

My only other idea is that MAYBE the outside spindle itself is tilted, causing it to cut lower than the other(s).  

[Team70R 157]

8 hours ago, daveoman1966 said:

Deck mounted correctly and LOCK IN ? ? ?  If one side isn't locked in, it will run lower than the other.  That is, the deck is TILTED ....

 Make sure it is locked in place ON BOTH SIDES.  Here is a pic or two....

My only other idea is that MAYBE the outside spindle itself is tilted, causing it to cut lower than the other(s).  

I got to thinking last night and looking at the pics of how it was cutting and I think this is problem! Seems like it is a tilt issue with the deck! I'll have to check the mounts tonight!

[Team70R 157]

Well I got the spindles greased up everything seems tight and straight. We got to looking at the deck wheels and I noticed the adjustment bracket is wayyy bent. Hopefully the pics are good enough to show. Now I have to figure out how to straighten it. The detent spring and pin fall out of the respectable retaining hole!

[tunahead72 2,634]

That could definitely be part of the problem.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but is the upper corner of the bracket (to the right in your photos) bent more than the rest of it, like somebody's been banging on it with a LARGE hammer?  And it looks like the bracket itself isn't mounted flush and tight to the deck -- are those two carriage bolts in good shape, or do they need to be tightened or replaced?  Is the deck basically straight where the bracket mounts, or is that area damaged also?

 

I would also check the large round cross bar that connects the two wheels -- is it basically straight and mounted securely to the deck?

 

This old thread might help:

An important note:  This thread I just linked was damaged a bit in one of the software conversions that RedSquare went through a bunch of years ago.  TT's first response in particular was cut off, but here's the complete text:

 

"If it isn't a broken spring on the handle, 80% of the time the selector quadrant gets pushed or bent away from the gauge wheel "channel"/handle.

Remove the quadrant and bend it back to 90 degrees so it fits tight against the channel, or loosen it and slide it tight against. (if it isn't bent)

 

The other 20% is the square (looks like keystock) stops welded to the gauge wheel cross bar getting worn enough to let the entire gauge wheel assembly push away from the quadrant."

Edited June 24, 2017 by tunahead72

[Team70R 157]

The quadrant is not even bolted on straight. It looks like the carriage bolts have started to pull/tear from the deck. So I'm gonna have to do some reinforcing I think 

[Racinbob 13,022]

You nailed it there as far as that bracket goes. Get that sheetmetal straightened out so the bottom of that bracket is parallel with the cross rod, reinforce underneath and you'll be fine. I'm not sure it will fix your uneven mowing though.

[Team70R 157]

Haha I hope this fixes it!! Not really sure what else it could be   here's a few more pics I took after we messed with it a little last night. Hard to judge by the pics though