BrianX128 109 #1 Posted June 15, 2020 I have no idea what is happening here. Took the deck off and the blades arent close to hitting anything and are all free and spin easy.. I added that white pulley because I couldn't tell if the belt was hitting things but it wasn't that.. can't find anything loose either. I swear I'm hallucinating this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dcrage 630 #2 Posted June 15, 2020 I know you said the blades are not hitting the deck, but that is sure what it sounds like. My 37” deck does this now, but only when the deck is moved to a certain position. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill D 2,256 #3 Posted June 15, 2020 Any chance the blades are hitting each other? This happened on my dad's deck. Swapping blades around solved the problem. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,546 #4 Posted June 15, 2020 Are any of the blades loose on the spindles? While you have the deck off, I would check for ANYTHING loose or not aligned properly. Can you see any marks or scrapes on the underside of the deck that might give you a clue? Did you do anything recently to the deck, or anything connected to it, before the noise started? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,546 #5 Posted June 15, 2020 1 minute ago, Bill D said: Any chance the blades are hitting each other? This happened on my dad's deck. Swapping blades around solved the problem. That SHOULDN'T be the problem, at least theoretically, but definitely worth checking. Are the blades the correct size for the deck (should be just under 14" long)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianX128 109 #6 Posted June 15, 2020 That's the thing that's driving me nuts here, they are all the right blades. The deck never made this noise before, my wife did hit a small root with it but it didn't even dull the blade. The pulleys all seem tight I can't by hand get any of them to move side to side or up and down at all. It's almost like the deck is flexing in towards the blades if that is what's happening because I can't seem to get anything blade wise to move enough to touch anything. Even weirder, I pressure washed the deck to try and have a clean surface to see scratch marks and there is nothing visible I can see. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,546 #7 Posted June 15, 2020 1 hour ago, BrianX128 said: ... It's almost like the deck is flexing in towards the blades if that is what's happening ... That is possible, especially with the 42" side discharge decks for some reason. But you weren't putting a lot of pressure on it to make the noise, not enough to make that strong a deck flex enough to make the blades hit unless they were very close to it to begin with. Is the baffle on the underside of the deck still nice and tight, not broken? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianX128 109 #8 Posted June 15, 2020 Found it. Now the question is do I grind that part out entirely or try and bend it back... blade is straight with the others. Both sides of the blade get just as close ams it's only to that side of the guard not the other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,546 #9 Posted June 16, 2020 That would do it. You'd have to scrape and wire brush the baffle pretty clean to know for sure, but it looks like it might have been repaired in at least a couple of areas. Maybe at the very end to the left of the section you marked, and also maybe just to the right. The baffle was originally one piece. Maybe hitting the root bent it just enough to interfere with the blade? Is the baffle loose anywhere? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
