Hello Dargo.
Thanks for your thoughts. What I learned from you:
1. That mower can be run in tall grass - basically whatever the tractor can handle.
2. Cut the grass whenever it needs it...
3. Final grass cut height, for you is typically 3-1/2".
4. Don't neglect routine greasing and inspect your machine often, especially if you put a lot of demands on it.
So far this mower has been a mower from "HECK". /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
I bought it used from an implement dealer in my hometown. It was only $650. I thought that was a great price for a quality Landpride rear discharge mower....so I THOUGHT!
I guess the old adage is still true.
"Good things are seldom cheap and Cheap things are seldom good".
Anyway, I checked everything over, using the operator and parts manuals that I downloaded from Landprides website, even before I even took one pass. So I was trying really hard to be careful and it still cost me a bundle...
Here's what I found when I got it home:
1. Gauge wheels didnt swivel. Rusted solid...
2. Wheels themselves turned, but a axle nut came off on the first pass and I reinstalled with Locktite.
3. The initial cut was absolutely terrible! I could have done better with a corn knife. So I took off the blades. They were Woods brand. But the cutting edge was on the wrong edge. The Woods blades were made to rotate the opposite direction. So, I bought new Landpride ones and then it cut great. $75.
4. Had a flat tire, immediately. Installed some UltraSeal in the tire and reinflated. No flats yet. That is awesome sealant!!!
5. I checked the belt tension before mowing and was satisfied it was tight enough. Wrong. It slipped and burnt up before I could catch it before it was ruined...
6. Gear oil sprayed everywhere when the gearbox began to warm up. The vent was not free to open and close and it actually sprayed gear oil out on top of the mower deck before I could shut it down. I should have checked that...I did check the oil level though.
7. The mower obviously sat outdoors for so long that all the pulleys were very rusty. So I took a power wire brush and some 120 grit emery cloth to each v-belt pulley and dressed them up the best I could to minimize any slippage.
8. With the belt off I could check the side and end play on each pulley. They were solid. No excessive play.
9. But I found that each pulley had been overgreased and the excess grease flung everywhere and I suspect all over the old belt, too before it failed. So I had to clean up the grease and belt rubber pieces before I installed the new belt...what a mess. $77 for a new belt.
10. The PTO absolutely would not go on the tractor. Had to take it to the workbench and I eventually found a significant burr on the spline which needed to be filed smooth.
11. The blade bolts were on so darn tight, I absolutely could NOT get the blades off. In utter frustration, I went and bought a new electric impact wrench 'cause my air powered impact wrench was useless. About 5 seconds with the new electric wrench and the bolt came right off. Cool tool, that Milwaulkee impact wrench. $169.
In summary, I think the combination of an old belt, extremely rusty pulleys with excessive spindle greasing made the belt slip and eventually fail after about only two hours of use.
later, dwight