I have a John Deere LT 160 with the Freedom 42 mulching deck. (The deck where the blades spin into each other on a timing belt). I purchased the machine from the dealer with less than 5 hours on it and picked up a blade kit for snow removal. It now has 255 hours. I maintain it myself and have been happy with it until this season. It is cutting terrible. The grass looks chewed and clumpy; a patch is left down the middle. Even a double cut doesn稚 really clean everything up. So I have done the following trying to address the issue.
Step 1 Re-sharpen the blades (Failure)
Step 2 Buy new blades (Failure)
Step 3 Check the blades, did I screw up and install them correctly? Nope, I passed on this one.
Step 4 (maybe should have been step 1.5) Check the timing. I am a genius!!!!! The timing is off. One blade is at about a 45 to the other, not the required 90. So I reset the time, I am ready to go! I don稚 get 10 feet and the blades are hitting each other!!! What in the world happened? (Failure)
Step 4.5 Lots of mumbling, words I can稚 type in a public forum, and a few buckets kicked in the garage. (This I categorized as a success for frustration venting. My toes can still feel the buckets)
Step 5 I reset the timing again. This time rather than put the deck back I turn it on its side. Double check to make sure everything is at a 90 like it should be. Maybe I messed up step 4. Everything looks good, I am not as big of an idiot as I thought given the results of step 4. I turn one blade by hand, which also turns the other. I do this for just a few second and notice one is turning faster than the other. I can noticeably see it. After about 15 to 20 rotations, I致e got the blades hitting each other again. I keep spinning and they stop hitting, and then eventually start again. I知 on to something now! But what? I take off the timing belt and turn each blade individually. I don稚 hear grinding, they appear to spin without issue independently. There isn稚 any play with the spindles.
Step 6 - Hire the neighbor kid to cut the grass this week.
And this is why I am writing for help.
I知 looking for ideas. My dealer, the one I have purchased this machine and EVERY thing that has ever gone into it or on it from, won稚 give me any without a $75.00 bench fee. I don稚 mind paying for a fair service, but they seemed to act like they knew what the issue was. Any ideas will be appreciated. I知 worried I知 in the market for a new deck, but thought I better double check.
Step 1 Re-sharpen the blades (Failure)
Step 2 Buy new blades (Failure)
Step 3 Check the blades, did I screw up and install them correctly? Nope, I passed on this one.
Step 4 (maybe should have been step 1.5) Check the timing. I am a genius!!!!! The timing is off. One blade is at about a 45 to the other, not the required 90. So I reset the time, I am ready to go! I don稚 get 10 feet and the blades are hitting each other!!! What in the world happened? (Failure)
Step 4.5 Lots of mumbling, words I can稚 type in a public forum, and a few buckets kicked in the garage. (This I categorized as a success for frustration venting. My toes can still feel the buckets)
Step 5 I reset the timing again. This time rather than put the deck back I turn it on its side. Double check to make sure everything is at a 90 like it should be. Maybe I messed up step 4. Everything looks good, I am not as big of an idiot as I thought given the results of step 4. I turn one blade by hand, which also turns the other. I do this for just a few second and notice one is turning faster than the other. I can noticeably see it. After about 15 to 20 rotations, I致e got the blades hitting each other again. I keep spinning and they stop hitting, and then eventually start again. I知 on to something now! But what? I take off the timing belt and turn each blade individually. I don稚 hear grinding, they appear to spin without issue independently. There isn稚 any play with the spindles.
Step 6 - Hire the neighbor kid to cut the grass this week.
And this is why I am writing for help.
I知 looking for ideas. My dealer, the one I have purchased this machine and EVERY thing that has ever gone into it or on it from, won稚 give me any without a $75.00 bench fee. I don稚 mind paying for a fair service, but they seemed to act like they knew what the issue was. Any ideas will be appreciated. I知 worried I知 in the market for a new deck, but thought I better double check.
