deck not cutting properly after sharpening blades

[meb9796]

I bought my wife a GT245 mower about a year ago (used) and just noticed that when she's cutting the grass, it leaves about a 5" section in the middle un-cut?? It's a 48C deck and I just sharpened the blades and cleaned out the deck of old grass, greased up the entire mower and it's still doing it.

Could it be the belts are slipping and not turning the blades as fast as they should be, or is this from dull blades? After I sharpened the blades, I mowed the grass very slowly and it still left the 5" section in the middle un-cut.

any suggestions??????

thanks

 

[whistlepig]

Sounds like a loose or stripped blade mounting bolt/nut.

 

[Fixemall]

After verifying that the blade is installed correctly, safely Jack up the unit and with the belt disconnected and unit off, cycle the deck by hand and observe the blades to see if there is abnormal play in the spindle or a misalignment/ height differential that is causing the odd cut.

 

[JerryK]

I've seen blades installed upside down. Don't cut very well that way...

 

[Markcuda]

Lots of the 48 inch convertible decks do this, not very many of us will admit it.
Mine does it, some times, can't figure out why.

 

[tawilson]

Sometimes blades get bent.

 

[Markcuda]

Bent blades have nothing to do with this Phenomenon.
Trust me, I manicure my Gator blades with a 5 inch grinder, I grind them to perfection, all 3 of them.

 

[meb9796]

Thanks for the replies. The bolts are good, and the blades are moving fine. I did remember that when I turn off the pto for the deck, there is a high pitch whine, right before it completely quits turning.

I'm taking the blades into town tomorrow to pay the 5$ to get them sharpened, to see if that helps. Then I'll try replacing the belts.

I thought that when I first got the mower that it felt like a lot more power was coming from the deck when I'd turn on the pto. But my wife cuts the lawn, so I haven't been on it till I noticed the weird cut. That is what is causing me to think it might be the belt. On my other deck, the belt would just slip off when it got old, some I'm at a loss

 

[Markcuda]

If the deck belt was bad, you would think the outer 2 blades would leave the same uncut grass, not just the center blade?
This phenomenon is only associated with the center cutting blade.

 

[whistlepig]

Its been my experience that when the belt goes bad the center blade quits cutting before the others.