The Dealer Strikes Again: BX2360 Mower Deck Adjustment

[snpower]

Uggghhhh !!!!

I recently posted about my MMM not going into the TOP position; thanks to the tips on here I made the proper adjustment to make it work. My local dealer just opened up a ship five miles from my hours; I took my machine in today to have the mower deck leveled/checked for spring (I'll do fluids, filters, other maintenance - but I just don't have any experience with deck leveling). $35.00 - fair enough. So I get the think home and... it won't go into TOP again.

Can I adjust it myself again, or will that screw up whatever aligning/leveling they did? I don't see the connection between TOP and the deck being level for cutting???

 

[RaydaKub]

The deck is lifted by 2 arms. You should be able to adjust both of them so that they get a little longer. Drop your mower to the ground and unhook them so that you can run them all the way up. They should go all the way and getting to TOP should be easy. This is about where you want them to be when the mower is raised. The problem is probably that the mower is hitting the tractor frame before you are getting high enough to turn the control to TOP.
Lower them back down where you can work on them and adjust both sides. If you take the same number of turns on each side to lengthen them, the mower should still be level. Hook them back up and you're good to go.

 

[Gator6x4]

Time to stop by the local John Deere Dealer. No not to trade, to obtain a part. JD make a plastic gauge device to level decks. Cost less than ten dollars. A wonderful tool, one that you will wonder how you ever mowed grass without owning one. John Deere Leveling Gauge for Mower Deck Blade Height - AM130907

 

[coveredbridge]

Looks a lot easier than the carpenters rule, mirror and drag light I used the other day.

 

[snpower]

The deck is lifted by 2 arms. You should be able to adjust both of them so that they get a little longer. Drop your mower to the ground and unhook them so that you can run them all the way up. They should go all the way and getting to TOP should be easy. This is about where you want them to be when the mower is raised. The problem is probably that the mower is hitting the tractor frame before you are getting high enough to turn the control to TOP. Lower them back down where you can work on them and adjust both sides. If you take the same number of turns on each side to lengthen them, the mower should still be level. Hook them back up and you're good to go.

So what is the point/function of the adjustable bolt under the left rear fender? This is what I adjusted to get into TOP before.

 

[Scooby074]

Time to stop by the local John Deere Dealer. No not to trade, to obtain a part. JD make a plastic gauge device to level decks. Cost less than ten dollars. A wonderful tool, one that you will wonder how you ever mowed grass without owning one. John Deere Leveling Gauge for Mower Deck Blade Height - AM130907

Great tool. I did a whole thread on improving BX cut, including leveling. See sig for link

 

[rbarker]

So what is the point/function of the adjustable bolt under the left rear fender? This is what I adjusted to get into TOP before.

I would adjust it with that bolt just like you did last time. At least that's what worked for me.

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[CHDinCT]

So what is the point/function of the adjustable bolt under the left rear fender? This is what I adjusted to get into TOP before.

Yes, was going to post on that. It simply adjusts how far up both arms raise via the 3PH linkage. So, it should not effect any leveling work the dealer did. Drop the deck so the weight is off the lift mechanism and adjust the bolts so the arms raise a little more. Hopefully, there's more adjustment room to be made.

 

[snpower]

So we have two lines of thought: adjust the two bolts on the arms, and adjust the bolt under the rear left fender. Door number 1, or door number 2? The dealer is going to have someone swing by today or Monday. They started in with, "we have to look everything over - see what's wrong... blah blah"... I told them I'm not paying to fix something that worked when I brought it in (of course). Sheesh. I can mess things up just fine on my own, without dealer support.

 

[GolfAddict]

So we have two lines of thought: adjust the two bolts on the arms, and adjust the bolt under the rear left fender. Door number 1, or door number 2? The dealer is going to have someone swing by today or Monday. They started in with, "we have to look everything over - see what's wrong... blah blah"... I told them I'm not paying to fix something that worked when I brought it in (of course). Sheesh. I can mess things up just fine on my own, without dealer support.

It's the same bolt you adjusted before under the fender. There is sometimes some confusion about this. Ray's tractor is a bit earlier series, and the adjustment is different for those.

 

[snpower]

I called Barlow's - where I got the machine from. Service guys said (1) first check the bolts on the lift arms. IF they are hitting the frame, they have to be screwed down some. If they are NOT hitting the frame, (2) Go to the left rear fender and then adjust that bolt a couple of turns. Did I mention I fly jets for a living. They are so much simpler!! Pull up - houses get smaller. Push down - houses get bigger... The bolts on the lift arms are well clear of the deck, but are set at quite different heights from one another. I guess the deck is level (nervous). I ended up adjusting the bolt under the rear fender again to get into the TOP position. Once it is there, I have to continue to spin it clockwise if I want to lower the deck out of TOP to my desired cutting height. It won't turn counter-clockwise. I am calling it good.

 

[radioman]

hieght knob doesnt turn counterclockwise. Always lift deck all the way first before moving knob. If you find you have to adjust again.. I think you have a broken nut on the adjustment bolt. My was broken off after few years of use.

 

[The Fred]

Did somebody say SPRING?

Still 3.5 feet of snow on the ground here. Hope it warms up soon.

Fred

 

[radioman]

View attachment 367684hieght knob doesnt turn counterclockwise. Always lift deck all the way first before moving knob. If you find you have to adjust again.. I think you have a broken nut on the adjustment bolt. My was broken off after few years of use.

 

[Tollster]

Time to stop by the local John Deere Dealer. No not to trade, to obtain a part. JD make a plastic gauge device to level decks. Cost less than ten dollars. A wonderful tool, one that you will wonder how you ever mowed grass without owning one. John Deere Leveling Gauge for Mower Deck Blade Height - AM130907

Thank you!

 

[RaydaKub]

It's the same bolt you adjusted before under the fender. There is sometimes some confusion about this. Ray's tractor is a bit earlier series, and the adjustment is different for those.

That's a good point about different tractor generations. To be honest, I had forgotten about that rod (the BX2230 has it on the driver's right side). When I read the OP's description, it sounded to me like the 2 lift arms that actually connect to the mower were possibly too short so that the mower hit the frame before it got high enough to turn the height control cam into the TOP position. However the other line of thought is just as valid (and from the sounds of it, more likely). The 3ph hits its top position before the mower linkage comes up high enough to all the cam to be turned to TOP. If adjusting the 2 lift arms care would need to be taken to maintain level. The pull rod under the fender is not going to mess up the level adjustment.

 

[PeterK]

That a great JD gauge and I might have to get one for $7. But for free, I just cut two equal sized wood blocks to ~2-1/4" and level from there. Works for me.

btw- dummy me used to try to measure with a tape measure. Took way too long.

 

[KTucke]

What is the worst case scenario if it's not level? Dealer set it up and I never even thought to check. There is no glaring signs its not level. Though I must admit I've used it twice and was not thrilled with how it cut. Also where is the whirring noise? What RPM's do you cut at?

 

[rbarker]

What is the worst case scenario if it's not level? Dealer set it up and I never even thought to check. There is no glaring signs its not level. Though I must admit I've used it twice and was not thrilled with how it cut. Also where is the whirring noise? What RPM's do you cut at?

The quality of cut is the glaring sign that it's not adjusted properly. It should cut smooth and even butt misadjusted it will leave high and low spots, ridges, etc. you should be running at close to wide open throttle, I run around 2900 to 3000. It whirs pretty good at that speed, at least mine does.

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[KTucke]

Yep my RPM's were way too low. I cut it last night close to full throttle and it came out beautiful. Had the whirring sound I love to.