Mowing 48" Deck trouble cutting

[rebmo]

I have a 92 JD GT262 in overall good condition and need some tips on cutting with the 48" deck. The GT has a 17hp Kawa and gets around fine but I have some problems cutting this Spring. My yard is 1.1 acres and mostly grass with 2 hills either side of the house for exposed basement. I've used the JD since late summer last year until now and had some problems this spring. I should point out that I live near sod farms and my grass grows like I have a sod farm in the back 3/4. If I dig down a foot it's all black peat due to living where a swamp once was and a dam and channel now handle the water. So I have this super thick lush green grass, nice to look at, tough to cut.

All was fine last August into spring. Dry summer had the grass dormant for the most part and fall was pretty dry too. So only a few times I had difficulty cutting a few areas where it gets super thick. I slow down and that helps.

But, this year in spring, I cut once per week and it's usually about 4 to 4.5". My deck starts vibrating at times and I slow down to almost the lowest speed and it doesn't help. I get smoke from the belts at times. I try cutting a smaller swipe of uncut and still get the deck stalling. It's clean, it's greased and spins freely. I did replace the PTO belt. Still have a hard time cutting where it get's really thick.

I'm new at "large lawn" cutting and Garden Tractors, so looking for advice for things to check. Deck Belt? Bearings, ???? I have the cut height at 3" now. Not sure what to try next. I can seem to cut the front (sandy soil)what I would call normal grass without issue, just the back 3/4 which gets super thick. Maybe I need more HP or machine, but wow, I see some of my other neighbors with simpicity yard tractors and they do pretty good, but My grass is open sun and theirs is shaded somewhat so probably not as thick.

Suggestions appreciated,

Reb

 

[kthompson]

Don't know your mower but sounds as it has gears. If so do begin with slower speed rather than drop to it. But have you checked the blades? Did not see any mention of them. Have you replaced them, they probably need to be if not. Also be 100% certain you have correct blades and installed properly. On some mowers they are easy to install upside down causing the non cutting edge to try doing the cutting.

Also if you are getting big wad of grass under the deck you may not be allowing it to kick out and thus causing the belts to smoke and not catch back up.

You are running engine at full rpms? It is running at full rpms since sitting for the winter? The rpms are needed for blade speed not moving speed.

Depending where in the South (my guess based upon some comments) you are the thicker grass may need to be cut even every 3 or 4 days. With rain and type of grass.

How is your air filter? How about tires air pressure?

 

[rebmo]

First, thanks for all the good things to check,

The JD 262 has gears (6 speeds clutch). I do start slower but the lawn thickness does vary so I drop in speed prior to thick spots. I live in Wisconsin, south rural. Mostly Kentucky Blue grass. The blades are installed correctly and sharpened/balanced. They cut real clean in medium to low density areas. The deck bottom is clean and oil coated so not much sticks. Engine seems to be at top RPMs, I'll have to double check the air filter an blow it out for now just to see if that has an impact but it should be good, and RPMs seem up there. I will veryify.

Unfortunately, I may just need to cut twice a week to get through this. It hasn't been too wet, but there's been adequate spring rain for good growth. Tire pressure is all at correct spec settings.

I may just have to get out and cut tomorrow or Friday having cut last saturday. Folks can't believe how thick and lush the grass is in my back yard. I guess it's a good/bad problem.

I'll try the tips I haven't checked and report back. Thanks again for the ideas.

Reb

Don't know your mower but sounds as it has gears. If so do begin with slower speed rather than drop to it. But have you checked the blades? Did not see any mention of them. Have you replaced them, they probably need to be if not. Also be 100% certain you have correct blades and installed properly. On some mowers they are easy to install upside down causing the non cutting edge to try doing the cutting.

Also if you are getting big wad of grass under the deck you may not be allowing it to kick out and thus causing the belts to smoke and not catch back up.

You are running engine at full rpms? It is running at full rpms since sitting for the winter? The rpms are needed for blade speed not moving speed.

Depending where in the South (my guess based upon some comments) you are the thicker grass may need to be cut even every 3 or 4 days. With rain and type of grass.

How is your air filter? How about tires air pressure?

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

But, this year in spring, I cut once per week and it's usually about 4 to 4.5". I have the cut height at 3" now.
Reb

do I read right... this thick grass is 4 to 4.5" high when you cut it down to 3"?
that must be some tough grass you've got. My grass over the weeping bed area grows fast & thick, and I do need to slow down there with my Kubota TG1860G (18HP Kawasaki) and 54" deck. This grass is usually 6" or more high when I cut it to 3.5", but I certainly don't experience anything like you describe.
If you've checked your blades, etc. I don't know what else to suggest... if you had more HP, you'd just smoke the belt faster. Maybe a problem with the belt(s)... not enough tension ? have you verified that you have the correct length belt ?

Pete

 

[jcdogfish]

I had a gt 275 years ago. I am not familiar with your type of grass but my experience is that deck does not like clover. Any thick damp kind of grass is very difficult for it to kick out. You can check the deck bearings to see if they are getting hard to turn which eats up some of the hp and make sure the fuel filter and carb is clean which makes it bog easily. Other than that, take small bites, always exhaust the grass away from your next cut and either make 2 passes or cut more often. Or get a mower with a commercial deck and more hp.

 

[rebmo]

Yeah, the grass is really super thick Kentuck Blue, and no clover. When I get into the really thick grass the motor does not seem to drop in RPM but the deck stops or a few times I smoked a belt just a bit before I stopped quickly and backed off. I can sometimes see where the grass stops getting cut behind and I have to stop, back up, and start in even slower.

So I had put a new PTO drive belt on. The one the tractor came with was coming apart early this spring, so a new one is on. It is a size matched to the old one from the hardware store. Does a OEM JD belt do a better job gripping? The old belt did the same thing early this spring but can't say it was OEM. I have not checked the deck drive belt or the spindles individually, but have greased them and the the blades spin pretty easy with the deck off.

Any suggestions on belts? JD OEM? Hardware Store (Rural supply HW)? I haven't checked or changed the deck blade drive belt so that will happen when I get the deck off.

And yeah, I'm not taking much off and when I get into the thick stuff the blades stop. For most of the yard I'm gettting a nice clean cut at pretty good speed but the 30% that's really thick is shutting down the deck.

I will check the fuel filter and other suggested items. I'll post on what I find. BTW I also have a backup 1978 Allis Chalmers 718 GT and it bogs down even quicker. (Same as Simplicity). I need to sharpen the blades on that machine though. Pretty comparible power wise so it may just be the grass and seasonal conditions.

 

[jcdogfish]

If it is not bogging the engine and smoking the belt I would look at putting an oem belt on it. I have stalled the 275 and not have the belt slip. If it is throwing the grass out of the discharge and not just pushing it out in lumps I would go with a good drive belt. If its not bogging the engine your filters etc are probably fine.

 

[kthompson]

With your additional info totally agree with the last post. It is not engine so forget filters and such. That was when thought the engine was bogging down.

Do have a couple of recommnedations on the belts: do get OEM, look to see for certain which belt is slipping and also be sure oil is not leaking on to the drive pulley on engine nor you getting grease on pulleys on deck.

We installed new engine on a snapper once that did this and it had OEM belt and would smoke till it burnt the belt. With the little stronger engine had to run the drive belt on the tight side of specs to prevent any slip.

Most likely you can get dealership to ship belt to you.

 

[taborekle]

I have a JD 425 and have seen where if I mow to much to fast, the deck will vibrate, stall and eventually clog. I believe it's because the deck can't throw out the cuttings fast enough, and your deck is getting close to clogging.

For a really thick mat of grass to get a 4 inches up is a LOT for your deck to handle, and it is being overloaded. I suggest that you try cutting your grass when it's growing this fast twice a week, OR set the cutting height on the deck to just cut the top 2 inches off the top of the grass, rather then 4-5. If you want to use this technique to get BACK to your desired grass height, then your going to have to mow twice, once to take off the upper 2 inches, and then a second time to again take off another 2 inches of cut.

If your bagging it, try removing the bagging system. That will allow the deck to clear the cuttings within it faster, but your going to have windrows of grass clippings if you do that.

 

[rebmo]

First, Thanks for all the help and advice. Really helping me get moving along figuring this machine out.


Yeah, did some inspection today. Lots of issues. I bought this machine late last years cutting season and had also just moved which we are finally digging out of. The PO said he had maintained the machine and I didn't have time to really go over it until now. Bad plan, I should have dug in sooner but again no time. It has run and worked great until the thick spring grass.

So now that I'm digging in, here's the problem list.
Air filter - very gunked and the outer filter deteriorated (new on order) I blew out the paper filter and the RPMs seem higher after cleaning. I ordered the whole tune up kit since it does not look like it's been done for years.

The PTO drive belt on it is a thin belt and the "vibration" I'm getting is the belt slapping the covers since it's flopping around so much. There is way too much play and it does not appear to be the right belt. The deck belt itself is a much thicker wider deeper belt and turns pretty easy by hand (so not too worried about the deck belt and bearings). I had greased the deck bearings but did it again and they still took a bit of grease to fill. So the blades have been sharpened and balanced and installed correctly, but the PTO belt is slipping and too small, and then the next problem.

There is an oil leak. It looks like the typical crakcase gasket leak so I have a new gasket and sealer and now need some time to get on it (2 day stretch). I have a real deal JD PTO dirve belt on order. My dilemna is I may need to use it for a couple weeks before I get to the oil leak. That's a bad expensive plan if I kill the new belt, but not sure I have any other options. Any thoughts, the oil is working it's way down to the PTO clutch and not sure I can stop that. I'd love to shove a rag in there somewhere to absorb it but no good place.

So I can cut grass with the crappy thin belt, but I do have to wait for the blade rpms to get going, and have to go super slow. Still I can see some lack of high speed cut in the thick parts. The grass looks to be getting pushed down and even missed in some spots, so I suspect the thin belt just can't handle that, period. I also noticed, no matter what, there is not much grass velocity out the chute. I noticed even my neighbors Simplicity LT is blowing it out much further. I'm seeing grass blow out maybe 12-18" and very weak with sputtering clumps coming out in the thick stuff.


I may work on my other Allis Chalmers 718 and get that one going. Same problem with the blades stopping, cheap PTO drive belt and slips in the thick stuff. I'll see if I can get a new belt for that one (no oil leaks either) and hopefully get by with it until I get the oil leak fixed on the JD. BTW, I do check the oil and add every time I cut.

Thanks for all the tips, I'm learning fast and the hard way hehe. I'll report back on further progress. Should see some real improvement with a new PTO belt and the higher RPMs.

Reb