Mowing 60 inch mower

[Tang]

I may be asking too soon, but any updates on working out the issues w/ your mower?

Thanks!

 

[tracdoc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Mine does, indeed, spin clockwise as I thought. I also get the grass packed in between the left front wheel and the frame and it fills in around the wheel motor. I attribute this to the grass moving from the operator's right to the operator's left across the rear of the deck. It hits the inside leading edge of the left front tire and goes into the rim area, then packs up the area around the wheel motor. )</font>

To repeat your exclamation, MR, EEEGADS!!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif My conclusion regarding why the left wheel area gets clogged was wrong, wrong, wrong. Did I say wrong?

I too straightened up the implements in my shed today, and found that the leading edges of my blades are oriented for CW rotation, not CCW as I originally concluded from the grass clogging. My apologies for any confusion on this.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> I too straightened up the implements in my shed today, and found ... </font> that I can't move all those attachments around without playing with a few of them. It is just about impossible to move any PT attachments without wanting to go do something with them, isn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[NJBill]

Hi Funpilot,

Now that we all realize why the grass, etc. gathers towards the left rear of the mower the train of thought moves quietly along to the next step. At the lowest setting the cutting edge of the blades are 2 1/2 inches above ground, which to most people is an ideal setting. The underside of the deck is 5 inches above the ground. The front edge of the mower is 4inches above ground, the two rounded side are 2inches above ground, and the rear sloped edge is 4 1/2 inches above ground.
So to all intents and purposes the blades are more or less flailing around in mid air, that is, there is not enough suction to lift the grass for it to be cut. But don't despair completely I have a friend who loves challenges, who would like to work on my 48 inch mower, he thinks there could be an answer. We've worked together before so I am very hopeful. Meanwhile I'm surprised that someone didn't mention to you about running full throttle for the benefit of the PTO.
I hope I will be back eventually with news, either way.
True PT'ers never give up without a darned good try.

 

[KentT]

NJBill's post just prompted a thought...

On my Simplicity tractors the deck is adjusted so the front tip of the cutting blades are about 1/2" higher than the rearmost tip, as they rotate. See picture below. This is for two reasons -- it provides more lift to stand the grass up, and it also allows you to cleanly cut taller grass (front chops the top off, rear makes the final cut). Note that this is a three blade deck, with the center blade sitting slightly forward of the two side blades.

Since no manuals come with any of the PT attachments, who knows what the "ideal setting" is... Might be worth a quick experiment on adjusting the deck...

 

[BillCroasmun]

KentT,
That's how I have my single blade deck for the PT-180 set. I'm guessing between 1/2" to 1" higher in the front. Which reminds me someone wanted to see a picture of the single blade deck. I'll take one this afternoon and have it posted this evening sometime.

 

[J_J]

I have to disagree with the thought that lower in the back and higher in the front is the correct method. Most commercial mower are lower in the front If you think about it, most home owners decks are set to the maximum in the rear, maybe 4 or 5 in. and when you operate the lever to lower the deck, you are lowering the front end only. There are some units out there that lower the front and back at the same time. The best solution is to set the back of the deck for the grass height that you are cutting, and set the front 1/4 in lower. If you cut different types of grasses, you night leave the back high, in case you have to double cut it.

 

[KentT]

JJ,

That picture is directly from the Simplicity manual, and Simplicity tractors are best known for the quality of the cut that they provide...

Don't know what the ideal setting is for a PT, as I said. I mow with the Simplicity 48" decks -- I have two. One is set up with regular high-lift blades and the other is set up with Gator mulching blades for chopping up leaves....

 

[TanSprFarm]

I can't speak for Symplicity mowers, but I use 2 60" Exmarks commercially and the front of the deck is .25 inch lower than the back, per the manual. I once set the PT higher in the front and I got "blowout" to the front. Just my observation.

 

[J_J]

All my Dixie Choppers and Snappers were set that way.