62C Deck Adjustment

[Gonerafting]

I recently purchased a X744 with only 50 hours on it from a John Deere Dealer. I decided to check the blades and the overall condition of the mowing deck. First of all, I found the lift arms up against the metal stops which is not supposed to happen, there is to be at least 1/16 inch space. I purchased the Level gauge and first worked side to side without much success in obtaining the necessary spacing from the stop. When I checked the front to rear level, I found the front at 1 1/2 inches from the ground, not the 2 1/2 inches where the factory recommends leveling. Lesson learned, check all leveling surfaces before attempting adjustments. After adjusting front to rear, I had plenty of room side to side with the required space between the stops.
My question is: 1) How often to you adjust or check your deck's adjustment? and 2) Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Edit: All measurements were made on level concrete, not from the ground.

 

[manwith2jd]

On my X740 the mechanical setup of the deck seems to hold settings pretty well. Tire pressure is usually the culprit when my deck seems to be out of adjustment, but I run pressures on the lower end for a better ride. I even wrote the pressures I run on the wheels for quick reference.

 

[Gonerafting]

I should have mentioned, always check your tire pressures before adjusting the deck. Although, my X744 was serviced before I purchased it at 48 hours, the tire pressures were way off. The front left had only 6 pounds of pressure and the rear right had over 20 pounds of pressure. It makes a big difference.

 

[donjdgt]

You didn't mention if it's the 7-iron drive over deck. If so, there are a set of upstops that were to have been removed when the unit was set up. A second set of stops (above those I mentioned) are then used to limit raise height of that deck. Otherwise for a deck such as the 62C, the removeable stops are to be left in place. Clear as mud?! Anything further, I'll try to help. Now I just realized your tractor is all wheel steer, so the 7-iron doesn't apply. Sorry for any confusion, but this might help someone with a 2 wheel steer tractor.

 

[Gonerafting]

I decided to adjust the Deck after placing the mulching kit on and reading in the manual the lift arm is not to contact the stop bracket. The hydraulic system can be damaged. The lift arms on my tractor in fact caused a slight indentation in the stop bracket on both sides. The John Deere adjustment gauge that is optional, really is not optional, everyone should have one. I have fine tuned the deck adjustment and have plenty of space between the stop arm and the lift arm by having it properly adjusted. I suggest anyone with a mower deck with stop brackets should take a look and make sure their is not contact. My tractor only had 52 hours on it when I purchased it, way out of adjustment.

 

[rayikeo2]

Once you have the deck adjusted there is no reason to have to re-adjust it. The only way it will get off level now is if (as someone mentioned) you have a low tire or there is a slight chance if you drive over a obsticle that forces the deck up extremely high on one side the rear lift bracket can come loose on that side. It has an S clip. If that happens the fix is to re attach the lift arm bracket (S Clip). Adjustment will stay the same. Mine has been one time adjusted for 12 years and I mow over some real uneven turf. I have had to re-attach the lift arm bracket several times though after running over a large branches in my path instead of moving them.

 

[Gonerafting]

Once you have the deck adjusted there is no reason to have to re-adjust it. The only way it will get off level now is if (as someone mentioned) you have a low tire or there is a slight chance if you drive over a obsticle that forces the deck up extremely high on one side the rear lift bracket can come loose on that side. It has an S clip. If that happens the fix is to re attach the lift arm bracket (S Clip). Adjustment will stay the same. Mine has been one time adjusted for 12 years and I mow over some real uneven turf. I have had to re-attach the lift arm bracket several times though after running over a large branches in my path instead of moving them.

Good advice, but I would still check that their is no metal to metal contact with the stop bracket. It was way off on mine and while I am sure it did not leave the factory that way, somewhere along the way someone majorly messed with it. Or the Dealer originally selling it does not have a very competent staff who did the adjustment in the first place.