72" 914mmm/uncut rows

[thcri]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

Peter,

When I put new blades on for the first time I asked my dealer about positioning the blades. He said you don't have to. But I do agree with you and that is the way I installed them. I positioned them about 3 hours apart from each other.

But you guys can all call me dumb, stupid, blonde whatever. I told you the streak was where the blades meet and I don't know how I an up with that other than, well whatever. The streak is right behind the outside of each front wheel. What i am seeing with mowing really slow is the grass is being pushed down from the weight of the wheel and not coming back up. This only seems to be on the area of the outside of the wheel and not the whole wheel. I have double checked the blades and they are installed correctly. I guess my dealer is going to come out in the next day or so.

murph

 

[thcri]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

tinner,

I took the pressure washer to mine, and it still does it. I lifted the deck right off the ground with the FEL and washed until there wasn't a blade of grass left.

murph

 

[djradz]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

It sounds to me like you've got a combination of the wheels pressing the grass down and that lining up with the tips of the blades. Seems to me like there's not much you can do. I would however make sure your setup isn't putting undue pressure on the front mower wheels which is causing the pressing down.

Unless you have a setup different from almost every one I've seen, there is no such thing as setting a blade position. As soon as there's any slippage by a pulley on the belt, the position changes! Also, if you have any sort of blade clutches, which I know most Woods-brand mowers do, as soon as there's any slippage of any clutch, then the position's changed.

 

[thcri]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

dj,

The rows that are not getting cut are right behind the front tires of the tractor, not the mower. I mowed really slow the other night and noticed the grass was getting pushed down by the front tires and the grass would not stand back up before the mower got to it. It is so dry here so I am waiting for some rain to see if that will help. Its probably more a weak grass than the mower.

murph

 

[Mosey]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

murph - Are the rows where the front tires are mashing the grass down in line with the overlap of the blades? If so, it might be a combination of the grass getting mashed down and the fact that there will be less suction at the overlap point that's causing the problem. Try adjusting the sway on the 3pt arms so that the mower is offset as far as you can get it to one side and see if that helps.

 

[djradz]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

One last thought. Are you mowing at the proper 540 Pto RPM? Anything less can also make a big difference.

 

[thcri]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

djradz,

My TC29D has an idiot light for the rear PTO (540rpm). There is also an idiot light for 600 RPM which according to the tractor manual is an unsafe condition.

The instructions for the mower says to use full throttle position, now the manual for the tractor kind of contradict's itself. It tells me that when the Red 600 RPM light comes on that I am running too fast. So I pretty much keep it just under the red 600 RPM and over the 540 RPM idiot lights.

Now to make things worse when mowing I can mow a path and then come across the end of where I mowed and it will mow at a different height. I find this also true in the next path when I am on a side hill. Something is goofy with my mower and I remember when the dealer was setting it up he had some troubles with it. I may have to take it back in or re-adjust everything myself. Right now I have the mower set at 2.5" and then I let the wheels on the mower deck just about touch the flat surface (concrete) and that is where I set my draft. That is what I was told by the dealer to do.


Unhappy Camper, I mean mower right now.

murph

Murph

 

[thcri]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

Mosey,

My mower is a mid mount mower, and the streaks are behind the front tire and lined up right with the shaft of the blades. Not where the blades meet.

murph

 

[djradz]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

Murph, sounds like you've got the PTO speed just right. I mow with my RFM exactly in the same speed range. However, regarding the wheels, isn't the 914A deck designed to run on the mower wheels and essentially be self supporting? I thought that only the center anti-scalp roller should be off the ground. I thought the four side wheels fuction just like those on an RFM and are not like the gage wheels on small lawn tractors, which are essentially anti-scalp rollers. If you were running on these wheels, rather than controlling the level by draft, I think you'd get a more even cut, but hey I've been wrong before.

It certainly sounds like your uncut rows however are mostly being caused by the front wheels pressing the grass down. Maybe the 914A just doesn't generate enough lift to pick the grass back up. If this is really the case, maybe a little slower ground speed can help, but then again, maybe moving slower will just press the grass more.

 

[hazmat]

Re: 72\" 914mmm/uncut rows

<font color="blue">However, regarding the wheels, isn't the 914A deck designed to run on the mower wheels and essentially be self supporting? I thought that only the center anti-scalp roller should be off the ground. I thought the four side wheels fuction just like those on an RFM and are not like the gage wheels on small lawn tractors, which are essentially anti-scalp rollers. If you were running on these wheels, rather than controlling the level by draft, I think you'd get a more even cut, but hey I've been wrong before.
</font>

The 914A MMM is what I call a "hybrid" MMM - It is half suspended / half ground contact. It has a spring system that helps support the weight of the deck. According to the instruction manual the wheels are supposed to be touching the ground. The trick is finding the place on the position control where all four wheels are touching, but the deck is still "sprung" ie - there is tension on the springs attached to the lift arms. Again the manual covers this.

I set mine up in the garage on flat cement: Lower the three point untill all 4 wheels make contact. The deck should be easily lifted by one hand on both sides because it is still sprung. I set the stop knob & go out & cut.

I just raised mine up to 3.5" vs 3" I was cutting in the spring. I have noticed a decrease in cutting quality - the lawn looks shaggy. I'd qualify the blades as medium lift. Don't know if New Holland offers a higher lift blade. It is tough to get good suction with 3.5" of air under the deck.

Murph - maybe try lowering the deck untill the wheels touch? Also you may want to consider adjusting the deck if you are uneven - there is a whole long procedure for doing this in the manual, but I found the best way was to just move the threaded rods a few turns at a time untill I got where I wanted. Key was to get front to back first & then worry about side to side. Tape measure is handy for this.

Good luck.