Mowing 914A Mower gauge wheels

[SacandagaBrad]

Does anybody know if you can get wider front gauge wheels on the 914A mower decks? My yard is so soft in spots, the standard hard plastic wheels dig in through the sod and mud. I was thinking a wider, even air filled, wheel would provide some floatation. I have adjusted the cushion lift as described in manual (and by Hazmat's instructions) to the point that I can lift the side off the floor with relative ease, but it still puts quite a bit of weight on the wheels by design so it can follow the contour of the ground. Thanks.

Brad

 

[thcri]

Brad,

I use to have the same problem but since I tend to let my deck float I don't have the trouble anymore. On concrete I gradually lower the deck until the wheels just touch the concrete and that is where I set the draft/float control. Then I mow at this point and my deck wheels don't leave marks anymore. I also don't tear the bearings out of the wheels either.

The only other thing would be to take your wheels off and have the bracket remade to accept a wider air filled tire. However I found having the mower deck float gives me a much nicer cut.

murph

 

[SacandagaBrad]

Thanks Murph - worked like a charm. My dealer set it up with the rear gauge wheels off the ground on a level surface, saying they have better luck with them set up that way. I've leveled it out some by the manual. They also set it up with the left lift rod on the 3PH set in the middle hole, but the manual warns against that and states to have in the highest hole. So I wonder if I did any damage to the lift system early on, such as bent linkage etc. I still have a little binding on the left arm of the 3PH where it lifts the cushion lift system.

Brad

 

[thcri]

MY back wheels are off the ground also. My dealer and one of his competitors have found that the deck works better with the back tilted just a bit. So I left mine that way.

murph