finish mower cutting problem

[don123]

i purchased a Bush Hog brand rear discharge finish mower 6' this summer. it has 3 blades, left, middle and right. the left and middle blades cut fine, but the right blade does not. it leaves grass somewhat uncut and basically i have to overlap on each pass to compensate for it and make the cut look nice. this now gives me a 4' finish mower. i think the right blade just doesn't get up to full speed. i have removed the blades and sharpened them, and there is nothing (like string) wrapped around the blade or spindle. does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks
don

 

[hazmat]

Loose belt?

With the tractor off - do all blades rotate (by hand) with the same amount of force? This should tell you if something is binding up.

I assume all blades are in similar condition & mounted right side up.

 

[BillyP]

Have you tried mowing in the opposite direction?

 

[Bird]

Don, remove the covers from each side on top of the deck and check everything under there. I had the 5' Bush Hog rear discharge mower, but 3 blades like yours, and it worked great. However, I did have one problem with it once. I was mowing when it slung a pulley out from under that cover. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif The pulleys are mounted onto the top spindle with a woodruff key to hold them in place and a nut on top. Apparently they did not tighten that nut on the right side spindle and it finally came off. It had obviously been loose awhile, I found no part of the woodruff key, but there had obviously been one because it had chewed up the inside of that pulley. I had to put a new pulley and woodruff key on it. There was also a bolt missing that I replaced. It was one of those with threads only on the end, screwed into the deck with the head sticking up as high as the top of the pulley and right beside the pulley; i.e., a guide to prevent the belt from coming off the pulley.

Maybe not the best description, but maybe you'll understand when you pull those 4 bolts on either side to remove those top covers.

 

[markie61]

Your profile needs to be filled in ......
....so I need to ask: Does your tractor have the HP to power the mower?
Also, are you mowing at 540rpm?
Too high ground speed, wet grass, and trying to mow too tall of grass in one pass are my finish mower's enemies.
Just a couple ideas.....
Mark

 

[shady1701]

possibiltys are..
belt slipping.. most likely..

bent spindle
bent/broke blade..
and possibly manufacturing error if has done since new..

 

[don123]

thanks to all for the help. i have a l3010 pulling this finish mower at 540 pto. cutting height is about 2 inches. it is only the right side that does it. i believe Bird has the most logical solution.
thx
don

ps.
sorry for the poor profile

 

[don123]

follow up:
it seems the unit came from the factory bent, or the spindle was defective. bush hog is delivering a new one to the dealer next week...
don

 

[shady1701]

The more i learn about manufacturing the more i'm amazed anything works.. JD and bush hog manufacturing are in my back yard I've personaly seen a ton of stuff you wouldn't want to believe.. both from suppliers to delivery problems.