General lawn mowing with 54” deck

[Gord Baker]

Get ready to laugh, but in the last 20 years of owning a few nice riding mowers with 54” 3-blade decks, I hadn’t ever noticed the distinct “line” left between blades (see pics). Why am I just seeing this now?

Obviously the blades can’t overlap, they’d hit each other. Is the deck height so low that I’m only noticing the slight height difference between blade rows? I’m right where I usually have it at 2”.

Only way (it seems) to get a nice even uniform cut is to go up n back over the same cut areas but try and line up so I mow down the raised up stripes…. Again, never had to do that before.

Thanks for any suggestions/answers.

Jay

Perhaps the Blade tips are worn. Doesn't take much. You may also be mowing grass that is too long for smooth cut. Check Back to Front for level and be sure blades are reasonably sharp.

 

[MH8675309]

Mine is a Cub Cadet zero turn and was doing the same thing. It wound up that this adjustment gear had worked loose and fell out. I had to get another one. See the photos - it could be something along these lines

 

[NoTrespassing]

Walker mowers have geared decks and synchronized blades so they can overlap. It works great until the shear screws break and the blade tips start hitting. Best to be quick on the blade shutoff lever at that moment.

 

[Jaygyver]

Like it's been mentioned, I'm going with the deck is out of alignment. Either the adjustment got loose or something fell off. You can see the significant drop on the one side. With all the vibrations things can work there way out. No big deal. Just find a flat level area and just measure it on each side.

Ask me how I know.......
On my Huqvana 54" there is only one side to side "stabilizer" and one day I saw a rut gouging out behind the mower, turns out it fell out of one end and curled into a C shape. Fixed it and all was good.... until I noticed the last couple of times my wife got done with the mowing and noticed the same problem you're having. Been busy and never got to it and I just happened to walk around the property just for a "walkabout" and lo and behold what the hell was this metal rod doing in the field. Yup it fell out again, completely this time. It's technically a mower but the wife thinks it's a bulldozer.

 

[POGuy]

Like it's been mentioned, I'm going with the deck is out of alignment. Either the adjustment got loose or something fell off. You can see the significant drop on the one side. With all the vibrations things can work there way out. No big deal. Just find a flat level area and just measure it on each side.

Ask me how I know.......
On my Huqvana 54" there is only one side to side "stabilizer" and one day I saw a rut gouging out behind the mower, turns out it fell out of one end and curled into a C shape. Fixed it and all was good.... until I noticed the last couple of times my wife got done with the mowing and noticed the same problem you're having. Been busy and never got to it and I just happened to walk around the property just for a "walkabout" and lo and behold what the hell was this metal rod doing in the field. Yup it fell out again, completely this time. It's technically a mower but the wife thinks it's a bulldozer.

My wife has asked me/ told me she would like to cut the grass. My response was that I have neither the time or the money to fix everything she can break. She knows it's true though.

 

[NoTrespassing]

My wife has asked me/ told me she would like to cut the grass. My response was that I have neither the time or the money to fix everything she can break. She knows it's true though.

I feel the same way about my 13-year-old son. I remember how hard I was on my dad's push mowers.

 

[Kubota Dragon]

Tire pressure has always been the issue with mowers I have owned and used.
Having tubeless tires on lawn mowers has always been a problem for mowing
and holding snow and ice chains.

Hard to admit, I was seeing the same issue from my 54" Ariens after a couple years of use. It just had to happen in the front yard of all places. Wouldn't you know, the right front tire was really low of air. Unfortunately we get complacent on checking the filters, adding gas and away we go. Well dummy, ya forgot to check the tires on this little monster.

 

[Kubota Dragon]

My wife has asked me/ told me she would like to cut the grass. My response was that I have neither the time or the money to fix everything she can break. She knows it's true though.

My wife wanted to be 'helpful' and asked if she could use the Echo gas weed eater while I mowed. Showing her how to do it and as many details as I could about the piece of equipment. Oh brother. While mowing with the Kawasaki engine roaring behind me, I heard what sounded like a chain saw at max RPM cutting down a large tree. LOL. She had maybe an inch of line sticking out of the machine just cranking on the trigger for all the power possible. AAAAAHHHHHHHHH. I got this, could you get me some more tea?

 

[Kubota Dragon]

I feel the same way about my 13-year-old son. I remember how hard I was on my dad's push mowers.

Does your son like to run? Get a push mower with all-wheel drive. LOL. I got my mother in-law one because she complained so as a guy, we resolve the issue. Now I visit it in the garage collecting dust. The complaints went from it's hard to push this mower to it drags me across the yard. LOL.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Does your son like to run? Get a push mower with all-wheel drive. LOL. I got my mother in-law one because she complained so as a guy, we resolve the issue. Now I visit it in the garage collecting dust. The complaints went from it's hard to push this mower to it drags me across the yard. LOL.

He runs track and cross county. I made him a track around the yard, 6 laps equal 1 mile. I think I'll stick to mowing with the zero turn.

To the OP, good for you pulling the trigger. It takes me a lot longer if the thing being replaced is still working.