Kubota ZD21 Level Problem - stumped

[lawdog1]

Hello fellow Kubota owners,

I have a ZD21 60" mower with a leveling problem. The whole mower looks crooked.

We noticed it was not cutting evenly and so I inspected the mower more closely. Before I started trying to level the deck, I noticed the entire mower looked uneven, as if one of the front tires was flat or something. However, the tires are all okay.

I first checked the manual jack. The jack is completely unwound to the point where it will not turn anymore, and the pivot bolt looks to be in the center per the manual. However, the front wheel pivoting arm is not even with the body. The body looks crooked relative to the front wheel pivoting arm when the jack is completely unwound. If I start jacking up the mower, the part of the body that was lower than the arm begins to level and the wheel arm becomes level with the body, but the pivot screw is no longer centered per the manual.

From my memory, and looking at pictures of other zd21s, the front wheel arm and body are supposed to be level when on flat ground. I can't figure out why the whole mower is crooked.

Is there an alignment that can be done? I noticed in the manual instructions on adjusting the pivot axle, but not sure what that does.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[art]

Have you checked your rear tire air pressure?

 

[lawdog1]

Thanks for the reply.

The first thing I checked were the tires. Basically the entire machine looks like it is on pivot slightly as if a tire was low. The pivot screw is definitely in the center.

I did have to unwind the jack really to the end and then some to get the pivot screw in the center. For other zd21 owners, when you unwind the jack, does it go to the absolute end in order for the pivot screw to be in the center?

Are the frames pretty rigid? Is it possible the frame bent? Is it possible the deck is so out of alignment that it is acting as a weight and tilting the machine slightly? The machine has only about 200 hours on it.

 

[milkman]

Was it delivered by a C130? That's the only way I know to bend the frame, these things are made like tanks.

 

[art]

The front axle is a pivoting axle so the problem is not there! It could be that one rear tire was replaced with one that doesn't match it. It could be the deck lift linkage but I don't understand how it could do this in jut 200 hours without hitting something.

 

[lawdog1]

Went to take the wheels off to check the axles ... the left rear wheel lug nuts were loose and the lugs and wheel lug holes slightly bent, putting the whole tractor on a slight tilt ... thanks for your suggestions!