Snikpmot
New member
There is a alignment on the 52 inch deck I set it up last year,,,,,but alas the manual has done a disappearing act! I was sure hoping for a glaring answer. But,,,,
Mower Deck Blade Alignment
- Thread starter Lloyd_E
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Gary Fowler
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2008
- Messages
- 11,998
- Location
- Bismarck Arkansas
- Tractor
- 2009 Kubota RTV 900, 2009 Kubota B26 TLB & 2010 model LS P7010
You can put the blade on in any position and they will not touch if you have the correct length of blade for the mower. As has been mentioned, the middle blade is set a bit forward from the two side blade and this allows for an overlap in cutting without the blades meeting. On a belt drive, there is no way to keep blades in sync since the belts always slip a bit especially of one hits a root, rock, tall grass etc therefore they have to be able to turn without hitting in any rotational pattern. The biggest problem occurs when one is placed upside down which is easy to do if you aren't careful. Bevel always faces up so it pulls up on the grass when cutting. Also the upturned wing at the end of the blade and opposite side from the cutting edge creates lift to raise the grass but if turned upside down, it will be whacking the grass down before it can be cut.
I don't think any size mower with belt drive has timed blades so blade placement is a non issue, just put them on with the correct side up and don't worry. Any vibration could be caused by an improperly sharpened blade where much more metal is removed from one side than the other. Another thing that may happen with some mowers is that the blade is not set properly on the shaft. Some shafts have a little protrusion that has to set inside the hole in the blade. Failure to properly set this into the blade so it sets flush will cause a lot of vibration. If it then settles into place as one poster said, then it will be loose on the shaft. This is very important to make sure you set the blade properly. My Craftsman 6000 has this protrusion, but my Ferris set flat on the shaft.
Another thing to watch is that most mowers have a cupped washer on the bottom which acts like a lock washer. The washer may look flat but if you set it on a very flat surface and look at it closely you will fine it cupped slightly. The cup faces upward so that when you tighten the bolt, it flattens the cup so there is tension on the bolt without overly tightening.
I don't think any size mower with belt drive has timed blades so blade placement is a non issue, just put them on with the correct side up and don't worry. Any vibration could be caused by an improperly sharpened blade where much more metal is removed from one side than the other. Another thing that may happen with some mowers is that the blade is not set properly on the shaft. Some shafts have a little protrusion that has to set inside the hole in the blade. Failure to properly set this into the blade so it sets flush will cause a lot of vibration. If it then settles into place as one poster said, then it will be loose on the shaft. This is very important to make sure you set the blade properly. My Craftsman 6000 has this protrusion, but my Ferris set flat on the shaft.
Another thing to watch is that most mowers have a cupped washer on the bottom which acts like a lock washer. The washer may look flat but if you set it on a very flat surface and look at it closely you will fine it cupped slightly. The cup faces upward so that when you tighten the bolt, it flattens the cup so there is tension on the bolt without overly tightening.
