NH TC29D MMM not cutting correct

PAB_OH · Jun 7, 2006

A friend has a New Holland TC29D with a 60" MMM. He is an older gentleman with bad knees and doesn't get around too well right now so I help him out whenever I can.

He called last night and said his MMM isn't cutting right, it is leaving streaks (that is leaving a strip of uncut grass). I recently sharpened the blades but I didn't put them back on, he did. The first thing I will check when I go over tonight to make sure one or more blades didn't get put on backward.

I don't have very much experience with tractors in general and MMM specifically. I wanted to get a couple of opinions on what to check from the brain trust here. So if anyone has a theory, let'er rip. I'm hoping it is something easy and quick, otherwise I'll have to return his Woods RD6000 RFM that I have fallen in love with but can't afford to buy! He is letting me use it since he let it set out for 4 or 5 years without being used.

Anyway, fire away.

PAB_OH · Jun 7, 2006

A friend has a New Holland TC29D with a 60" MMM. He is an older gentleman with bad knees and doesn't get around too well right now so I help him out whenever I can.

He called last night and said his MMM isn't cutting right, it is leaving streaks (that is leaving a strip of uncut grass). I recently sharpened the blades but I didn't put them back on, he did. The first thing I will check when I go over tonight to make sure one or more blades didn't get put on backward.

I don't have very much experience with tractors in general and MMM specifically. I wanted to get a couple of opinions on what to check from the brain trust here. So if anyone has a theory, let'er rip. I'm hoping it is something easy and quick, otherwise I'll have to return his Woods RD6000 RFM that I have fallen in love with but can't afford to buy! He is letting me use it since he let it set out for 4 or 5 years without being used.

Anyway, fire away.

Hooked_on_HP · Jun 7, 2006

On 2 or 3 blade decks there isn't alot of overlap on the blades or they would hit each other. If the tip of the blades get rounded it will leave streaks. All you can do is replace the blades.

Hooked_on_HP · Jun 7, 2006

On 2 or 3 blade decks there isn't alot of overlap on the blades or they would hit each other. If the tip of the blades get rounded it will leave streaks. All you can do is replace the blades.

PAB_OH · Jun 9, 2006

We checked the corners of the blades. They weren't real sharp so I went ahead and filed them. That didn't resolve the problem.

I noticed it seemed to be cutting low on the sides and high in the middle. I got to looking closer and the deck wasn't level. I never understood why that was important until now. Because the the two outer blades are positioned further back with respect to the center balde, if you tilt the deck up in the front it has the effect of lenghtening the two outer blades causing them to cut lower than the middle balde.

I told him to take the front gage wheels off and have the spacer turned (they are custom made wheels, not stock) then have some shims made and we can level it up this weekend.

Apparently he has been mowing with the deck at it's highest position for some time but recently decided to cut the grass a bit shorter so he lowered the rear wheels without thinking about lowering the front which he couldn't have done anyways since the shaft and spacer are one piece. I think if he takes a good 1" off the spacer part of the shaft then has some 1/8" shims made (BTW, he owns a small factory with a machine shop) he'll be able to level it up pretty nicely.

PAB_OH · Jun 9, 2006

We checked the corners of the blades. They weren't real sharp so I went ahead and filed them. That didn't resolve the problem.

I noticed it seemed to be cutting low on the sides and high in the middle. I got to looking closer and the deck wasn't level. I never understood why that was important until now. Because the the two outer blades are positioned further back with respect to the center balde, if you tilt the deck up in the front it has the effect of lenghtening the two outer blades causing them to cut lower than the middle balde.

I told him to take the front gage wheels off and have the spacer turned (they are custom made wheels, not stock) then have some shims made and we can level it up this weekend.

Apparently he has been mowing with the deck at it's highest position for some time but recently decided to cut the grass a bit shorter so he lowered the rear wheels without thinking about lowering the front which he couldn't have done anyways since the shaft and spacer are one piece. I think if he takes a good 1" off the spacer part of the shaft then has some 1/8" shims made (BTW, he owns a small factory with a machine shop) he'll be able to level it up pretty nicely.