Parallel or perpendicular blade orientation when mounting 3 blades to a mower deck?

[4get gto]

I'm not sure how accurate that statement is RayIN . So you're saying they all use a smaller pulley in the center ?

 

[mikester]

Ask AI how to align your mower blades...AI solves EVERYTHING! So does crypto. Buy bitcoin and other meme-coins.

"
AI Overview

To properly align mower blades, ensure they are installed with the cutting edge facing the direction of rotation and the lift (or winged) edge facing up towards the mower deck. Additionally, the blade should be centered on the spindle and secured with a properly positioned washer. For riding mowers, the deck may also need to be leveled from side to side and front to back for an even cut. "

 

[chim]

Even without any slip, minute dimensional differences in the pulleys would "un-time" the blades in a short time. Travelling at high RPM's even a thousandth of an inch, or a small amount of dust buildup would make a difference.

 

[rontaki]

I always insure the valve stems on my inflatable mower blades are synchronized when I install them.

 

[WranglerX]

A multiple spindle mower deck belt pattern shows the middle spindle has much less belt to pulley contact than the outside spindle pulleys, making belt slip on the center one easy to understand.

Kinda got to disagree with you there.... At least on my two JD mowers....

 

[RayIN]

Kinda got to disagree with you there.... At least on my two JD mowers....

View attachment 3625857

That is a much better belt pattern than most multiple spindle decks.

 

[dieselscout80]

That is a much better belt pattern than most multiple spindle decks.

Looks like my Husqvarna 54” deck belt routing.

 

[2515R Dude]

Have someone told that it is not important on the belt driven blades?

 

[John0829]

You can time the blades all you want but they will not stay that way, the pulleys are suppose to be identical but there is enough variation in the manufacturing that they will turn at fractionally different speeds. Timing blades is OCD, IMHO

 

[Dftodd]

What an OCD perfectionist! Right side up, what's next, sharp too?

Doug in SW IA

My retired neighbor who mowed twice a week was really complaining about how his mower was cutting.

I had an atv/ mower lift and a cordless impact, so he brought his mower next door to my garage to change the blades.

I jacked up the mower climbed underneath the deck with the impact and started laughing.

He asked what was so funny, and I passed him out his first blade.

They used to be mulching blades. But were worn completely flat and extremely thin, and half the width of the new ones

 

[RayIN]

My retired neighbor who mowed twice a week was really complaining about how his mower was cutting.

I had an atv/ mower lift and a cordless impact, so he brought his mower next door to my garage to change the blades.

I jacked up the mower climbed underneath the deck with the impact and started laughing.

He asked what was so funny, and I passed him out his first blade.

They used to be mulching blades. But were worn completely flat and extremely thin, and half the width of the new ones

I can top that story. One day I was rushing to mow my yard before it rained. After installing newly-sharpened blades I began mowing. The 2nd pass I noticed the 1st pass looked terrible, so drove back to the shop and jacked up the ZTR. When I looked under the deck I immediately saw the blades were installed upsidedown.
There_ now I've said it

 

[Dftodd]

I can top that story. One day I was rushing to mow my yard before it rained. After installing newly-sharpened blades I began mowing. The 2nd pass I noticed the 1st pass looked terrible, so drove back to the shop and jacked up the ZTR. When I looked under the deck I immediately saw the blades were installed upsidedown.
There_ now I've said it

Neighbor did that once as well

I spent a weekend aligning my deck, got everything perfect, and then when I tested it out, the bloody thing would mow crooked again. (Thought my son had hit something with it)

Back to the garage, and realigned it again, just to have it mowing crooked again.

Asked a coworker who used to be a landscaper about it. His reply "usually when it's mowing crooked, a tire is soft".

My reply "Son of a Bi##h!!!!!"

Got home and found the left front tire was soft.

Before you do anything, check the bloody tire pressures

 

[John0829]

Neighbor did that once as well

I spent a weekend aligning my deck, got everything perfect, and then when I tested it out, the bloody thing would mow crooked again. (Thought my son had hit something with it)

Back to the garage, and realigned it again, just to have it mowing crooked again.

Asked a coworker who used to be a landscaper about it. His reply "usually when it's mowing crooked, a tire is soft".

My reply "Son of a Bi##h!!!!!"

Got home and found the left front tire was soft.

Before you do anything, check the bloody tire pressures

That happened to me the first time I used my SIL's ZT. Told him what a piece of crap it was and how horrible the cut was. Aired up the tire and all was good, I had a tasty dish of