How To Level A John Deere Riding Mower Deck

Why is my mower cutting lower on one side?

If the deck on your lawn tractor is lower on one side than the other, the result is an uneven cut Leveling your tractor’s deck periodically smooths out your lawn It only takes a few minutes and just a couple of common tools to level your lawn tractor deck

How do I fix my uneven mower deck?

Blade vibration also causes an uneven cut To eliminate vibration, replace unbalanced blades and worn mandrels Replace a worn blade belt because a worn belt won’t spin the blades correctly Worn deck idler pulleys can also cause vibration, so replace any deck pulleys that don’t spin freely

Should a lawn mower deck be level?

Level the mower deck to ensure grass cutting height is even across the width of the deck This will help ensure a smooth and seamless side-by-side blend between each row of freshly cut grass

Why is my mower deck unlevel?

Uneven cutting is wavy or smooth troughs in the lawn surface Uneven cutting is usually caused by mower deck damage or misadjustment

Should mower deck wheels touch the ground?

Mower deck gauge wheels should be properly adjusted to prevent scalping grass on uneven terrain The bottom of the wheels should sit approximately 1/8-1/2 of an inch from the ground, depending on your cutting height

How much do you overlap when mowing?

Don’t Make Your Rows Too Far Apart For even coverage, it’s best to overlap each pass by at least three inches It’s better to overlap than look back and see strips of grass that you missed

Which side of a lawn mower blade goes up?

The wings of the lawn mower blade will be oriented up toward the mower deck and any writing on the blade will likely be facing away from the deck If the blade bolt comes with a washer, its concave side will be facing the blade

Can you straighten a mower deck?

If you have a lawnmower that has a bent deck, you can straighten it back into shape Place the lawnmower on a sturdy, level surface

Do mower blades have to be lined up?

Do mower blades have to be lined up? Blades are lined up when they are fitted to the new machine and held in place by the spindles and the pins so you should not have to touch them The way they are set up when they leave the factory is the setting needed to give the best possible cut

Should the front of a mower deck be higher or lower than the rear?

For most effective results, a lawn mower deck should have a pitch of 1/8-inch to 1/2-inch between the height of the deck rear to the height of the deck front In any case, the front of the deck needs to be pitched lower than the deck rear, but don’t pitch too much because deck pitch that’s too steep can scalp lawns

How often should I level my mower deck?

Level your mower deck once or twice a season

Should the front of a push mower be lower than the back?

This is normal for most mowers The front of the mower deck should be lower than the back The reason is you only want the blade to cut the grass once If the blade were level, the drag of the grass on the blade would bog the engine down or take more power to do the same amount of work

How often should mower blades be sharpened?

This keeps your mower in good shape and helps to maintain a healthy lawn However, if you mow more often, the blades will need more attention On average, a mower blade should be sharpened after every 20 to 25 hours of use time

How can I increase the height of my deck?

Our two ideas are to remove the decking, increase the height of the joists (attaching with metal straps wrapped around both pieces and tie-in plates) and and then replacing the decking OR add 2x4s to top of decking and add a second layer of decking on top of that; dimensions to be confirmed)

How do you adjust the height on a John Deere mower deck?

Measure the left and right rear corners of the mowing deck’s height from the ground Place an adjustable wrench on a rear lift link’s nut and turn it clockwise to raise that side of the deck, or counterclockwise to lower it

Why is my mower scalping?

Scalping a lawn is often caused when the mower blade is set too low Ideal mowing should see you removing no more than 1/3 of the grass height each time With lawn scalping, all of the leaf blades have been removed, exposing the roots Dull blades or machines that have gotten out of adjustment are the main causes

Is it better to mow or edge first?

Trim and Edge First Before you get behind the mower, trim and edge your yard to lessen the risk of damaging trees, plants, and hardscaping by getting too close with your mower

How do you mow without leaving lines?

Overlap mowing rows by several inches, placing the mower’s current tire path inside the previous row’s tire marks Also, the blades don’t reach to the very edge of the mowing deck So overlapping every row by a few to several inches is necessary

Can you put mower blades on wrong?

Mower blades have a cutting edge at each end The key to replacing the mower blade is installing the new one properly It is common to install a blade upside down When this happens, the lawn mower will not cut correctly, or it could damage the mower