Why does my Craftsman riding mower cut uneven?
If your riding lawn mower is cutting the grass unevenly, start by checking the pattern of the cut 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
How do you level a riding mower deck?
To level the deck from the front to rear, place the deck lift lever in the middle position Wearing gloves, rotate the blade closest to the discharge chute parallel to the lawn mower Measure the height of the front blade tip to the ground Next, measure the height of the rear blade tip to the ground
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
Why is my riding mower mowing uneven?
Uneven cutting is usually caused by mower deck damage or misadjustmentUneven Cutting CAUSE SOLUTION Blades are damaged Replace the blades Deck is clogged with grass clippings Clean out the deck Deck shell is damaged Repair or replace the deck Mower spindle is bent or loose Repair or replace the spindle
Should a 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
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 do you adjust the height on a Craftsman lawn mower?
For self-propelled Craftsman mowers, the height can be changed by raising or lowering the tire’s level using adjustable levers These levers are located on the inside of each tire, which is attached to the notches Shift the lever forward or backward to raise or lower the height of the particular wheel
How do you adjust the height of a mower deck?
Turn the adjusting lock nut clockwise to raise the mower and counterclockwise to lower it Measure from the blade to the ground again on both sides and adjust until the difference between the blade tip heights are within ⅛ -inch Rotate the blades so that their direction is now front to back
Why does my mower deck leave a strip of grass?
A strip of uncut grass left in the middle of mowing rows could signal that your lawnmower’s blades are unbalanced or that one or both of them was installed the wrong way Ensure that your mower’s blades are on correctly, that both are secured tightly to the mower deck and that both are balanced
What is a mandrel on a lawn mower?
The mandrel assembly attaches to the deck and spins the blade The bearings in the mandrel assembly wear down through normal use An unbalanced blade speeds the wear on the bearings, as does hitting rocks while mowing The mandrel assembly in this repair guide includes the blade shaft and bearings
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
What do I spray under my mower deck?
Graphite, silicone, or Teflon sprays are all sold as lawn mower deck sprays (although the all-purpose product probably works just as well) Cover the entire underside of a clean, dry deck, then let dry as directed on label instructions The effect is similar to cooking spray, but should last longer
What do anti-scalp wheels do?
Anti-scalp deck wheels are used on many higher-end riding mower models and on most “zero-turn” riding mowers These wheels help prevent the deck from coming in contact with the ground when passing over a high spot, thus preventing the blade from slicing off or “scalping” large clumps of grass
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
What is the lowest setting on a lawn mower?
If you don’t know what kind of grass you have, a good rule of thumb is to cut it at three inches or down to a minimum of 2 ½”, never removing more than one third of the grass blade at a time Understanding your model of lawn mower and how your lawn mower height settings work is important if you want to use it properly
How do you lower a Craftsman riding lawn mower?
Press down on the clutch/brake pedal, and release that pressure to release the parking brake Press the clutch/brake pedal partially forward to engage the clutch Push the gearshift lever into a gear, and release the clutch to make the riding mower move forward