Use and Care Manual

24 Section 6— Maintenance & adjuStMentS
Deck Wheels
The wheels on the deck which are spherical shaped (50” and 54”
decks have 4) are equipped with a grease fitting. Lubricate with a
No. 2 multi-purpose grease applied with a grease gun after every
25 hours of tractor operation.
Pivot Points & Linkage
Lubricate all the pivot points on the drive system, parking brake
and lift linkage at least once a season with light oil.
Adjustments
WARNING! Shut the engine off, remove the
ignition key and engage the parking brake before
making adjustments. Protect your hands by using
heavy gloves when handling the blades.
NOTE : Check the tractor’s tire pressure before performing any deck
leveling adjustments. Refer to Tires on page 11 for information
regarding tire pressure.
Adjusting the Deck
Leveling the Deck (Front-To-Rear)
The front of the cutting deck is supported by a stabilizer bar that
can be adjusted to level the deck from front to rear. The front of
the deck should be between ⁄” and ⁄” lower than the rear of the
deck. Adjust if necessary as follows:
1. Park the tractor on a firm, level surface and place the deck
lift lever in the middle position and rotate the blade nearest
the discharge chute so that it is parallel with the tractor.
2. Measure the distance from the front of the blade tip to the
ground and the rear of the blade tip to the ground. The
front of the deck should be between ⁄” and ⁄” less than
the rear of deck.
Determine the approximate distance necessary for proper
adjustment and proceed, if necessary.
1. To raise the front of the deck, loosen the outer nut then
tighten (thread inward) the nut against the front hanger
bracket. See Figure 6-5. When proper adjustment is
achieved, re-tighten the outer nut to 25-30 ft.-lbs.
Figure 6-5
2. To lower the front of the deck, loosen the outer nut then
loosen (thread outward) the nut, away from the front
hanger bracket. See Figure 6-5. When proper adjustment is
achieved, re-tighten the outer nut.
Leveling the Deck (Side-to-Side)
If the cutting deck appears to be mowing unevenly, a side to side
adjustment can be performed. Adjust if necessary as follows:
1. With the tractor parked on a firm, level surface, place the
deck lift lever in the middle position and rotate both blades
so that they are perpendicular with the tractor.
2. Measure the distance from the outside of the left blade
tip to the ground and the distance from the outside of the
right blade tip to the ground. Both measurements taken
should be equal. If they’re not, proceed to the next step.
3. Under the rear fenders inside the wheels there is a lift
adjustment rod for each side of the deck. See Figure 6-6.
Figure 6-6
4. Minor side-to-side adjustments should be made using
primarily the left adjustment rod.
5. To raise the left side of the deck, loosen the upper nut on the
end of the lift rod, then turn the lower nut clockwise. When
the proper adjustment is achieved, tighten the upper nut to
secure in place. To lower the left side of the deck, loosen the
upper nut on the end of the lift rod, then turn the lower nut
counterclockwise. When the proper adjustment is achieved,
tighten the upper nut to 25-30 ft-lbs. to secure in place.
6. The deck is properly leveled when both blade tip
measurements taken earlier are equal.
Adjusting the Deck Height
The height of the deck can be adjusted to ensure that the setting
on your deck height lever is accurate. To adjust the deck height
proceed as follows:
1. Park the tractor on a firm, level surface and place the deck
lift lever in the highest position (4”) and rotate the blade
nearest the discharge chute so that it is perpendicular with
the tractor.