Bob G. wrote:
On 16 Aug 2006 11:58:09 -0700, "Brigitte"
wrote:
....
I recently purchased a used lawn tractor and ...it's not cutting in a level path. It seems that one side of the blade(s) is lower ...

....

Can not figure out why most people are telling you to get under the
tractor or raise the tractor up on jack stands..etc...

Park the tractor on a somewhat level surface...like the driveway...
and eyeball the lower edge of the mower deck and compare how high off
the ground this lower edge is on both sides...they shoud be equal..
wheels on the outside edge of each deck should not be touching the
ground...

To level the deck you should have adjustment points on the deck
supports..which hang from the tractors frame down to the deck...

....

Up to this point Bob's got the best so far, by far...if it is cutting
an unlevel path, the deck isn't level. Someone else mentioned the air
pressure in the tires--if one is way low, that can be a part of it, so
fix any of those problems first. Then do the level slab and measure
the lower lip of the deck off the slab on both sides at the cutting
height. It should be within an eighth-inch or so on both sides.
Again, as Bob notes, make sure one or the other float wheel isn't
holding the deck up on one side--they should be just a tad above the
ground on level ground at cutting height. If the deck hangs level but
the cut isn't, _then_ you have something more problematical to take
care of, but if it runs well and isn't making much noise or vibration
on the deck, the likelihood of a bad bearing or other problem like a
bent shaft is pretty minimal. But, of course, once you're gotten the
deck level, the acid test is to measure the tip of each blade above
that same surface. It is possible a blade itself could be bent--this
check will find that, too. At 42", it must be at least two blades--if
it's three, getting to the center one takes getting down there and
reaching under. That's the way mine is but it's not a real hard thing,
just a little awkward.

As for how to adjust it to correct the problem, the general description
is right, but the details vary all over the map--you'll have to look at
the mounting linkage and see where there are some adjustable links. I
don't recognize the name, perhaps someone else will or DAGS and maybe
you can find an online source for a manual if one didn't come with it.
Of course, if the previous owner bought it new, you could try to
contact them and see if they still have it...

As for taking the deck off, I agree it should almost never be required
and is often a pita (to use the technical term), particularly on some
of the "no-name" tractors. An under-the-deck inspection should be
simply a verification that there isn't a whole lot of debris and the
blades are tight in virtually all cases.

To remove the blades, the easiest way imo, is to simply get a small
piece of 1x and place it alongside the blade and between the blade and
deck so that it wedges in place. Then a long-handled socket will make
short work of the blade bolt(s). Clean all mating surfaces before
re-installing. To tighten, you don't even need the block--the sharp
side of the blade is facing away from the direction in which you need
to tighten the bolt, so you can simply hold the back of the blade w/
the other hand while tightening the bolt. They don't need to be
knuckle-whitening tight, just tight.

If you do have need to pull the deck, I definitely recommend against
the idea of trying to drive the tractor over it--most any deck I have
seen is far too high for the wheels to get over the lip anyway, and
it's a good way to break something, one possibility being you.

HTH...