23ford
Well-known member
My mower deck leaves a stip uncut between the blades and is cutting low on right side......how do I fix?
mower deck not cutting correctly
- Thread starter 23ford
- Start date
blades are worn ( short ) and deck needs to be levelled . blade could be bent too
Uncle murph
Well-known member
You might want to check tire pressure as well.
Had this issue more times then I care to admit.
Last edited:
Tbender78
Well-known member
Same as above. 1 tire a little low makes a difference. No clue about the uncut strip.
Snip
Well-known member
I have seen instances where the blades have struck something solid and bent either the blade (quick fix) or bent the tabs that the spindles bolt to ( a somewhat time/labor intensive correction). Either will cause a small uncut strip or a stair step cut within the deck area. On one occasion i noticed left side cutting slightly lower on one pass but seemed to get worse with each pass. Turns out the LR tire was going flat, all the way flat. talk about a funky looking lawn cut, lol.
tdkkart
Well-known member
More and more often I feel this way when reading this forum......
Decks themselves will bend and warp so the blade spindles are not perpendicular to the ground. This happens on the lower prices mowers, MTD for example. Take the deck off, flip it over and lay a straight edge across the blades. They should be flat across, but many times I have seen them where the blades are lower to the ground in the middle. Over time the belt tension pulls the spindles together.
Another problem is bent blades, also easy to see once you get the deck out where you can work on it.
Also, when you get the deck back on the mower, the front, (in the direction of travel), of the blade should be a bit lower than the rear, about 1/4". This is so the blades don't "drag" on the grass and just the front cuts the grass.
Another problem is bent blades, also easy to see once you get the deck out where you can work on it.
Also, when you get the deck back on the mower, the front, (in the direction of travel), of the blade should be a bit lower than the rear, about 1/4". This is so the blades don't "drag" on the grass and just the front cuts the grass.
rsparks64
Well-known member
My walk behind has problems when I adjust the wheels to a new height but inadvertently don’t adjust them all the same. I have done that more than once (actually more than twice). My old riding mower and now zero turn require that the deck be leveled (a real pain on some models) and the tires can deflate over time unevenly. All of these cause issues. Other cutting issues have been as described above along with various blade problems (bent, gouges and chips, etc.)
Chevy72pu
Well-known member
All of the above are good answers. It depends on the type of mower that you have as to how you would remedy the problem. At the beginning of each mowing season I balance the deck on my snapper by parking on concrete and taking measurements front to rear and side to side. Adjust accordingly. Then I air all the tires to the proper pressure (front is higher psi than rear). During the season I regularly check the air pressure and the condition and sharpness of the blade. Mine usually require sharpening at least twice during the season. Regular maintenance is a necessity for a smooth cut.
Milton Shaw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
- 4,839
Most mowers the blades are in a staggered position so that the blades overlap as you drive to keep from hitting each other. Some I have seen turn sharp one direction and you could leave a gap between blade because of your cutting circle. Try a turn the other direction. Also too short a blade could cause the same problem. Mower blades are not synchronized like mixer paddles are to keep from hitting each other that is why they are staggered.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
what kind of mower???? A cheap chincy mower could have the deck shell bent, a commercial mower not so much. Did you take the deck out? have you sharpened or replaced your blades?
toolmiser
Well-known member
Is there a chance that one or both of the blades are installed upside down? Don't ask me how that can be done.
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
Years ago, I had a friend come down to the shop with a rider he bought from the neighbor. The neighbor hated it, since it was new, as it "wasn't cutting right". We put it up on the lift and found one of the springs that hold the deck up, was not connected. We put it on, and it cut just fine. He bought the rider for $25, left with it and was back in a half hour and it was cutting fine. His neighbor was not happy he didn't look at it.