What is Causing Raptor 54" Uneven Cut

[jekjr]

In my book that's a pretty big stretch to say that single rounded wheel up front of the deck on RSD is pushing grass down. It's nowhere near the ground in most cases and barely below the lip of the deck and being round if anything maybe grass goes around it just a tiny bit. Certainly nothing like the front wheels pushing the grass to the ground.

Not necessarily true that it is a stretch in "tall" grass. The reason being that the wheel will lay the grass down and it will not stand back up quick enough for the blades to cut it off correctly. The grass is laying down therefore the mower passes over it rather than cutting it off.

 

[jekjr]

We had similar problems with our Kubotas. We started running Scag Tiger Cat mowers and have very little of that problem now. We still have to keep sharp blades and match the groundspeed accordingly.

 

[577jersey]

Make sure the deck is level..just put 4 small 2x4 blocks under each corner and drop it down till it touches...Ive seen really thick crab grass not cut properly.
Mine has cut perfect since the day I bought it...90 hours ago..I check the deck once every two weeks using the 2x4 method.

I would not get the 60"..IMO its too big of a deck for the lift and hangers on this mower...the 48" would be perfect..I cut some huge 3 acre lots with a 48" for years...most versatile size deck in the industry.

This deck cuts just as good as any scag or exmark I ever had..no issues at all other than the opening being a little too small.

 

[mhavanti]

With all the rain Arkansas, Louisiana, East Texas and the lower center of the US. I mowed my yard yesterday at full deck lift. It was so full and overgrown after two weeks of rain I ran the mower at about 6 mph with the deflector in the up position and ate about 90 pounds of wet Bermuda. Between the mower and myself, we appeared to be wearing a Gilley suit. At WOT and depending upon the density of the grass, there were a few passes that left about a half inch higher stand from the middle blade. I slowed about a mph and the cut evened back out.

My mower is the RSD60 and thus far, I love the 60 inch deck other than walking around it. Takes a good half hour (sic) to make a single lap on foot. Ok, that may be a bit of a stretch, however, when building the new Garage Mahal, I only allowed 6 foot between the rear wall and an interior wall for a mower depository. I have to park it at a ninety degree angle to fit it into the parking space. Turns out, even a shorty doesn't fit by backing or pulling it directly in front or rear. So far, all the Z's I've had drop by to check out the Garage Mahal and have me diagnose their mower problems, none of them fit any better front to rear. Sideways, the narrower decks does leave a bit more room. However the 60 inch deck is nice due to the shorter time I have to sit in the saddle, the better.

Everyone in the neighborhood likes to compare minimum mowing time. So far, I hold the title with the slightly largest lot! {Two lots put together.} I think that comes from running WOT more than their inability to mow as fast. They just don't move their mowers at top speed. I'm also the next oldest in the neighborhood. All the others are from 10 to 25 years younger. Strange they are afraid to run their equipment at top speed.

I don't think there will be any problems with the lift mechanism on my SD. If so, I'll fix it. But, for all my neighbors, not likely they'll ever experience any problems with any of their mowers due to wear and the primary brand in my hood is Hustler. Most of those are the overpriced commercials that do the very same job as the RSD. They cut grass. My 1996 MTD All Wheel Steer does a beautiful job so I believe purchasing a more expensive mower is just a waste of money.

 

[jekjr]

Got me,Ive seen Scag Cheetahs do the same thing,,the bottom of the deck looks pretty much the same to me from my Bobcat to my RSD..actually the SD looks better other than its a little thinner and the chute opening is restricted.

If you have a Scag Cheeta doing that you have blade problems or are running too fast. The Velocity Deck on a Scag will cut tall stemmed grass smoothly in one pass if it has sharp blades on it.

 

[jekjr]

I said it some where in a post earlier that 99% of the deck leveling issues we see are because of tire pressure not being equal. Tire pressure contributes greatly to the problem of unloved cuts. On Zero turns many times a small differential in pressure from one side to the other will make a visible difference.

Many times people will have a tire slightly low and turn leveling devices and then it gets everything out of whack........

 

[577jersey]

With all the rain Arkansas, Louisiana, East Texas and the lower center of the US. I mowed my yard yesterday at full deck lift. It was so full and overgrown after two weeks of rain I ran the mower at about 6 mph with the deflector in the up position and ate about 90 pounds of wet Bermuda. Between the mower and myself, we appeared to be wearing a Gilley suit. At WOT and depending upon the density of the grass, there were a few passes that left about a half inch higher stand from the middle blade. I slowed about a mph and the cut evened back out.

My mower is the RSD60 and thus far, I love the 60 inch deck other than walking around it. Takes a good half hour (sic) to make a single lap on foot. Ok, that may be a bit of a stretch, however, when building the new Garage Mahal, I only allowed 6 foot between the rear wall and an interior wall for a mower depository. I have to park it at a ninety degree angle to fit it into the parking space. Turns out, even a shorty doesn't fit by backing or pulling it directly in front or rear. So far, all the Z's I've had drop by to check out the Garage Mahal and have me diagnose their mower problems, none of them fit any better front to rear. Sideways, the narrower decks does leave a bit more room. However the 60 inch deck is nice due to the shorter time I have to sit in the saddle, the better.

Everyone in the neighborhood likes to compare minimum mowing time. So far, I hold the title with the slightly largest lot! {Two lots put together.} I think that comes from running WOT more than their inability to mow as fast. They just don't move their mowers at top speed. I'm also the next oldest in the neighborhood. All the others are from 10 to 25 years younger. Strange they are afraid to run their equipment at top speed.

I don't think there will be any problems with the lift mechanism on my SD. If so, I'll fix it. But, for all my neighbors, not likely they'll ever experience any problems with any of their mowers due to wear and the primary brand in my hood is Hustler. Most of those are the overpriced commercials that do the very same job as the RSD. They cut grass. My 1996 MTD All Wheel Steer does a beautiful job so I believe purchasing a more expensive mower is just a waste of money.

I hear that buddy,,
Sometimes you have to adjust your ground speed to the grass your cutting,,this RSD deck has more suction and throws grass farther then both my ferris and bobcat..I cut the little triangle piece out by the opening and it didn’t do much at all,,in order for the opening to really not throw a wind row you will have to cut it all the way back to the first angle...the little bar on the bottom can stay,,I have been watching it for the past week really close and that bar has little to do with the grass being restricted,,its mainly there cause the deck is cut back and the blade is completely exposed without it.

 

[mhavanti]

Jek,

Funny you mentioned the air pressure as since I've owned my RSD, the front left tire has had a slow leak and will be flat by the next mowing. Thus, it is aired up to 12 pounds and since I'm there with the gauge, hose and compressor on, I always check the tires on all four corners of the RSD, the old '96 All Wheel Steer Rider, the mower trailer and anything else I can find with pneumatic tires before I put the hose, gauge, compressor, etc.

I ran the RSD at 11 pounds in the super wet grass this time although I wasn't looking for more traction as 1 pound wouldn't have made any difference in traction in snot slick grass on a hillside. Thought I'd check for a smoother ride. Nah, maybe ten pounds next mow.

And, to be honest, most folks with a crop circle problem will usually find a corner or a side down in pressure relative to the highest pressure point.

All the newbies should always check tire pressures before making any other equipment changes.

Max

 

[Carscw]

I run 15psi in my front tires and 12psi in the back. Gives the best cut on hills.
The last thing I think of when setting up a mower is a smooth ride.

 

[mhavanti]

lol, noted.