anyone play w/ raptor deck level by counting adjuster turns?

kraky · Jul 30, 2015

So...on my SD the adjuster bolt looks like regular thread 3/8 shank. A chart says that's 16 threads per inch. People are reporting gains in cut quality by running the back 1/4" low.
So...I have my deck perfectly level now. To keep my current cut heights per letter setting I'm thinking I should raise the front of my deck 4 full turns per side. It should return by doing the opposite if I don't like the results. Seems like its an easy way to play w/o much monkeying around?
Anyone adjust by counting turns....am I right on the turn numbers?

turboawd · Jul 31, 2015

kraky said:
So...on my SD the adjuster bolt looks like regular thread 3/8 shank. A chart says that's 16 threads per inch. People are reporting gains in cut quality by running the back 1/4" low.
So...I have my deck perfectly level now. To keep my current cut heights per letter setting I'm thinking I should raise the front of my deck 4 full turns per side. It should return by doing the opposite if I don't like the results. Seems like its an easy way to play w/o much monkeying around?
Anyone adjust by counting turns....am I right on the turn numbers?

you must be an engineer. lol
i think most people just use a level ground and a tape measure.

SeniorCitizen · Jul 31, 2015

kraky said:
So...on my SD the adjuster bolt looks like regular thread 3/8 shank. A chart says that's 16 threads per inch. People are reporting gains in cut quality by running the back 1/4" low.
So...I have my deck perfectly level now. To keep my current cut heights per letter setting I'm thinking I should raise the front of my deck 4 full turns per side. It should return by doing the opposite if I don't like the results. Seems like its an easy way to play w/o much monkeying around?
Anyone adjust by counting turns....am I right on the turn numbers?

Yes, you're right on the numbers.

I don't count turns on my mowers because they aren't built that way but I do count turns on my drill press depth stop if I want to bore a hole xx depth. It sure is better than a tape measure or yard stick.

SeniorCitizen · Jul 31, 2015

turboawd said:
you must be an engineer. lol
i think most people just use a level ground and a tape measure.

People that use a tape measure are doing it the hard way. I failed math :laughing: so I'm a self taught engineer and make tools that don't need numbers.

This is a deck leveling gauge. Well actually, a blade leveling gauge.

Ric · Jul 31, 2015

kraky said:
So...on my SD the adjuster bolt looks like regular thread 3/8 shank. A chart says that's 16 threads per inch. People are reporting gains in cut quality by running the back 1/4" low.
So...I have my deck perfectly level now. To keep my current cut heights per letter setting I'm thinking I should raise the front of my deck 4 full turns per side. It should return by doing the opposite if I don't like the results. Seems like its an easy way to play w/o much monkeying around?
Anyone adjust by counting turns....am I right on the turn numbers?

Using adjuster turns to level a deck IMO is nuts. I prefer the old fashion level for side to side or front to back and I always set the deck a 1/4" lower in the front not the back. If your setting the cutting height you do that using the blades not the deck.

kraky · Jul 31, 2015

I levelled the deck using the block system In the manual...then measured the distance from the floor to blade tip for exact reference....this after setting tire pressure.
I'm getting a great cut on my lawn...perfectly even...but its pretty dry and not much challenge.
While most mower makers preach dipping the deck at the front it appears hustler goes the opposite way. My dealer said a rep told him in tough conditions to dip it in back. And...in the 250+ post from mooch his dealer set up his fasttrack demo the same way and he really was impressed. Was thinking I'd do the rear dip for fall leaf grinding and might need it for the usually wet rainy springs we get here in Wis next year.
Can't see anything but "upside" for being able to make quick adjustments and return to "zero" by counting turns. If i don't experiment I'll never know if I'm leaving performance on the table.
Btw...haven't been looking at newer mowers for years but this simple 4 point leveling w/all adjusters out in the open......not having to crawl under the deck or mower.....man....its sweet, especially now that I'm pushing 60 yrs old.

mooch91 · Aug 2, 2015

kraky said:
I levelled the deck using the block system In the manual...then measured the distance from the floor to blade tip for exact reference....this after setting tire pressure.
I'm getting a great cut on my lawn...perfectly even...but its pretty dry and not much challenge.
While most mower makers preach dipping the deck at the front it appears hustler goes the opposite way. My dealer said a rep told him in tough conditions to dip it in back. And...in the 250+ post from mooch his dealer set up his fasttrack demo the same way and he really was impressed. Was thinking I'd do the rear dip for fall leaf grinding and might need it for the usually wet rainy springs we get here in Wis next year.
Can't see anything but "upside" for being able to make quick adjustments and return to "zero" by counting turns. If i don't experiment I'll never know if I'm leaving performance on the table.
Btw...haven't been looking at newer mowers for years but this simple 4 point leveling w/all adjusters out in the open......not having to crawl under the deck or mower.....man....its sweet, especially now that I'm pushing 60 yrs old.

Give it a shot, you've got nothing to lose. I've got the Fastrak leveled using 3" blocks, which the manual says is actually 1/4" higher in the rear. It's cutting as well as the demo I drove.

It's real easy to perform the leveling procedure in the manual if you need to. Using the blocks under the deck is a piece of cake.

kraky · Aug 2, 2015

So Mooch....you've got me confused...your fasttrack demo showed up w/the front pitched up and it did great. Then you set your SD front pitched up and it did good. Now you're running front pitched down?
Is the fastrack so good it just doesn't matter? You keep me guessing here...lol!

mooch91 · Aug 2, 2015

kraky said:
So Mooch....you've got me confused...your fasttrack demo showed up w/the front pitched up and it did great. Then you set your SD front pitched up and it did good. Now you're running front pitched down?
Is the fastrack so good it just doesn't matter? You keep me guessing here...lol!

Sorry, the Fastrak manual says that when you set the deck down on 3" blocks and adjust with the blocks in place, that the deck is automatically pitched forward about 1/4". The Raptor SD manual does not say anything similar. I do all my leveling with blocks under the deck, avoids the need to measure.

Demo Fastrak - Checked it by setting it on blocks and the front was 1/4" higher than the rear. If the manual is to be believed, then this deck was exactly level.

Raptor SD - The last time I set the deck pitch, I had a 3 1/4" block in the front and a 3" block in the rear, so I'm calling this pitched up in the front by 1/4".

My Fastrak - I adjusted it by setting it on 3" blocks all the way around. Again, if the manual is to be believed, this would be pitched down in the front by 1/4".

Confusing, I know, but it's all relative to where you're measuring from. I probably still didn't explain it very well.

kraky · Aug 2, 2015

Not confusing at all. Just more info to ponder...lol.

anyone play w/ raptor deck level by counting adjuster turns?

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