MTD deck height

[slow030]

I picked up a MTD 13AQ608H729 riding mower. Runs and mows good. The problem I have is the deck height. On the highest setting the blade height is only 3 inches. I don't see any way of adjusting the deck height any higher. I have leveled it side to side and front to back. Is there a way to raise the deck higher?

 

[ILENGINE]

Not without replacing everything below the steering wheel. Now let me explain. Being 21 years old every rolling point, every pivot point is worn and those even small amounts add up to 1" or more in deck height. From the tire tread wearing down, to the wheel bearings and the spindles that they turn on, to the steering spindle going into the axle, to the axle pivot with the mount on the frame. Add in the slight bowing of the frame over the years, and the wear in the deck height lever bushings and rods to the deck lift levers to the pins that mount the deck lift to the deck. And don't forget the wear in the axle bushing in the transmission to all combine to change what was once a deck that ran 2 inches above the ground when new is now rolling the anti-scalp wheels on the ground when fully raised.

 

[Auto Doc's]

I picked up a MTD 13AQ608H729 riding mower. Runs and mows good. The problem I have is the deck height. On the highest setting the blade height is only 3 inches. I don't see any way of adjusting the deck height any higher. I have leveled it side to side and front to back. Is there a way to raise the deck higher?

Does the deck side adjuster area have pull out release pins that can be set is an upper or lower set of holes? Some decks had this odd design.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Not without replacing everything below the steering wheel. Now let me explain. Being 21 years old every rolling point, every pivot point is worn and those even small amounts add up to 1" or more in deck height. From the tire tread wearing down, to the wheel bearings and the spindles that they turn on, to the steering spindle going into the axle, to the axle pivot with the mount on the frame. Add in the slight bowing of the frame over the years, and the wear in the deck height lever bushings and rods to the deck lift levers to the pins that mount the deck lift to the deck. And don't forget the wear in the axle bushing in the transmission to all combine to change what was once a deck that ran 2 inches above the ground when new is now rolling the anti-scalp wheels on the ground when fully raised.

So you are saying that all that wear over the years, once combined, adds up to a deck that is actually cutting too low at its highest setting (3”). Makes sense because even when riding mowers are new, the decks are set up too low. Most of the time the best you can do is about 3.5”- 4” from blade to concrete when measuring.

 

[ILENGINE]

So you are saying that all that wear over the years, once combined, adds up to a deck that is actually cutting too low at its highest setting (3”). Makes sense because even when riding mowers are new, the decks are set up too low. Most of the time the best you can do is about 3.5”- 4” from blade to concrete when measuring.

Correct. a 1/16" wear over several contact points can quickly add up to 1/2". And you know as well as myself, that over time a lot of those wear points get egg shaped and the combined wear between a deck hangar, the deck pin, and the deck lift arm can equal 1/4" or more just at that point. Not counting all the possible wear points in the front axle region and damage from hitting solid objects that bends various components.

 

[Oddjob]

This is why I read this forum. Thank you, ILENGINE. I have run into this on older riding mowers and could never figure out why I couldn’t get the decks higher. I have never owned a new one, and only work on the few that are gifted to me, so didn’t know they were designed without sufficient deck lift in the first place. I assumed that no one would design a mower that allows the blade to be lowered to the ground and limits lift to 3 inches. I thought there was something I could have done but just didn’t see a way to adjust the deck higher. It also never occurred to me that worn parts will lower the deck. Seems to me that the easiest cure is to put more air in the tires and/or buy tires with thicker tread. I note that my 30 year old Snapper RER did have enough adjustment available to get the blade properly aligned and lifted, so some engineers knew how to design a practical mower.

I appreciate the wisdom freely shared by the experienced techs on this site. Thank you all.

 

[ILENGINE]

This is why I read this forum. Thank you, ILENGINE. I have run into this on older riding mowers and could never figure out why I couldn’t get the decks higher. I have never owned a new one, and only work on the few that are gifted to me, so didn’t know they were designed without sufficient deck lift in the first place. I assumed that no one would design a mower that allows the blade to be lowered to the ground and limits lift to 3 inches. I thought there was something I could have done but just didn’t see a way to adjust the deck higher. It also never occurred to me that worn parts will lower the deck. Seems to me that the easiest cure is to put more air in the tires and/or buy tires with thicker tread. I note that my 30 year old Snapper RER did have enough adjustment available to get the blade properly aligned and lifted, so some engineers knew how to design a practical mower.

I appreciate the wisdom freely shared by the experienced techs on this site. Thank you all.

Look at it this way. Most of the box store riders have 18-9.50-8 rear wheels. So the axle is basically sitting 9 inches above the ground. And the transmission housing above the axle where it mounts to the frame. So the frame is now sitting 10-12 inches above the ground. Now subtract the height of the deck, plus the deck hangers, plus the distance below the frame the deck lift arms sit, and your 12 inches is now 3.5". Throw in the some component wear and that 3.5" is now 2.25-2.5"

 

[hlmorrison]

So you are saying that all that wear over the years, once combined, adds up to a deck that is actually cutting too low at its highest setting (3”). Makes sense because even when riding mowers are new, the decks are set up too low. Most of the time the best you can do is about 3.5”- 4” from blade to concrete when measuring.

Tires can be a little expensive but if you have the clearance you could go up a size or two. That would raise the whole mower including the deck.