Just bought a new to me Turf Tiger, 61A-29ka-dfi model. The front caster wheels are different on it; the left is flat free tire, and right is regular air tire. I have the right tire aired to 26 psi like manual says. While mowing the left wheel spins around like crazy, and when driving it up the street to mow another lot in my subdivision it gets a real bad wobble from the same tire. Is this normal? Or should I assume the bearings in that wheel are toast even though the guy I bought it from assured me he just replaced them before I took delivery of it? A buddy told me that it's the difference of the two tires; the flat free tire is heavier throwing it off a little. Next issue is trying to get this thing to stripe. Not much of a stripe at the moment. Just put new high lift blades on before last cut and still no luck. I measured the deck and it appears it is level from side to side, but front is 1" higher than rear. Just read through the manual and it calls for deck to be 1/4" lower in front. So guess I need to figure out adjustment on deck supports and get it lowered in front and should be good to go? The guy I bought it from said to mow a few weeks in the same pattern on 3" and will get perfect stripe. However I don't like mowing that low, I usually mow at 4". Any input is greatly appreciated. This is my very first Scag, so not really sure what to expect; only going by all the contractors I've seen around that has them so must be great mowers.
couple of Turf Tiger questions
- Thread starter Sonders
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Mad Mackie
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Hi Sonders,
Either one of the front wheels has to go so they are the same before you do deck leveling, your call!! I like inflatable tires, but just my opinion!!! How many hours on this machine??
If you need manuals you can download them from the Scag website. You will need the model and serial number of your machine to get the correct manuals. Kawasaki engine manuals are on the Kawasaki site.
If you have a Scag striping kit, the manual is also at the Scag site.
As the machine travels forward in normal operation, the clockwise advancing blades cut the grass and this is the reason for the deck to be adjusted so the blades are 1/4" lower in the front. Scag deck adjustments must be followed in a sequence per the manual. After the deck is leveled side to side and setup for 1/4" lower in the front, then the blade height can be adjusted to the calibration of the height adjuster with the deck lift linkage.
It took me 3 hours to readjust the deck on my Scag Tiger Cub!!! Do the adjustments on a level floor!!!
Mad Mackie in CT
Either one of the front wheels has to go so they are the same before you do deck leveling, your call!! I like inflatable tires, but just my opinion!!! How many hours on this machine??
If you need manuals you can download them from the Scag website. You will need the model and serial number of your machine to get the correct manuals. Kawasaki engine manuals are on the Kawasaki site.
If you have a Scag striping kit, the manual is also at the Scag site.
As the machine travels forward in normal operation, the clockwise advancing blades cut the grass and this is the reason for the deck to be adjusted so the blades are 1/4" lower in the front. Scag deck adjustments must be followed in a sequence per the manual. After the deck is leveled side to side and setup for 1/4" lower in the front, then the blade height can be adjusted to the calibration of the height adjuster with the deck lift linkage.
It took me 3 hours to readjust the deck on my Scag Tiger Cub!!! Do the adjustments on a level floor!!!
Mad Mackie in CT
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Ah crap, didn't think about changing out wheels first. I started messing with the deck earlier tonight. I could only get it completely level; as I was trying to get the front to come down the extra 1/4" but the back of the deck is against the deck stop bars. So guess I better get the wheel situation lined out before doing anything further to the deck. Been trying to get some of the contractors I know with Scags to swap me one of their old air tires for the solid one. Figured they'd be happier with it so they wouldn't have to worry about a flat. No takers yet though.
Mad Mackie
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I was just looking in the manual for my Tiger Cub and it says the blades should be level side to side and forward and aft.
Check the tire pressures in all tires before leveling the deck. My other machines are set with the blade forward and down 1/8". Not sure what you mean by deck stop bars.
Check the tire pressures in all tires before leveling the deck. My other machines are set with the blade forward and down 1/8". Not sure what you mean by deck stop bars.
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Mad Mackie
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You could measure the height of the front wheels from the level floor to see if they are the same or close so you could continue to do the deck leveling adjustments. There is a long bolt thru the front wheels holding them in the forks.
I did measure before starting.
The deck was level from side to side,
But was 1" higher in front then back. Reading through manual it says to angle deck down 1/4" in front. I assume I'm doing it right; manual is kinda vague. I loosened the front jam nut on the front of the deck lift arms,
Then turned the nut behind it counterclockwise. I was able to get it level, but that was it. Top of rear portion of deck is against deck stop bars. So now I need to read up on adjusting cutting height. I do remember reading that their is supposed to be 1/4" space between the deck and the stop bars, so gonna have to figure that out too.
The deck was level from side to side,
But was 1" higher in front then back. Reading through manual it says to angle deck down 1/4" in front. I assume I'm doing it right; manual is kinda vague. I loosened the front jam nut on the front of the deck lift arms,
Then turned the nut behind it counterclockwise. I was able to get it level, but that was it. Top of rear portion of deck is against deck stop bars. So now I need to read up on adjusting cutting height. I do remember reading that their is supposed to be 1/4" space between the deck and the stop bars, so gonna have to figure that out too.
Mad Mackie
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Sounds like you have the deck in the up and locked position, unlock it and drop it down to a lower position, say at the 4" mark. Download the manuals for later models of the Turf Tiger and possibly the deck adjustment procedures are more understandable. when I did my final height adjustment I measured the actual blade clearance/height from a level floor and adjusted the lift link turnbuckle to match the index to the actual blade height.
Mad Mackie in CT
Mad Mackie in CT
I guess I'm showing my stupidity here, but I must not be understanding how to properly adjust the deck with the adjusting bars. Below is pic of my mower kinda zoomed in on the left side deck portion.
When I was trying to adjust it to lower front pitch down. I loosened the jamb nut on very front of adjuster bar, then put my wrench on the nut that is right behind that just to the right in pic and turned it counterclockwise. I didn't get a whole lot of movement out of it. I looked at some other threads online and even my manual is pointing to a adjuster in the rear. There is nothing on the back of mine but open threads of the bar. Am I missing something?
When I was trying to adjust it to lower front pitch down. I loosened the jamb nut on very front of adjuster bar, then put my wrench on the nut that is right behind that just to the right in pic and turned it counterclockwise. I didn't get a whole lot of movement out of it. I looked at some other threads online and even my manual is pointing to a adjuster in the rear. There is nothing on the back of mine but open threads of the bar. Am I missing something?
Mad Mackie
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Hi Sonders,
The long rod has R/H thread forward and L/H thread aft. This rod has two flat spots ground into it just passed the 2nd forward nut so you can put a wrench on it and turn it. This is the same on the other side of the machine. The forward nut on both sides is tightened against swivel joint to stop the rod from turning. When the rod is turned in one direction, the rod shortens, and lengthens when turned the opposite way, changing the deck height on the one side either up or down. To do a forward /aft adjustment you may need to support the deck on blocks in all four corners, drop the deck onto the blocks and remove the cotter pins from the forward swivels and adjust them separately, to drop the front height.
The hanger chain on the left front looks like it has been changed, and if it has, I would measure the links to make sure that they match all the other chains. All the chains must match in order to get a correct deck adjustment.
This is why I spent 3-4 hours leveling my Scag deck last year!!! I still feel that my deck was not correctly setup at the factory, but it is correct now!!!
Have fun!!!
Mad Mackie in CT
The long rod has R/H thread forward and L/H thread aft. This rod has two flat spots ground into it just passed the 2nd forward nut so you can put a wrench on it and turn it. This is the same on the other side of the machine. The forward nut on both sides is tightened against swivel joint to stop the rod from turning. When the rod is turned in one direction, the rod shortens, and lengthens when turned the opposite way, changing the deck height on the one side either up or down. To do a forward /aft adjustment you may need to support the deck on blocks in all four corners, drop the deck onto the blocks and remove the cotter pins from the forward swivels and adjust them separately, to drop the front height.
The hanger chain on the left front looks like it has been changed, and if it has, I would measure the links to make sure that they match all the other chains. All the chains must match in order to get a correct deck adjustment.
This is why I spent 3-4 hours leveling my Scag deck last year!!! I still feel that my deck was not correctly setup at the factory, but it is correct now!!!
Have fun!!!
Mad Mackie in CT
Took another look at the mower tonight. Have no flat spots on the long rods to be able to turn them; only the secondary nut, which only allows me to turn the bar so far before the nut itself begins to turn on the threads. So apparently the rods have been replaced? I took cutting height stop pin out and set deck all the way on floor and backed the rods way off. Only thing they are moving is the rear lift arms; backed them off to where there was slack in rear chains, but front chains were still tight. Only thing I saw to do to take pressure off front chains as well was to loosen jam nuts on cutting height rod and adjust it in some. So once I realized I wasn't getting anywhere, I gave up for the night. I'm so stumped on this dang thing.