Mulching Issue with poor quality cut while mulching with my ZT-52HD

[Amm0622]

Does the blade tip on your deck set just bellow the leading edge of the deck, or even with it? I never mulch cut any yard its a pita, and harder on your equipment but some people like it so.

It appears to be just below the front of the deck, and level with the sides and back of the deck. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be glad to hear them. It's frustrating mowing every yard twice just to remove a 1' strip of grass that has been left behind on every pass. Thanks guys!

 

[wjjones]

It appears to be just below the front of the deck, and level with the sides and back of the deck. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be glad to hear them. It's frustrating mowing every yard twice just to remove a 1' strip of grass that has been left behind on every pass. Thanks guys!

Usually if its just below the leading edge of the deck it cuts pretty good becuse it contacts the grass before the deck pushes it down. Have you checked all of your blade spindles, and idler pulleys? They could be slowing down your blade tip speed enough to cause this problem if one of them is going bad. Also check the deck baffle to see if it might be bent down.

 

[Amm0622]

Usually if its just below the leading edge of the deck it cuts pretty good becuse it contacts the grass before the deck pushes it down. Have you checked all of your blade spindles, and idler pulleys? They could be slowing down your blade tip speed enough to cause this problem if one of them is going bad. Also check the deck baffle to see if it might be bent down.

I removed the baffles as I could not notice any difference in cut quality other than it left clumps after awhile due to the build up of grass on the baffles over time dropping off. The spindles and pulleys...I can't say that I personally have as I'm not familiar with the mechanical side of things that particularly well, but I did have the Gravely dealer look at it and they did adjust those along with the engine speed (or something related to that). They told me they had adjusted the engine and I do remember them saying to get the appropriate blade speed out of it, but I was still having the issue immediately following the "repair." I swear, I'm almost positive on this thru various measuring and tests I have done that the two blades leaving the strip do not overlap. I understand, and the dealership even told me this like I'm a complete moron, that it may not look like they are due to being offset, but when I get out the tape and make various marks on the floor with levels and what not...they don't even come close to overlapping. I can't even get Gravely to begin to look at it for that theory. I don't know if I bent something causing it to go whack-o but either way, it doesn't cut right. It's all good though....the John Deere guy is coming to take it anyway and place my new mower in the garage this week.

 

[wjjones]

I removed the baffles as I could not notice any difference in cut quality other than it left clumps after awhile due to the build up of grass on the baffles over time dropping off. The spindles and pulleys...I can't say that I personally have as I'm not familiar with the mechanical side of things that particularly well, but I did have the Gravely dealer look at it and they did adjust those along with the engine speed (or something related to that). They told me they had adjusted the engine and I do remember them saying to get the appropriate blade speed out of it, but I was still having the issue immediately following the "repair." I swear, I'm almost positive on this thru various measuring and tests I have done that the two blades leaving the strip do not overlap. I understand, and the dealership even told me this like I'm a complete moron, that it may not look like they are due to being offset, but when I get out the tape and make various marks on the floor with levels and what not...they don't even come close to overlapping. I can't even get Gravely to begin to look at it for that theory. I don't know if I bent something causing it to go whack-o but either way, it doesn't cut right. It's all good though....the John Deere guy is coming to take it anyway and place my new mower in the garage this week.

I removed the baffles on mine once too it was a big mistake. How short, or high are you cutting the grass? Is there any chance they gave you the wrong blades? If you line them up tip to tip there should only be a very small gap between them. Some mowers blades overlap, and some dont, and some are timed to overlap without hitting each other. I would jack up the mower, and try the tip to tip line up first, and go from there.

 

[exotion]

Has anyone tried tightening the belt? The scag I used to use needed the belt super tight or the blades would slip and leave the uncut strip between the blades. I would check belts and pulleys make sure spindles are greased same with pulleys and they spin freely with no hesitation or wobble. The belt might be old and worn?