mulching mower


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Old 05-08-08, 09:21 AM
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mulching mower

hello,

i have sears riding mower, i think with 42 inch deck.

i have 2 questions:

1. it notoriously cuts one side lower. i have tried deck height adjustment nuts, but can not achieve better result, left hand side simply does cut lower, period.

2. currently, i am using 2 clippings collecting bins in the back. but i'd like to start using it for mulching. i understand that i need to replace blades, that's easy. but i have large opening left on the deck side for clippings to shoot out. isn't it supposed to be closed somehow so that blades mulch inside the deck belly? i do not remember purchasing that mower (3 yrs) with any kind of trap door or something to cover that opening. i can rig it. any advice?

thank you in advance.
 
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Old 05-08-08, 09:35 AM
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Punch your model # into the sears parts site and see if a mulch kit is offered.

www3.sears.com

With regard to cutting uneven I always start iwith the simplest 1st. Are all 4 tires inflated to the same psi ?
 
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Old 05-08-08, 10:03 AM
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aha! a mulching kit! makes sense. will do, thank you.

tires are good. as a matter of fact, i had deck belly squared on a concrete slab, so both lower edges are even height from the ground. with that being said, i am suspiscious that the left hand blade housing is not true in the deck. unfortunately, about the 2nd time we were using that mower and sort of learning the yard in the new house, we wacked a hidden tree stump with one of the blades to the point that it was bent to about 30 degrees. that might have damaged the housing.
ever since i had that blade replaced, but that mower never mowed right, always leaves a low trail on the left hand side.
 
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Old 05-09-08, 01:05 AM
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I've seen several times the mandrel will break one mount off, and the entire mandrel will tilt, causing an uneven cut. It could be a warped deck, but that usually takes some pretty bad trauma to warp a deck. Could also be a bent jackshaft but the entire left half would be a lower cut if that were the case.
 
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Old 05-09-08, 07:12 AM
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Check the mower deck in the front where the mount is....if it is cracked or torn there that is your problem. The deck bounces at this broken spot and causes uneven cutting. Common problem with regular gauge decks.When sitting still you will not see or measure any height differance. Have it welded in proper location or replace the deck. Mine drove me nuts...tried washers under mandrel of blades and several other creative things to correct the problem until I was told about the cracked or torn deck mounts.
 
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Old 05-09-08, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by badeyeben
Check the mower deck in the front where the mount is....if it is cracked or torn there that is your problem. The deck bounces at this broken spot and causes uneven cutting. Common problem with regular gauge decks.When sitting still you will not see or measure any height differance. Have it welded in proper location or replace the deck. Mine drove me nuts...tried washers under mandrel of blades and several other creative things to correct the problem until I was told about the cracked or torn deck mounts.
will do. now this makes sense, and my lawn is not well graded, bumps everywhere. i can see that deck bouncing up and down all the time. i tried the same - shimming mandrels, even hammered on the deck to square shafts. i'll check on this weekend time. thank you much.

much of my issue is poorly graded lawn to start with. guy we bought house from did, in general, a good job on the house and wiring it for home theater. and general landscaping. but on the acre lot, he left way too many uneven areas, so i am like a little boat on wavy lake. too expensive to regrade, got to live with it.
 
 

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