Customer has a Ferris Pro Cut 30 (3-wheel, front mount) model-H3225K, serial-1425 with a Kohler CV25 engine. Problem: deck cuts very poorly on left side, from blade spindle shaft outboard. Really long story short: many new items installed over the last year and a half at another shop and some more at our shop - mostly per the owner's request - including, but not limited to: deck (yes, the mower housing), spindle housings & bearings, spindle shafts, blades (even modified some higher lift blades to fit), belt, pulleys, etc. This is a 72" cut mower and only the left 12" (or so) cuts poorly, again, from the blade spindle shaft and to the left - even with a perfectly cleaned out mower deck. Even with the standard Ferris blades as well as the modified, high-lift blades and also with Oregon Gator blades. Aside from laser leveling the deck, the blade tips are spot on level. At the rear mount of the deck to the main chassis there are five optional holes to mount such and I've tried it in the middle hole and the hole below that (only these two holes due to the owner's request to keep the cut "relatively" low (2 1/2 - 3 inches)). I've adjusted the front of the deck to numerous settings, via the chain/eyebolt adjusters and set the front casters to varying heights, via the spacer system employed. Also, I've varied the blade spindle shaft spacing, again, via the spacer system used by Ferris. I've tried countless setups with only minor improvements to the cut on the left side of the deck. Someone out there must have come across this problem and I need your help...please help out an old Moderator!!! Give me your suggestions.

 

Hi Puey61!

I know the machine you're talking about, but I haven't had that problem. It sounds like you've checked everything that you would normally check to fix a problem like that. Is there any chance the baffle behind that left blade is missing, bent, or something to that effect? The left side is the side with the least amount of air movement, and if the baffle is gone or damaged, it may not have enough "suction" to stand the grass up for a good cut. I'm thinking it just about has to be an airflow problem. If the baffle is intact and un-damaged, make sure it is close enough to the blade to create the airflow needed. If not, maybe bend or modify it to fit.

 

Cheese, glad to hear from you! You and I think a lot alike. I didn't mention that in my post but I did, indeed, check all the baffling and all is proper. I modified blades from a New Holland tractor with a higher lift but that, even, didn't improve matters. Let's see what others may have to add but thanks for your input.

 

Hello Mr puey61,


Just to let you know up front, I've never seen one of these units up close and personal. But after reading your post a couple times and studying the unit parts breakdown I've got a couple things to throw your way.


Keeping with Mr Cheese's hypothesis, The outer most side of the deck where your problem lies will have the least amount suction.....


OK, If you look at the direction of belt movement/rotation sitting in the seat the belt is being pulled from the right spindle to the engine, This leaves the slack side after going around the clutch feeding to the left spindle. The spring tensioned idler pulley allows for belt deflection while trying to take up this slack, Belt deflection can cause belt slippage as well and lower blade tip speed on that spindle.

If this tension idler spring hasn't been replaced (no mention above) replace it, They weaken over time and no longer pull ample tension and cause extra belt deflection.

Also....If this is a adjustable PTO clutch as shown in the parts breakdown, Check the air gap and do a amp draw test. As you know a slipping clutch can lower blade tip speed.

Lastly, Dixie Choppers come from the factory (Kohler 25's) with the high speed no load RPM's set at 3750, Check the RPM's and bump it up if need be and see if that doesn't help.


That's about all I've got for now.....



Good Luck

 

This.

My Kubota has a tendency to do the same thing if I recall, on the left side as well.

 

Belt slippage is something I have considered. I have replaced the idler tension spring (and belt and idler pulley and idler arm) and feel comfortable that it is amply tensioning the belt. I don't know how I could pull this off, but I'd love to witness if that left-hand blade spindle pulley (and therefore the blade) is slipping. I'd need to set up an expensive, high-speed camera on board the mower deck somehow??? Anything else from anyone...I'd like to know your setup for spacers on the blade side of each blade spindle bolt as well as setups for rear hole (deck) positioning and front casters' spacers setup!

 

Something like THIS looks like it would be handy......

 

Maybe paint a white/black pattern on it in 4ths of a pie shape so that you can see it slow down when/if it does.

 

Where I work, we use a strobe tachometer that does not require touching the rotating part. Adjust the flashes to match the RPMs of the spinning part and the parts appears to freeze in motion. Then read the RPMs off the digital display. Similar to this one: 461830 - Digital StroboTach 115VAC, 60Hz
Comes in real handy to see if belt drives are working ok, but this type of instrument is not cheap.

 

Hi ya Puey,

I have no idea what this equipment is never seen one either. But reading the others replies, is there a primary and secondary belt for the deck?
If there is a secondary, that belt should always be tight and so remain in the same place on the pulley. Simply marking both belt and pulley should show if there is slippage...?

Prolly to simple to be valid but thought i would mention it and say hey

Az

 

Hi Az,

Unfortunately, it won't work that easily. If you have a 130 inch belt going around a pulley with a 12 inch diameter, the pulley will turn 10.8333 times for every one revolution of the belt, so the marks would only line up once in a great while.

 

Ok, like I said, never seen the equipment before, and prolly not practical with10ft belt. With shorter belts and diff applications you just rotate it around to where the mark pass each other and if the belt didn't slip...they should line up
Heh, no worries just wanted to see if I could even post at all with this crappy dial-up...only took 20 to log in read and post :O