ZD28 Owners Manual (Blade Install Alignment)

[jcansler]

Hello, I hope someone can help me. I have a ZD28 with a 72" pro deck and I need to change the blades. I know the owners manual states to align the blades a certain way (timing?) but I can't get my hands on my owners manual at this time so I hope someone can post the page from the owners manual showing the picture of how the blades should be installed or give me a description of how the blades are aligned. Thank you very much for your help...

Joe

 

[jcansler]

The mower deck is model number RCK72P_28Z. I'm not sure but I would think any of the 72" mower decks and probably smaller decks would have the same blade alignment. I have recently moved and can't find my owners manual for this mower at this time (still looking) and I need to get the blades changed soon so I can mow. Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you...

Joe

 

[freewheel3]

The mower deck is model number RCK72P_28Z. I'm not sure but I would think any of the 72" mower decks and probably smaller decks would have the same blade alignment. I have recently moved and can't find my owners manual for this mower at this time (still looking) and I need to get the blades changed soon so I can mow. Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you...

Joe

Probably not much help here but aren't the blades belt driven? Because if they are, they probably wouldn't stay in alignment very long. If they are all gear or shaft driven then that's a different story.

 

[jcansler]

Thank you for your response freewheel3...I know because the blades are belt driven (although with a double belt) it is possible for them to slip and I know that regardless of how they are installed they cannot strike each other but I would like to install them correctly so that they will disperse the clippings the best they can. Since I haven't gotten any help from anyone with this I will just reinstall and align the new blades the way the old blades are, this should be close to the correct alignment...Thanks again...

Joe

 

[freewheel3]

Thank you for your response freewheel3...I know because the blades are belt driven (although with a double belt) it is possible for them to slip and I know that regardless of how they are installed they cannot strike each other but I would like to install them correctly so that they will disperse the clippings the best they can. Since I haven't gotten any help from anyone with this I will just reinstall and align the new blades the way the old blades are, this should be close to the correct alignment...Thanks again...

Joe

I googled zd28 and found a pdf brochure that shows a pic of the blades.
www.agriquip.co.za/pdfs/zd.pdf It looks like they are all orientated a certain way alright.

 

[lsmurphy]

If they are timed they likely have a cog belt and cog pulleys......much like the timing belt on a car.

You can spin it by hand and as long as the tips of the blades do not contact each other you should be OK.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Humm I'm scratching my head stumped on this one. I have a few commercial mowers. A Toro Proline walkbehind I mow with all the time. When I take the blade off of it and reinstall, theres kind of a short piece of shallow C channel steel that the blade sits in on the spindle end. Then a large round disk with a notch in it to goes on next to hold each blade in place. The round disk looks like a mini stump jumper for a lack of a better way to describe it. I know my book calls for a certain amout of foot pounds of torq to bolt the blades back in place.

Sometimes its not hard to put a blade back on upside down. I've done it accidently a few times over the years and don't notice it until I start mowing.

One of those DUH idiot moments.

 

[Bulldog]

I may be way off base but I can't imagine Kubota building a belt driven mower that the blades need to be timed. That would be a time bomb just waiting to blow. I agree with Ismurphy, rotate the blades by hand and as long as they don't hit you should be ready to cut.

 

[jcansler]

Thank you all for your help. I found a pdf file of kubota mowers and it shows the bottom of the 72" deck and from what I can remember it shows the correct alignment of the blades. The blades are aligned as follows starting from the chute: 1:00 & 7:00, 3:00 & 9:00, and 4:00 & 10:00.

Bulldog the alignment is not to keep the blades from hitting each other rather it is for the best dispersal of the grass clipping.

Thank you all for your help...

Joe

 

[davemskinner]

http://www.kubotabooks.com/AutoIndex/index.php?dir=Mowers, Catchers /

The link above is to free owners manuals. You may have to delete the part of the link after kubotabooks.com for it to work. Then search for the ZD28 OM.

I have never worried about the blade alignment after the first time because it did not seem to make much difference and they don't stay.

As an aside, does your machine have the aux hydraulic tank installed? If not, I strongly suggest you get one before the lefthand drive motor goes and contaminates the entire system. It will be a minimum $2000 repair if it lets go.

 

[davemskinner]

Hey JCansler,

I was wonderng if you happen to see my post "ZD28 Electrical"? http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9914

If not would you take a look and see if your machine has the orange wire running up to the righthand side of the motor. I'm trying to find where it goes. It is not on the schematic I am suspicious that it goes to an option to sound an alarm when it overheats, but I cannot find any info.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jcansler]

I want to thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions, I'm fairly certain it probably doesn't make a lot of difference if the blades are not installed (aligned) as the manual states to. With the single double V belt driven spindles and the flat surface that the blades attach to (no saddle) it does allow the blades to slip if they hit an immovable object, to prevent damage to the spindles and or gearbox...

But I am also fairly certain there is a reason that the manual gives a picture and states to install the blades so they align in a certain way, that being for the best grass dispersal, otherwise the manual would state to install the blades anyway one wants...

davemskinner, I had read your post but thought you had found the answer you needed. I will look at my mower tomorrow if possible and see if mine has the orange wire, if so I will try to see where it goes. We are expecting heavy rain the next 2 days so it may take me a couple of days to get back with you, but I will let you know as soon as I can...

Also, I have not installed the aux hydraulic tank yet, I purchased my mower new in 2006 and it has 107 hours on it and I have not experienced any trouble yet, and I hope with such few hours no damage has been done yet, but I have been meaning to install the aux kit each year (hopefully I will get to it this spring) just to be on the safe side, although the service manager and techs at the dealership where I purchased the mower insist it is not necessary with my mower, they tell me the issue was resolved before my mower was built ...

Again I want to Thank You All for your help and suggestions, this site is so full of information and knowledgeable people that are so willing to help out when we have problems or need help with our equipment...

Joe

 

[davemskinner]

Joe,

I have been closing in on my answer. I believe it is for a warning system for either too hot or low water level. I was told it was an option. I still cannot seem to find where the wire hooks up so, if you wouldn't mind. At your convenience, I would appreciate the quick look and reply.

As far as you not needing the aux tank, that could very well be. Maybe someone else on here could confirm what your local dealer has said. You might want to post the year, S/N, and M/N of your machine.

Thanks again for your replies,

Dave

 

[jcansler]

Dave, I also have the orange wire with the connector on the end that is not connected to anything. It may be for a dealer installed backup alarm or something similar. I know my wiring is factory original as I bought the mower new and it has never been back to the dealer or any repair facility as I do my own service and maintain the mower myself. I hope this helps resolve your issue...

My ZD28f is a 2006 and the VIN is: 64142. I don't know if this is true or not but the service manager at the dealership, for over 20 years (now runs his own shop) told me the way to test the drive system was to wait until the mower was cold (as in overnight) crank the mower and immediately go to full throttle and push the travel levers as far forward as they would, in other words start the mower go to full throttle and accelerate to full speed forward. If the mower shudders, stumbles, or does not operate in the manner it should then there is a problem with the hydraulic drive, if it takes off and runs smoothly then there is no air in the system, no cavitation, and you should not have any problems. He told me he learned this after testing many, many ZDs as they came into the shop for repairs or checks of the hydraulics and the one's that passed this test never came in with a hydraulic failure and the one's that failed this test got the replacement transmissions.

As I stated I do not know if this test in any way is correct or not, this is just what I was told. I still intend to add the aux hydraulic tank, I just haven't taken time to do so. If I can help you in any way please let me know...

Joe

 

[davemskinner]

Hey J,

Thanks for checking that wiring out. Now to find out what options were available and find the installation instructions. I'll post back, if and when I follow through. Now that I'm sure it is for an option, I know it's not affecting my starting problem. I just bought the combination box shown on the schematics - OUCH $203 dollars! I'm really hesitant to install it though, because I'm still not sure it is the problem. Once opened I can't return it. I wish Kubota would publish the functions so one could be sure before throwing parts at it.

I'm taking the wiring harness apart and tracing everything out since I already havve it half apart now.

Anyway, thanks again!

 

[jcansler]

Dave, have you (or anyone else) installed the aux hydraulic tank and if so what was the reason, was it because of a failure or a problem you were having, or did you install it for peace of mind? I would appreciate input from those who have installed the aux tank and if it solved the problems you were having...

Also the blade timing numbers I posted above are not correct for the 72" deck I have. I found my owners manual finally so if anyone is interested in the correct timing of the blades let me know and I can post them...Thank you...

Joe