bx 1870 new help!!

[Paperchicnewbie]

Hello all,
My husband and I are new owners of this great piece of machinery Brought to us late last night with a quick introduction to it. We are having a newbie issue as far as lowering the deck for a better cut. There are two controls between your feet that (the book says). The black one does help raise and lower the hitch in the back and the deck... but my newbie question is how do we lower the height of the mower?? The one that I think is supposed to adjust it is very tight and we don't know which way or how to do it??? So sorry for being dumb here but too expensive to guess and break it and want to do it the right way. I have read the manuals but it isn't specific and don't know. Please help if you can.

Thanks Patty

 

[cerlawson]

I lost my first try at this answer, so here goes again.

Most belly mowers, as with this one, raise and lower the mower deck by raising and lowering the rear arms, with the lever on the right fender area. Pull up and the arms go up, push down and the arms drop down. The mower follows along, but not with a lot of up -down distance under there.

Once you get the mower deck to its top position, which is done when the rear arms are way up., Then you can set the mower cutting height. That is with the knob near your left foot. Always turn it in the clockwise direction. The number for the height, in inches, should line up with the arrow on the metal housing there.

The other knob, on a horizontal shaft is seldom needed. By turning it clockwise, you cut down on the rate of drop of the rear arms, for some purposes, such as plowing snow with rear blade. Usually you leave that valve somewhat open, or you will see the action of the arms and the mower deck lowering is too slow.

Later, when you put on a rear implement, use the mower deck adjustment at "top". Then it will stay there while you do other work.

 

[Paperchicnewbie]

I lost my first try at this answer, so here goes again.

Most belly mowers, as with this one, raise and lower the mower deck by raising and lowering the rear arms, with the lever on the right fender area. Pull up and the arms go up, push down and the arms drop down. The mower follows along, but not with a lot of up -down distance under there.

Once you get the mower deck to its top position, which is done when the rear arms are way up., Then you can set the mower cutting height. That is with the knob near your left foot. Always turn it in the clockwise direction. The number for the height, in inches, should line up with the arrow on the metal housing there.

The other knob, on a horizontal shaft is seldom needed. By turning it clockwise, you cut down on the rate of drop of the rear arms, for some purposes, such as plowing snow with rear blade. Usually you leave that valve somewhat open, or you will see the action of the arms and the mower deck lowering is too slow.

Later, when you put on a rear implement, use the mower deck adjustment at "top". Then it will stay there while you do other work.

Thanks so much for your reply! That has helped a lot! I will go do it. Thanks for helping a newbie here

 

[cerlawson]

A few other points. The fuel filters are very fine. I suspect much finer than needed. However, they tend to clog. You can help avoid or postpone the trouble by filtering fuel. I use a filter funnel, purchased via internet, that is so fine it will hold back water. Not easy to use, but hopefully will help on this aspect. Changing filters requires removing the left rear wheel and a mud guard pan. Due to very tight factory bolts, the first job may require taking off both rear wheels and using a high powered impact wrench. I added a fuel shut-off valve to facilitate this job. A valve with a 1/4" size may work, with tight hose clamps, but otherwise buy a valve for 8 mm tubing I.D.
When a filter clogs to the point of stopping the engine, add some fuel to give it a little more pressure head. That will keep you going, but it is irritating.

 

[Steamguy]

... get the mower deck to its top position, which is done when the rear arms are way up., Then you can set the mower cutting height. That is with the knob near your left foot. Always turn it in the clockwise direction. The number for the height, in inches, should line up with the arrow on the metal housing there....

Also, if yours is like mine was, the adjustment knob was really, REALLY hard to turn the first time I tried to turn it. I even called the dealer to ask if there was some kind of transport securing on it. They said no. But I had to put two hands on it to turn it, and eventually it DID turn. It's taken a few movements to get it to loosen up.

Hope that helps.

On edit: just to clarify, this was with the mower all the way up, like Cerlawson has already said...

 

[cerlawson]

As to hard turning of mower height knob, I had that also at beginning, but with the mower at full height, no problem. On pages 14, 16, 17 and 18 of the mower manual they show that as part of operating. Seems like they mean what they say.

 

[Stubbyie]

Sounds like the OEM fuel filter is a pain to get to in order to replace and tends to clog easily.

On all of ours we've added an aftermarket supplemental fuel filter close to the tank or at some open location easy to access. A couple inches of [probably] 1/4-in fuel hose and two small worm clamps and you're in business.

We like the clear bulb-type filters--you can see trash accumulate--about the size of a golf ball with two prongs. Watch the arrow stamped on the filter to make sure fuel flow is correct direction.

These little filters cost $3 or so locally and we change them every other oil change.

Cheap insurance.

Please post back with your experiences and how you proceed so we may all learn.

 

[Ironhorse]

A few other points. The fuel filters are very fine. I suspect much finer than needed. However, they tend to clog. You can help avoid or postpone the trouble by filtering fuel. I use a filter funnel, purchased via internet, that is so fine it will hold back water. Not easy to use, but hopefully will help on this aspect. Changing filters requires removing the left rear wheel and a mud guard pan. Due to very tight factory bolts, the first job may require taking off both rear wheels and using a high powered impact wrench. I added a fuel shut-off valve to facilitate this job. A valve with a 1/4" size may work, with tight hose clamps, but otherwise buy a valve for 8 mm tubing I.D.
When a filter clogs to the point of stopping the engine, add some fuel to give it a little more pressure head. That will keep you going, but it is irritating.

I'm adding this to my new BX25D when I get it next week. However 8mm is closer to 5/16" and that's what I'm using. (1/4"=6.3500mm and 5/16"=7.9375mm). Do we know that 8mm is the correct I.D.? I'll let you all know how it works out and if 5/16" is the right size.

Also I'm taking advice from Stubbyie below and installing a fuel filter that is easy to reach at the valve. Sounds like the OEM fuel filter is a pain to get to in order to replace and tends to clog easily.

On all of ours we've added an aftermarket supplemental fuel filter close to the tank or at some open location easy to access. A couple inches of [probably] 1/4-in fuel hose and two small worm clamps and you're in business.

We like the clear bulb-type filters--you can see trash accumulate--about the size of a golf ball with two prongs. Watch the arrow stamped on the filter to make sure fuel flow is correct direction.

These little filters cost $3 or so locally and we change them every other oil change.

Cheap insurance.

My filter was $10. I didn't know, but asked, and there is a difference between gas and diesel filters.

 

[cerlawson]

As to fuel hose size, 5/16" may be it. All I know is I took an old filter to the store and that is what they gave me, which fits the 8mm diam of the filter input and output stubs. Since they are rubber, dimensions are not critical.

 

[Kubota_Man]

They must have changed the type and location of fuel dilters on the new BX70 series. Because on my BX24 they are not hard at all to change and they (both of them) last for quite awhile.

 

[armylifer]

They must have changed the type and location of fuel dilters on the new BX70 series. Because on my BX24 they are not hard at all to change and they (both of them) last for quite awhile.

I have not checked where the fuel filter(s) are on my BX1860 but I am not having any problems with it yet. I have almost 90 hours on mine and it still gets almost 3400 RPMs at full throttle when cutting through 6 inch high grass. So, it would appear that I do not have any fuel flow issues from clogged filters.