3 hours....yes...3 hours, this thing just would not cooperate. there has got to be a better way.....I'm done, going for a bourbon, that grass can suffer it out.
Leveling a deck on a BX...what a PITA !
- Thread starter arml
- Start date
85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
What was the PITA?
Only a couple of spots to hit..... where you find the perfect adjustment, or a combo?
Only a couple of spots to hit..... where you find the perfect adjustment, or a combo?
I think I've tried everything as to the manual. The left front does not want to cooperate. Also it drops heavy on that side, made the adjustment to no avail.....long day, I'm tired and, it's hot and, humid here. All this for mowing grass, I think I'll just buy a half dozen sheep.
At least I can eat them at seasons end. LOL
At least I can eat them at seasons end. LOL
I just replaced the blades and leveled the deck on my BX2230 yesterday. I used a machinist's snap gauge to measure blade height, worked pretty well. The right side was about 1/2" higher than the left, three turns on the adjuster brought it down within an 1/8" of 3" high, and one turn on the front saddle adjuster nuts brought the front up to a 1/4" lower than the rear. Checked the gearbox oil and greased everything, took a little over an hour.
Now, if we ever get some rain to make the grass grow, I'll be able to tell how the new Oregon Gator blades cut.
Now, if we ever get some rain to make the grass grow, I'll be able to tell how the new Oregon Gator blades cut.
Daren Todd
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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
Have you checked your tire pressures??
This didn't happen on a BX. But I my kid mow3d the yard with my old rider. Next time mowing I went out there. Darn thing was low on one side. Adjusted the deck, and it was still flipping low
Tried a second time around.... still mowed low 
Finally gave up for the day. Asked a buddy who was a landscaper about it. He started laughing and asked if check my tire pressure
I immediately said "Son of a bit##!!!"
Got home and checked, and sure enough. Tire on that side was low
This didn't happen on a BX. But I my kid mow3d the yard with my old rider. Next time mowing I went out there. Darn thing was low on one side. Adjusted the deck, and it was still flipping low
Tried a second time around.... still mowed low Finally gave up for the day. Asked a buddy who was a landscaper about it. He started laughing and asked if check my tire pressure
I immediately said "Son of a bit##!!!"Got home and checked, and sure enough. Tire on that side was low
On zero turn mowers tire pressure is critical
1 psi off side-to-side will affect cut quality and so will a bunch of other things
measure at the blade, it's what does the cutting. Some measure at the deck but the deck shell doesn't cut grass and sometimes there is some difference in the shape of the deck shell such that leveling the shell itself won't level the blade cut. Deere is notorious for this. Bad Boy as well but Bad Boy decks are usually mostly "square", well they are when they're new. The 60" decks (especially the ZT/CZT) was made in a way that they bend kind of easy even though they're 1/4" thick steel. Don't see it with the naked eye but they get impossible to level, and you'll fight yourself for hours if you let it, and don't see the bent deck shell.
G1800/1900/G2000 aren't any easier since the rear wheels ride the ground all the time, which is what sets the deck level. Often have to use a washer under some of the gauge wheel mounts to space them out/up/down to adjust the level a little.
On the bx's the front hanger can get stuck and they're no fun to get them unstuck. Loosen the jam nuts while the front hanger is installed, then remove the front mounts so that you can adjust. Lots easier to do it under the tractor than even in a vise. Set the side-to-side to zero or very close to it THEN adjust front-to-rear using the hanger only. Once you get that close re-measure side-to-side again, it should be very close if not still spot on. But if you have to adjust the hanger a lot, it can affect the side-to-side adjustment a little too and then you're splitting hairs and exercising your own self patience.
You will not likely see 1/16" off, that's only .0625" so just get it within 1/16 and it'll be fine
I'm real picky and like to see it at zero even though I can't see 1/16" and nobody else can either. Just OCD and it shows in how long it takes to adjust a deck!
1 psi off side-to-side will affect cut quality and so will a bunch of other things
measure at the blade, it's what does the cutting. Some measure at the deck but the deck shell doesn't cut grass and sometimes there is some difference in the shape of the deck shell such that leveling the shell itself won't level the blade cut. Deere is notorious for this. Bad Boy as well but Bad Boy decks are usually mostly "square", well they are when they're new. The 60" decks (especially the ZT/CZT) was made in a way that they bend kind of easy even though they're 1/4" thick steel. Don't see it with the naked eye but they get impossible to level, and you'll fight yourself for hours if you let it, and don't see the bent deck shell.
G1800/1900/G2000 aren't any easier since the rear wheels ride the ground all the time, which is what sets the deck level. Often have to use a washer under some of the gauge wheel mounts to space them out/up/down to adjust the level a little.
On the bx's the front hanger can get stuck and they're no fun to get them unstuck. Loosen the jam nuts while the front hanger is installed, then remove the front mounts so that you can adjust. Lots easier to do it under the tractor than even in a vise. Set the side-to-side to zero or very close to it THEN adjust front-to-rear using the hanger only. Once you get that close re-measure side-to-side again, it should be very close if not still spot on. But if you have to adjust the hanger a lot, it can affect the side-to-side adjustment a little too and then you're splitting hairs and exercising your own self patience.
You will not likely see 1/16" off, that's only .0625" so just get it within 1/16 and it'll be fine
I'm real picky and like to see it at zero even though I can't see 1/16" and nobody else can either. Just OCD and it shows in how long it takes to adjust a deck!
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
wow, I feel for you....I swear it's getting hotter and humidityer, the older I get, like when I have to replace the forklift fanbelt.When I bought my BX23s 4 years ago, guy asked if I wanted the MMM. I said hell no, it's a TRACTOR that I'm going to USE as a tractor, not a riding mower ! I'd hate to have to take off.put on a MMM..that's a young man's sport.
Hopefully cooler now, maybe there's some 'bracket' ? that's on the wrong side of some other 'bracket' ?? Just because it's attached doesn't means it's correct......
I assume this was on your BX2200?
When I did mine on my BX2200, for the first time in MANY years, I used a wood block as a spacer to measure blade distance between the flat surface I was parked on, and the blade tips of the outside blades.
Was rather painless, and worked for me. Took a little time, but not much. Blade height was checked by feel, not by sight.
When I did mine on my BX2200, for the first time in MANY years, I used a wood block as a spacer to measure blade distance between the flat surface I was parked on, and the blade tips of the outside blades.
Was rather painless, and worked for me. Took a little time, but not much. Blade height was checked by feel, not by sight.
ve9aa
Well-known member
Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
I must have lower standard's than y'all.
As long as it's not 2" or more out side-to-side I call it good.
I am not mowing a golf course !
To me (and this is just me) if it's 1/8" out side to side, I would never even know, let alone care.
As long as it's not 2" or more out side-to-side I call it good.
I am not mowing a golf course !
To me (and this is just me) if it's 1/8" out side to side, I would never even know, let alone care.
RCW
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Lifetime Member
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
arml didn’t say how far off the deck was.
If I’m within a 1/4”, I’m good. I mow about 3”, so the deviation is not a big deal.
More than that, I’d have similar issues to arml.