So I bought a set of Oregon mulching blades. Nowhere near as thick as the Kubota blades, won't tighten up.
Anyone have this problem?
Anyone have this problem?
ZD 331 Mower Blade Thickness
- Thread starter Trkr
- Start date
It would help if you provided the exact model of the mower deck as there seems to be two possible. A 60" and a 72"
Who selected the Oregon blade?
Model number of the Oregon blade.
Have you owned the ZD331 since new or did you acquire as used equipment?
Dave
ZD 331, 60" deck, bought it used.
3PK Oregon 96-363 Gator Blades fits 60" Kubota ZD21 DZ28 ZD323 ZD326 ZD331 ZG327.
Copy and paste this to ebay, you can look at the ad. They are .050 thinner than the Kubota blades.
Did a google search, seems to be a known issue.
3PK Oregon 96-363 Gator Blades fits 60" Kubota ZD21 DZ28 ZD323 ZD326 ZD331 ZG327.
Copy and paste this to ebay, you can look at the ad. They are .050 thinner than the Kubota blades.
Did a google search, seems to be a known issue.
The parts illustration shows two spring washers, also known as BELLEVILLE washers securing each blade.
These washers are part # K651-34352 for $4.61 each
Belleville washer can be stacked in several ways to achieve the design clamping force and amount of flex.
Belleville washers can also be used in combination with a flat washer.
I suggest you make certain the Oregon blade center hole is exactly the same size as the Kubota blade. Any extra clearance in this hole will allow the blade to shift off center and thus out of balance and you will never be able to keep it tight.
Should you choose to use a flat washer together with the two specified Belleville washers, the center hole of the washer is also a critical size for the same reason as the blade.
Stacking more Kubota supplied Belleville washers in parallel is likely the easiest way to ensure the blade remains centered.
Dave
These washers are part # K651-34352 for $4.61 each
Belleville washer can be stacked in several ways to achieve the design clamping force and amount of flex.
Belleville washers can also be used in combination with a flat washer.
I suggest you make certain the Oregon blade center hole is exactly the same size as the Kubota blade. Any extra clearance in this hole will allow the blade to shift off center and thus out of balance and you will never be able to keep it tight.
Should you choose to use a flat washer together with the two specified Belleville washers, the center hole of the washer is also a critical size for the same reason as the blade.
Stacking more Kubota supplied Belleville washers in parallel is likely the easiest way to ensure the blade remains centered.
Dave
have run into this a bunch of times
stacking the washers won't help as they flatten out to the same thickness once the bolt is tight regardless of how they're stacked. The design of the system is such that the thickness of the blade is critical. So is the dust cup. If the cup is missing the blades will NOT tighten properly, and will slip in operation, resulting in damaged blade, spindle, boss, eardrums, possibly emotional injury after the ol lady scolds you for leaving uncut grass in the yard
In 100% of the cases I've tried oregon blades on these mowers, 100% of the time the consumer was unhappy-and went back to Kubota blades
kubota makes a "double decker" mulching blade for the 60" ZD's, I don't remember teh part number but they work awesome. Much better than the standard mulching blades. The breakdowns and diagrams don't list them. I found them by asking someone at kubota directly, it is originally designed for a rear discharge 60" ZD3x deck.
stacking the washers won't help as they flatten out to the same thickness once the bolt is tight regardless of how they're stacked. The design of the system is such that the thickness of the blade is critical. So is the dust cup. If the cup is missing the blades will NOT tighten properly, and will slip in operation, resulting in damaged blade, spindle, boss, eardrums, possibly emotional injury after the ol lady scolds you for leaving uncut grass in the yard
In 100% of the cases I've tried oregon blades on these mowers, 100% of the time the consumer was unhappy-and went back to Kubota blades
kubota makes a "double decker" mulching blade for the 60" ZD's, I don't remember teh part number but they work awesome. Much better than the standard mulching blades. The breakdowns and diagrams don't list them. I found them by asking someone at kubota directly, it is originally designed for a rear discharge 60" ZD3x deck.
Last edited:
Those double decker blades are K5647-97590 which it a kit of 3. Individual, they are K5647-92340. Those are the ones that seriously outperform the "standard" mulching blades.
I have ordered those Oregon blades from Amazon several times. They fit my ZD323 perfectly. I'm thinking something is missing.