I just went through this exercise with my X500 because I was getting an very uneven cut with ridges on the turning cuts.
Finding a level "flat" spot is the tricky part, at least in my garage.
I did remove the deck, sharpened the blades, cleaned, greased and re-installed the deck.
I used the level gauge/post, that pulls out of the height adjustment knob. Be sure to set the knob to the leveling position which sets the deck and blades to two inches, I believe, after your done with the process.
I could not believe how out of whack my deck was. The two rear adjustment points had to come up a good 3/8" and the front point almost an inch! No wonder it cut the way it did when turning. I did have exactly two inches from the floor to the blades, just what the height knob was reading, after I finished. You might have to go back and forth a few times, as you adjust the front, the back has to be adjusted again, and so on.
The other important thing, is to adjust the scalping wheels correctly. You adjust these after you set your desired cutting height... say 3 1/4". Then set the scalping wheels to be a quarter to a half inch higher than the ground.
The cut is like night and day!
I remember checking the deck when I bought the tractor last year and it was good at the time. I suspect when I put the plow on, which involved unbolting and adding a couple parts so you could lift the plow with the deck lifting pedal, something got nudged.
Anyway... have fun.
Finding a level "flat" spot is the tricky part, at least in my garage.
I did remove the deck, sharpened the blades, cleaned, greased and re-installed the deck.
I used the level gauge/post, that pulls out of the height adjustment knob. Be sure to set the knob to the leveling position which sets the deck and blades to two inches, I believe, after your done with the process.
I could not believe how out of whack my deck was. The two rear adjustment points had to come up a good 3/8" and the front point almost an inch! No wonder it cut the way it did when turning. I did have exactly two inches from the floor to the blades, just what the height knob was reading, after I finished. You might have to go back and forth a few times, as you adjust the front, the back has to be adjusted again, and so on.
The other important thing, is to adjust the scalping wheels correctly. You adjust these after you set your desired cutting height... say 3 1/4". Then set the scalping wheels to be a quarter to a half inch higher than the ground.
The cut is like night and day!
I remember checking the deck when I bought the tractor last year and it was good at the time. I suspect when I put the plow on, which involved unbolting and adding a couple parts so you could lift the plow with the deck lifting pedal, something got nudged.
Anyway... have fun.
