[DWinVA]

Thanks for all the information I've learned from so far.

I purchased a new X500 back in Feb. and am now into heavy grass cutting with it. It has the 54" deck and I also talked the dealer into including some mulching blades (Predators I think).

It cuts rather well on the flats but on slight inclines going across in cuts uneven. I've leveled and re-leveled, even order the JD leveling gage and used it. Does anyone have any experience with this happening?

The dealer sent a Tech out last week and he checked the leveling and made the front of the blades a little lower than the back and told my wife (I was at work) he agreed it should be cutting better. He was a big tractor guy and said to try that. Well we mowed Sat. and it's still not cutting well. I've looked and looked and cannot see a reason.

My wife called the dealer again and they said to bring it in but that's not as easy as it sounds this time of year. Said they would have to charge us to come pick it up to work on it. Ugh!

Maybe the leveling is getting off during mowing? Something with the deck is just wrong? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless.

 

[RobNY]

I found the problem for me was the blades were not moving fast enough so I used a speed-up pulley to get better blade tip speed. Since then she cuts ALOT better my wife even noticed the difference in cut.

Used M163464 and also needed 44mm OD and a 15mm ID washer. Should cost around $36 and give you a 15% blade tip speed increase. That is what I did and really quite happy with it. You could also play with the governor which is likely what the dealer will do. Good luck on what ever you decide.

 

[Rick41]

I don't think blade speed should make it cut unlevel. It sounds like maybe some play in the deck mounting letting the deck sag on a slope or low tire pressure maybe? Just some ideas to check/rule out. Keep us posted.

 

[RobNY]

What I found is the blades didn't move fast enough so the grass didn't stand tall. The blades need to move fast enough to suck the blades of grass high enough so they can be cut evenly. So what I would get before the speed up pulley was spots that weren't cut period (usually longer heavier grass) and the grass that was cut wasn't all cut the same height. After the pulley it was all cut the same height and no misses.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

I don't have the same series deck, but I found that with my 54 the Predators were poor, Gator 3 in 1 hi lift much better.

It is important to note that RobNY has the Me-mo system which is a set of 4 flail knives on a disc for each spindle. I had the Meg-mo on for a while as well and it was the worst of all. I don't think it's a matter of tip speed, it's more a matter of how the wind blows under the deck.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

It cuts rather well on the flats but on slight inclines going across in cuts uneven. I've leveled and re-leveled, even order the JD leveling gage and used it. Does anyone have any experience with this happening?

Just had a thought. Uneven cut meaning it's cutting shorter on one end than the other correct?

How high are your gage wheels off the ground? Sounds like you could stand to drop them a notch or so. Also try cutting a bit taller

:goodl:

 

[DWinVA]

Thanks for the replies. The tire pressure is good and I'm still thinking about the tip speed. It appears to mow lower on the discharge side going across the slope but mows good on the level.

Thanks.

God Bless.

 

[DWinVA]

One side cuts shorter than the other. My gage wheels are per the owners manual which is 1/4-1/2" off the ground. I tried them higher per the JD salesman and that as worse.

Thanks.

God Bless.

 

[Nouveau Redneck]

Does it mow lower on the right side no matter whether you're going across the hill with the down hill side of the slope on your left or your right? Or does it change depending on which way you are going across the slope?

 

[DWinVA]

Sat it appeared to be mowing short when the discharge side was down slope but not so bad when it was upslope. Also, yesterday when I was checking level the deck appeared to pop and change height. Thanks.

God Bless.

 

[donmac]

I have the same machine and deck and the same problem! The big 54" deck doesn't like uneven ground! travelling sideways over a slope always leaves a scalped edge on the bottom side where the ground levels out and traveling straight up the slope leaves an uncut section at the beginning of the incline!
the 54 decks are just not right for properties with sharp elevation changes!I was into a dealer this week enquiring if the springloaded scalp wheel adjusters are a possibility for my deck so I can quickly lower the left side scalp wheels before cutting the section that's giving me the problems, I'm already running them lower than spe. ,but obviouusly not low enough to stop the scalping! I'll post some pics, on the next cutting adventure and see if anybody here has a solution other than re-landscaping!

 

[DWinVA]

Sorry to hear you're having sort of the same issue.....but glad someone else has seen this. I'm starting to think there's a few bad decks out there. My farther-in-law has a X500 - 54" a couple years hold and it mows his hilly yard great. One of my plans is to borrow it and try it on my yard.

God Bless.

 

[MowJoe]

Listen. I know John deere recommends that those gage wheels be 1/4 to 1/8" off the ground but if you are mowing on slopes that is not going to work. I mow semi commercially and I have a gx255 with a 54c and a x500 with a 54 edge and I have found that wheels have to almost be touching the ground or it will mow in level. 1/4 to 1/8 " is all good and well on level ground but not on slopes. I even have problems with my 48" deck on slopes. Lower your wheels a notch and experiment.


Sent from the MTF Free App

 

[Harryc]

I mow some pretty hilly property with both a 54" and a 48" deck and as long as you are going up and down vs across a hill scalping is not an issue. Now sometimes you can't avoid going up a hill while also leaning to one side or the other, and I find that as you approach anything near a 25 to 30 degree lean scalping can and does occur. Not much can be done unless like has been suggested that you get off of the machine and lower the anti scalp wheels on just that section of the property where you are leaning to one side. It's a royal PITA to do that and not many want to bother. Plus if you think about it, unless you always mow in the same direction you'd constantly be getting off the machine and changing the wheel height. Conventional decks are not designed to handle mowing up a hill while leaning to one side. (period)

 

[DWinVA]

I have one hill that I need to lean up hill a little on but the rest of my yard is a slight slope (no leaning). Guess I'll borrow a trailor and haul this think back to the dealership. It's very frustrating to pay this kind of money for what is advertised as a great mowing machine for hills and have these issues. Thanks.

God Bless.

 

[donmac]

The problem arrises at the transition point from level to sloped maybe I just haven't found the sweet spot where to run the edge of the deck yet,but it's pretty embarrassing when people see a beautiful looking machine leaving behind a lawn that looks like someone cut it with a weedwacker! I might resort to cutting that section with a walkbehind!

 

[curry7500]

on my 62 in deck I keep my wheels all the way and just use the knob to set the height I want. that when I get around a edge of driveway I can adjust know down and cut it close no weed eating lol

 

[KennedyDiesel]

One side cuts shorter than the other. My gage wheels are per the owners manual which is 1/4-1/2" off the ground. I tried them higher per the JD salesman and that as worse.

Thanks.

God Bless.

Maybe I was unclear. You need to lower the wheels so that when on the sidehill they engage the ground and keep the deck from scalping. That and raise the cutting height a bit.

 

[DWinVA]

I gotcha on the wheels. I guess it will be back at the dealer before I try anything else. Thanks.

God Bless.

 

[DWinVA]

I'm borrowing a trailer and taking it to the dealership today. I'll post what they tell me. Thanks.

God Bless.