LMichaels Posted June 25, 2019 Posted June 25, 2019 So now that I have big orange purring right along, I wanted to adjust the cutting height. When I had the deck apart to go through it I cleaned, freed up and re-lubed the adjusters. I can turn the darn things every which way until the cows come home but the deck roller is not moving. So now I have to mess with that as it cuts just a tad too low for my tastes though it does make the grass look like a carpet. One thing as nice a machine as that little Honda is it cannot do
MrSteele Posted June 27, 2019 Posted June 27, 2019 Are the brackets seized? Did you put them back together too tight? Are the slots ragged and the adjuster hanging?
PhanDad Posted June 27, 2019 Posted June 27, 2019 Make sure part #11 is installed as shown; make sure bolts #19 & 20 are not tight to allow the roller bar arms to slide. Since the max cutting height of these decks is almost 3" (I've never gotten 3" but I've gotten close), I usually make sure the roller bar arms are as down as far as possible in the bracket slots (part #s 1&6) and then tighten the bolts. This keeps the roller bar firmly attached and prevents wear on the lower bolt and the sides of the bracket when the roller bar moves back and forth as you mow (slop increases with time).
LMichaels Posted June 27, 2019 Author Posted June 27, 2019 Yep gonna be checking that this weekend. SO ripping hot out there I can't bare to work out there. Too much heat on my big fine body 2
LMichaels Posted June 29, 2019 Author Posted June 29, 2019 Well I think I figured out why the darn thing was scalping my yard. It's not just adjustment issue. Not sure what went wrong here but 3 out of 4 mounting bolts broke off and left one actually loose as only think holding the deck up. I know the bolts were tightened and of high quality. I did notice even though when I was going back together the 2 portions of the front bracket that pins to the front axle did not "float" like it did before. Not sure why but I have to pull the deck outta there AGAIN I hate pulling that deck. And try to determine what went wrong there
PhanDad Posted June 29, 2019 Posted June 29, 2019 I've found the mounting ears of the brackets that attach to the deck shell are not always parallel and when you tighten the bolt, even though there's a spacer (#12) that's supposed to allow the rocker arm assembly (#11) to move , it gets pinched and won't. So my method of assembly is at the work bench with the vise handy. I mount the mounting brackets to the arm and tighten the bolt, if it doesn't rotate easily, I adjust the offending ear until it does. Once the mounting brackets rotate ok, I then mount the brackets to the deck with the rocker arm still attached. As I tighten the bolts holding the mounting brackets to the deck, I check to make sure the rocker arm still pivots. Maybe when the tractor's new, you can bolt the assembly up in any order, but I've never had luck bolting the mounting ears on first on a used tractor.
LMichaels Posted June 29, 2019 Author Posted June 29, 2019 Damn thing is so heavy just getting it out is a real struggle. I took it apart when I had it welded. Maybe I should have tried leaving it be. No way without 2 men and a boy that thing is getting on a bench LOL.
ShaunE Posted June 29, 2019 Posted June 29, 2019 56 minutes ago, LMichaels said: Damn thing is so heavy just getting it out is a real struggle. I took it apart when I had it welded. Maybe I should have tried leaving it be. No way without 2 men and a boy that thing is getting on a bench LOL. Removal - Raise deck, Shut engine off, Remove PTO belt, Remove front deck pins, Start engine, Lower deck, Shut engine off, Remove lift cable pin, Turn steering wheel to the Right, Slide Deck out the Left side of the tractor. Installation - Slide deck under tractor from the left side, Turn steering wheel to center, Attach lift cable, Start engine, Raise deck, Shut off engine, Install deck pins, Attach PTO belt. Let the tractor do the majority of the lifting, not your arms. 3
Tom45 Posted June 29, 2019 Posted June 29, 2019 In your last picture it looks like I can see the top of the hole in the rocker arm assembly, item 11. If so, bushing item 12 may be missing.
PhanDad Posted June 29, 2019 Posted June 29, 2019 27 minutes ago, ShaunE said: Let the tractor do the majority of the lifting, not your arms. One of the best, if not the best trick I learned on this site. Many, many times I struggled with 2x3's acting as fulcrum and pry lever trying to get the front of that heavy deck raised into exactly the right position to insert the pins.
LMichaels Posted June 29, 2019 Author Posted June 29, 2019 No the bushings were all there. I will try the tip on R&R of the deck. As it is I need to make a Menard's run to replace the broken and lost carriage bolts. So blasted hot outside can't stay out there long between the heat and the insane amount of skeeters in my garage.
kwt Posted June 30, 2019 Posted June 30, 2019 I own a 42" deck. I've never used it. Maybe it would be easier to handle. Even if you let the tractor do all the work it can do, removing a 48" deck on a Sovereign, especially 7000 series and older, can be a pain. Those beautiful deep wide decks are heavy.
LMichaels Posted June 30, 2019 Author Posted June 30, 2019 They sure are and the older I get the heavier they get. Gonna make a trip to Menard's and pick up some new carriage bolts. Then going to loosen everything and see if I can't get back together with everything free floating. Maybe I will even try to re-balance the blades. Though the deck does run quite smoothly and quietly
jlasater Posted June 30, 2019 Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) In one of the pictures I see what looks like a Nylon lock nut. From what I can see, the bolt threads don't stick through the nut far enough for the lock part to work. Is it possible the other bolts came loose and didn't actually break? The rule of thumb is you want at least two threads sticking out of a nut when tightened for full strength, as well as making sure the Nylock is fully engaged. I've had my 716H since 2001 and only a couple years ago did I figure out the trick to use the lift cable to hoist the deck during installation. Felt like a fool when I discovered that. In the case of the 9020, I don't know if I would even be able to install the deck (at 280lbs) without that trick. Edited June 30, 2019 by jlasater
LMichaels Posted July 1, 2019 Author Posted July 1, 2019 I did not use nylock nuts though I did use a combo of flat and locking washers. I guess it is possible they loosened but I did tighten those bolts HARD, using an electric impact wrench. Maybe I will see if I can find nylock nuts and maybe back all that up with locking washers and loctite blue LOL. Belt AND suspenders
AC710 Posted July 1, 2019 Posted July 1, 2019 On 6/29/2019 at 5:39 AM, LMichaels said: I know the bolts were tightened and of high quality. Another thought - be sure the carriage bolts are grade 5 bolts - they will have 3 raised marks on the head.
LMichaels Posted July 1, 2019 Author Posted July 1, 2019 They were. I think the mount not being free contributed to the failure. Unfortunately I am stuck being down with a flu bug and cannot work on it. Thanks to COPD I have to be very careful as I can degrade into pneumonia in a heartbeat so for time being laying low
SmilinSam Posted July 1, 2019 Posted July 1, 2019 On 6/29/2019 at 12:22 PM, PhanDad said: One of the best, if not the best trick I learned on this site. Many, many times I struggled with 2x3's acting as fulcrum and pry lever trying to get the front of that heavy deck raised into exactly the right position to insert the pins. Hmmm ... never tried lifting it with the tractor before pinning. My method has always been using a standard shovel, sticking the point under the edge of the deck and lifting the deck nose by pushing down on the shovel handle. Can usually slide the deck forward or back and side to side by moving the shovel around. Seems to work reasonably well anyhow. 1
jlasater Posted July 1, 2019 Posted July 1, 2019 Try using the cable lift...you'll be glad you did. :-) 1
LMichaels Posted July 7, 2019 Author Posted July 7, 2019 On 6/29/2019 at 11:51 AM, ShaunE said: Removal - Raise deck, Shut engine off, Remove PTO belt, Remove front deck pins, Start engine, Lower deck, Shut engine off, Remove lift cable pin, Turn steering wheel to the Right, Slide Deck out the Left side of the tractor. Installation - Slide deck under tractor from the left side, Turn steering wheel to center, Attach lift cable, Start engine, Raise deck, Shut off engine, Install deck pins, Attach PTO belt. Let the tractor do the majority of the lifting, not your arms. Hey I have to give a shout out of thanks for this tip! I tried it today Holy S&*T what a difference! I would have never dreamed of doing this. BTW got the deck all back together and back under the orange monster. All seems well. Cut part of the lawn with it no problem, and used the Honda walk behind for part and the Honda tractor for the other. Everything (including me) got a work out today 1
Rfp55 Posted July 8, 2019 Posted July 8, 2019 Step away from the electric impact wrench. Nyloc nuts OK, lock washers too, I use locktite on loads of fasteners. Torque wrench to 35 ft# on a 3/8" bolt thread. Don't fly all the threads off with force. I have seen someone really strip 1/2 bolt threads to junk with electric Impacts, it's worse than too loose. I allow my brother to only remove hardware with one. Going on - same stuff will happen. He's roached off plenty of truck wheel studs because he fears them falling off from lack of tightness. There is no feel to the electric gun. They get safer after 20 years of use. An air impact has decent adjustments and control. 1
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