How to level a riding mower deck?

[FergusonTO35]

My 1990 Murray 12hp/38" riding mower has given faithful service since I was 12 and mowing my grandma's yard with it. I wasn't the only one to use it, my good natured but machine-dumb great uncle ran it without oil a few times among other things. In 2008 I installed a new Briggs OHV 10.5 engine in it and still use it today.

The only problem it has that I haven't been able to overcome is how to level the deck properly. It has a two blade deck, with the left side more forward than the right. The adjustments are two threaded horizontal rods on the front and a multi-slot hanger on the left rear. The mower always cuts lower on the left hand side, the best I can accomplish is to get the right and left side to be within about 1/2".

Any ideas on what I need to do here? I'm thinking I need to take the deck off and check for anything bent or broken, then reset all adjustments in the middle and see what happens.

 

[Junior Samples]

My 1990 Murray 12hp/38" riding mower has given faithful service since I was 12 and mowing my grandma's yard with it. I wasn't the only one to use it, my good natured but machine-dumb great uncle ran it without oil a few times among other things. In 2008 I installed a new Briggs OHV 10.5 engine in it and still use it today.

The only problem it has that I haven't been able to overcome is how to level the deck properly. It has a two blade deck, with the left side more forward than the right. The adjustments are two threaded horizontal rods on the front and a multi-slot hanger on the left rear. The mower always cuts lower on the left hand side, the best I can accomplish is to get the right and left side to be within about 1/2".

Any ideas on what I need to do here? I'm thinking I need to take the deck off and check for anything bent or broken, then reset all adjustments in the middle and see what happens.

That is what I would do. But if you can adjust the deck on concrete works best with a tape measure.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm going to level it with a machinist rule on concrete. I have the owner's manual somewhere in a huge pile of other manuals, I'll look for it tomorrow.

This poor machine has had a hard life. My grandma bought it brand new in 1990 and it was used by my mom, great-uncle, and 12 year old me. By the time I got into mechanical stuff around 16-17 it had endured some pretty rough treatment and almost no maintenance. My grandma was apparently unaware that a riding mower should last more than a few years and bought a new Sears to replace it. I wouldn't let her give the Murray to a neighbor who wanted it for parts, I knew it would be mine someday. I inherited it in 2006 and have replaced a bunch of stuff on it but have mowed with it every year. Our old house had such a lumpy yard you couldn't tell whether it was cutting evenly or not. Our current place has pretty smooth turf and it shows.

Old machines just become a part of you, what can I say. It is the one I've had for the longest time and the second oldest in the fleet, after my 1955 tractor.

 

[Junior Samples]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm going to level it with a machinist rule on concrete. I have the owner's manual somewhere in a huge pile of other manuals, I'll look for it tomorrow.

This poor machine has had a hard life. My grandma bought it brand new in 1990 and it was used by my mom, great-uncle, and 12 year old me. By the time I got into mechanical stuff around 16-17 it had endured some pretty rough treatment and almost no maintenance. My grandma was apparently unaware that a riding mower should last more than a few years and bought a new Sears to replace it. I wouldn't let her give the Murray to a neighbor who wanted it for parts, I knew it would be mine someday. I inherited it in 2006 and have replaced a bunch of stuff on it but have mowed with it every year. Our old house had such a lumpy yard you couldn't tell whether it was cutting evenly or not. Our current place has pretty smooth turf and it shows.

Old machines just become a part of you, what can I say. It is the one I've had for the longest time and the second oldest in the fleet, after my 1955 tractor.

I agree and feel the very same. I get so intrigued with the older engineering of simplicity of the machinery. I have been buying more than I can put into storage just to keep history from going to the scrap yard and lost forever. I think more and more young minds like yours are swaying in the same direction. I just wish the TV producers would have a show on older OPE. Just my thinkin.

 

[FergusonTO35]

When all else fails, read the instructions. I dug out the oil stained owners manual and fortunately it is still legible. Adjusting the deck is pretty straightforward. Lower the deck down to the lowest setting, then free it from the rear hangers and front adjustment rods. The deck should now be completely sitting on the ground. Thread in or out the front adjustment rods until they easily slide into the corresponding eyelets on the frame. Reconnect the rear hangers and test cut, use the left rear hanger to adjust left/right if needed to level the cut. Cut a few passes with it on the flattest part of the yard and it looks to be cutting as well as a 28 year old Walmart mower has a right to. I don't care if it isn't perfectly smooth as long as the height of the cut is reasonably consistent.

 

[Fish]

Take off the deck, you will see the problem then. Look at the frame and front axle area.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. I mowed the whole yard with it yesterday and it is cutting as well as any of my other mowers so I'm going to call it good. I did inspect everything while I was working on it and didn't see anything amiss.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Mowed with it again yesterday and all appears to be well. Try everything possible before reading the instructions, that's the way to go!