Highlift Blades- Drags 23hp Kaw. Down

[tommy]

I tried Highlift Blades on my Skag 52 in. advantage deck 23 Hp Z
Yesterday. The grass was anywhere from 4 to 6.5 inches. I was
cutting at 2.5 inches. The grass was cutting very good, However
the motor was really straining to keep up. Therefore, I had go at
an extremely low speed. Can anyone help diagnose the problem or is this common.
I have not been satisfied with the way this machine cuts. 100 hrs.
I've been thinking I have bought a lemon:confused:

[strickdad]

take it back to the dealer and have them to check rpm. it should be around 3600 (under load).

[Eric ELM]

Highlift blades will pull down an engine a bit more than regular lift blades. Do they put Kaw or Kohlers on those?

I have an old Kohler with over 37 times more hours than yours and it's just a 22 HP. It powers a 60" deck with double blades, a high lift and a regular lift blade and the 22 hp handles it just fine. What rpm's is it running at with the blades on and not mowing? As strickdad said, you might be low on rpm's. If you don't have a tach on it, I'd get one.

[HOWARD JONES]

He says at the beginning of his post it is a Kaw - and I thought they had more torque for a stated HP than Kohler. Both engines are shown on the Scag website as options.

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by HOWARD JONES
He says at the beginning of his post it is a Kaw

I guess I'm going blind, I missed that one completely. :cool:

[tommy]

I took it to the dealer about a week ago. He checked RPM under
load. 3550

[HOWARD JONES]

tommy: no mulch kit, right? What kind of grass, and how heavy is it? How did it cut with the original blades? Have you ever cut this property with a different mower for comparison?

[awm]

just so u can have reference . my 20 kohler w 52
would be pulled ever so slightly w 5-6 inch grass cutting
21/2.
of course this is all reletive to how thick your grass is and what kind.mine is mostly fescue. later now
ps thought i better add mine is a lazer w mule dr.

[Cutter1]

I usually run double blades on my 23 Kaw, 52 Laser. Never struggles and sometimes I even have the ultra vac on it also. I'm not sure whats up with yours, but it shouldn't be struggling.

[Got Grass?]

You said the grass was 4-6.5 inches and you were cutting at 2.5 inches. Thats tall grass (hopefully not a weekly cut). With grass that high depending on how thick it is I can imagine the engine stressing out to cut it. You cant go full speed and expect a nice cut. Just wondering if you checked the air filter and made sure its clean and with proper flow? If not that could well be your problem.

[mklawnman]

Hey Tommy
I have a 52 Scag Advantage deck with 193hours on it with a 23hp Kaw, i have scags high lift blades on it and my engine handles the heavier grasses well, today i cut heavy thick grass at 3inches but the grass was damp so it clumped up under the deck and when it got discharged, it seemed the deck had a hard load on it, the motor took everything i cut and drove up.
Though cutting grass at 2.5inches in 5-6inches of grass can be alot for any mower and with just a 23hp its even more of a strugle, just go slow and it should cut it fine, though clumpy a bit but cut it.
Maybe a 27hp with a 61inch deck would help???:D I wish :D
Just a suggestion :)
Matt

[Runner]

Next time, (and it depends on the grass type, try booking over it and take it down like in 1 1/2" increments. Do your borderline(s) at the final cut height, then raise your deck and work your way down. Bring it up to a height that you are getting a pretty clean discharge. A few clumps aren't going to hurt, as they will be cut over anyway. Make sure you alternate directions. Sometimes this is faster to cut it 3 times at a faster speed, than to cut it right down the first time, and have to cut over it 2 more times anyway.;)

[strickdad]

you never said what kind of blades? i know you said high lift but are they the stock type or the gator type? we are running the gators, there high lifts have slits cut in them and this helps air flow thru them and helps keep blade tip speed up. where as a stock type has a full foil and produces more areo dynamic drag. i have heard a great deal of people on here do not like gators(unless they are running doubles) but we have had good results..

[CandJ]

It was recommended to me to use a high lift blade on only the discharge end of the deck (with 2 medium lifts as the other 2 blades). I also have a 52" advantage deck but only a 17 hp Kaw. I have never had an engine problem with this setup, and the cut is fine.

[Shady Brook]

It seems like I have read some posts on the type of drive mechanism for the blades on a Turf Tiger robs the engine of power. Mine will bog in think heavy grass. My dealer said the Tiger cub with an advantage deck cuts better, suggesting the drive for the blades is different then on that of a Tiger. Moral of the story for me is... I should have bought an Exmark, Hustler, or Chopper. But that is just me, I am weary of the chunking, but I also have the standard deck!
Jay

[Flex-Deck]

strickdad- Are you running the magnum gators, or the original? I have a friend in a town not too far away that is running the magnums, and used to run the originals, and says there is a big difference as to quality of cut. Seems to me the originals with the slots are a little lite on the lift.