The Green Industry's Resource Center

ProStreetCamaro · #**121** 06-08-2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMLC

I cut this one first thing this morning with freshly sharpened OEM blades.

Is that KBG? Those stripes are more defined than I can achieve on my lawns. We have very little KBG here. Most of our grass is thicker bladed fescues which stripe but not nearly as defined as KBG. Looks like your machine is working very well for you!

GMLC · #**122** 06-08-2012, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

Is that KBG? Those stripes are more defined than I can achieve on my lawns. We have very little KBG here. Most of our grass is thicker bladed fescues which stripe but not nearly as defined as KBG. Looks like your machine is working very well for you!

That lawn is a mix of KBG and fine fescue. The sun was perfect this morning for that pic. I cant wait to get my stripe kit!
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mtmower · #**123** 06-08-2012, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

mtmower call me crazy but in the side view pictures of your mower it "looks" like the deck is pitched back instead of forward. It might just be the pics or the fact the front of the deck skirt is raised compared to the back?

The skirt is shorter in the front than the rear. I haven't measured it but I believe it's about an inch difference

TLS · #**124** 06-09-2012, 04:40 PM

Yeah, that picture where you have your Super Z behind the Gravely...Your Gravely deck is lower in the back of the deck then the front. Both pictures show this. Maybe this is when it was setup wrong, but you can clearly see the front rake on the SuperZ, but clearly see a rear rake on the Gravely.

mtmower · #**125** 06-12-2012, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLS

Yeah, that picture where you have your Super Z behind the Gravely...Your Gravely deck is lower in the back of the deck then the front. Both pictures show this. Maybe this is when it was setup wrong, but you can clearly see the front rake on the SuperZ, but clearly see a rear rake on the Gravely.

It looks that way but again it's due to the deck skirt. The rear of the deck is 5.5" tall the left front skirt is about 4.75" and the right front skirt near the discharge is closer to 4.5". According to my height gauge the rear blade tips were 1/8" higher than the front in that pic. I've since dropped the front of the blades another 1/8'. I may be dropping it off at the dealer tomorrow to see what they can find.

TLS · #**126** 06-12-2012, 06:35 AM

Your RPM's are set to 3750, right?
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TLS · #**127** 06-12-2012, 08:17 AM

I looked again....in the picture with the discharge side pointing towards the camera, on the Gravely deck is VERY clear that it doesn't have the rake that the Hustler deck does.

I'm looking at the top plate of the decks across the top of the discharge opening.

1/8" is not enough. 1/4" to 3/8" is where you should probably be.

Also a factor is the rear flap striper. That could be combing the grass up and giving you the stringers. Try removing it.

mtmower · #**128** 06-12-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLS

Your RPM's are set to 3750, right?
Posted via Mobile Device

It hasn't been checked yet. Possibly will be taking it to the shop today. I don't own a mini tach as of yet. This is a concern since there only running 18000 rpm tip speed the way they're set up. Seems low compared to other mowers on the market.

mtmower · #**129** 06-12-2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLS

I looked again....in the picture with the discharge side pointing towards the camera, on the Gravely deck is VERY clear that it doesn't have the rake that the Hustler deck does.

I'm looking at the top plate of the decks across the top of the discharge opening.

1/8" is not enough. 1/4" to 3/8" is where you should probably be.

Also a factor is the rear flap striper. That could be combing the grass up and giving you the stringers. Try removing it.

Yea, I see your point. It does look pitch lower in the rear. All I can tell you is my spiffy John Deere blade height gauge say otherwise. It would be so sweet if the deck can be corrected and the cut cleaned up. It blows my mind how much the surface that the mower is measured on can throw things off. After attempting to adjust it on my garage floor, I found it just to uneven due to tapper for a drain and just less than perfect floating when done. I took it to my neighbors who has about a 10 year old floor in his shop (much newer than mine) which looks super level and smooth to the eye, but even his floor changes enough to effect the reading from spot to spot. 1/8" is nothing.

ProStreetCamaro · #**130** 06-12-2012, 12:55 PM

I noticed something today. I used our 160 today because it is raining (thank god I dont have an exmark as my primary mower on days like this) and did not want to get the new machine all funky already. Anyway.... the xfactor deck on the 160 is different than the 460. They made changes to the deck but never changed the name or added something like X-Factor II. The left side edge of the deck on the 160 is straight front to back. On the 460 it arches out toward the back. Maybe it is the same under the deck not really sure yet because I have not had the new machine up in the air yet. Makes me wonder if that has anything to do with gmlc's mower not working well with the stens blades. I will have to throw a set on the 460 and see if the cut quality drops compared to the oem blades.