my problems with the exmark cut.

[TClawn]

Hi there brian,

In the thread below, you can see the problems I have had with my exmark leaving weird "streaks". I levelled the deck, and if you look straight down the mower path, you can still see it, but they are just a bit wider, and not as defined, but you can still see it. I think that the blade change from wavy mulchers, to notched high lifts helped a lot. it cuts fine on grasses that won't stripe at all, and as you can see from the pic, it cuts the kyllinga great.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=122314

do you have any more recomendations I can do to get this thing cutting up to par?

thanks.

 

[eXmark]

Hey TClawn,
I have the same view as your picture out my cubicle window in SE Nebraska.
It is hard to tell from pictures what is wrong, but I can give a few things to check on your machine to troubleshoot.
The idler pulley needs to freely keep belt tension, if not correct your blade tip speed will be reduced and thus a poorer finished cut.
Tires aired up....measure the circumfrance/diameter of the tire. There can be a difference from side to side which would show up as streaking.
Check deck level at a dealer.
I have mowed when it is a liitle wet and hot in the afternoon and left tire streaks in fescue/bluegrass lawns. I do not know if this can happen on your grass types in HI, but one earlier picture reminded me of my instance.
Fred in service in the QOC guru, but he is in Costa Rica right now. Try these suggestions and if your QOC issues are not remedied we will talk with Fred.
Thanks, Brian

 

[TClawn]

Brian,

I levelledthe deck my self, and it is cutting level for sure. but it is like it is almost striping the grass like that....

I would not trust my dealer with that mower at all. in short, I feel that they are a bit slow. the last time I had my mower there, it took them over 2.5 weeks to get it back. They also almost cost me $2,000 because they told me that I had sucked two spacers that hold the sump to my engine, into the cylinder heads, and they wouldn't charge me for the repair, if I gave them the engine for parts. I took the engine back, and it turns out there are only SUPPOSED to be two spacers. at that point, my trust has been a bit shaken, and I am not sure if it was dishonest or not, or just ignorance. in any case, I am learning to fix my own mowers.

back to the deck...

I levelled it according to exmarks instructions, and it helped a bit, and the deck was about .5" out of level. so now I am having a different problem with the streaking being wider, and lighter. almost like mini striping.

I know that my idler pulley is not frozen, becuase it moved freely when I took the tension off to grease it 5 hours ago. unless my belt is bad, but it looked fine to me.

do you think a blade change would help? I am using notched high lifts right now.

 

[thebland]

Nice yard!!

 

[TClawn]

thank you, it looks better when it is watered....

I think I am making progress with the cut, and it looked decent this week. what I did, was mess around with the air pressures in the tires. with the right tire inflated to 15lbs and the left to 13lbs, it looked a lot better. not nearly as much streaking.

 

[TClawn]

ok, I have fixed the cut. I am fully satisfied with it now.

 

[chopsticks33]

that definitely looks better compared to your other thread!

 

[TClawn]

yes, a great improvement.

 

[chopsticks33]

are you using/going to use a striping kit?

 

[TClawn]

no, I don't think I will get a striping kit. especially if I get a flex deck for the lazer hp. it would make it looks pretty weird.