Scalping just started on 3 yr old machine HELP!

Hope someone has some insight on this... I have a Lesco 54" Viper that I have used for 3 years. I bought the machine brand new and i'm the only one that mows with it. A month ago it started cutting uneven, and scalping during turns. The cut is about 3/4 inch lower on the right side of the deck. When I turn, it appears that the front of the deck cuts a half-moon in the turf. Air pressure in all tires is accurate, yes I have checked plenty of times. I have changed blades, and even bought a new set, still the same problem. I have greased everything with zerks, and sprayed WD-40 on all bushings and everything else associated with the deck. I have taken the mower to my local Lesco repair facility 3 times, he measures the blade height each time, and they are within 1/16th of an inch. I have run out of ideas. I don't know if a spindle could be broken, or the deck could be bent, the sidewalls on the tires are weak and flex??? Surely someone out there has been thru this too. Any help would be great! Thanks

 

Have you hit anything with the blades recently, like a rock or a pipe? How many hours on the unit? I would guess that either the deck is warped or a spindle went bad. Take the blades off and measure the distance from the bottom of the spindle housing to the bottom of the spindle shaft. They should all be the same. Ive had spindles go bad and literally the whole blade dropped half an inch.

 

spindles probably bent

 

Thanks for the input, i'll check the spindles tomorrow or friday. I thought that if i had a bent or borken spindle, the blade would be loose, or hitting either the deck or the other blades. I've considered buying new tires, someone said the sidewalls break down over time, but the machine is only 3 years old with less than 500 hours on it. Thanks again!! Any more guesses are welcome, this has me baffled!!

 

That happens to me sometimes but I don't think it's my mower I try to just take the turns a little slower and with more caution, I think it is the terrain in my situation, since it only happens on certain lawns, but if this never happened before for you then it could be the mower. Does it happen everytime you turn 180 degrees?

 

Check the tire pressure, jack the machine up and measure the circumference of the tires. If a tire has been over inflated it will grow.

 

Check the HOC of all the blades at different positions with a HOC tool from John Deere for around nine dollars and you will isolate your problem real fast. Get a level and find the best section of concrete floor before proceeding.

 

Thanks for the help.... My mechanic used a John Deere Height measurement tool, and showed me, all blades are within 1/16 of an inch. I figure the deck is tweaked, or i've got a bent spindle or maybe a bad tire or even a front caster that's bent a little. I'll check this weekend.....

 

We have the same problem with one of our scags. I don't know how your lesco is designed, but I ordered the long piece of all-thread, and new chains that suspend the deck. Chains stretch over time. When I get the parts, Ill let you know.

 

Your front end parts are worn out. Take it back to Lesco and they will rebuild it. That's the price of buying a cheap mower.