Service Manual

SECTION 8 CUTTING DECK
Cutting Deck Operation
The Vacu-Power deck
is designed to provide the
ultimate
in quality of cut and bagging ability. It relies on
air movement to carry the grass into the bag.
Not all of the air is drawn from the sides; a considerable
amount
of air enters through the center of the deck.
The perforated screen panel just behind the engine
is
the entry point. From there, the air passes through the
belt opening in the deck, through another Screen (BBC
units only) and finally down to the cutting chamber
area. On self-propelled models, there
is a plate that
covers the transmission to help prevent grass from
packing around
it. See Figure 123.
Figure 123
It is important to keep the screens and air passages
clear of debris to allow free airflow. If
the screens are
obstructed, the quality of cut will degrade.
Cutting Deck Adjustments
IMPORTANT: The following
two adjustments can be
time consuming and should
only be performed If
blade position affects safety or quality of cut.
There are
two critical dimensions that also affect
quality of cut: blade position and blade tip clearance.
A description of each is provided below.
Blade Posltlon refers to the vertical position of the
blade at the tip with respect to
the bottom lip of the
deck. See Figure 124.
The specification for blade height with respect to the
bottom lip of the deck is given below.
Area
Blade Position
If the blade is too high, quality of cut will degrade. If the
blade is too low, operator safety may become a
concern.
If the blade is too low at any point within the housing,
the engine should
be shimmed to bring it within the
specification. Shim the engine using shim washers
between the engine and the deck
as shown in Figure
125.
Always use Loctite
(R) on engine fasteners when
reinstalling. Recheck blade position after engine
mounting screws are tightened to the proper torque.
Front Flush with housing bottom
@Rear
6.4 1.5 mm (.250 2.060')
Sides Even with opposite side within
1.5 mm (.060”)
BLADE POSITION BLADE POSITION
Figure 124
CAUTION! Do not shim the engine more than
1.5
mm (.060”) If the dimension is still out of speclfi-
cation after shimmlng, deck replacement may be
requlred.
If the height of the blade is too high within the housing,
the engine mounting pads on the cutting deck can be
lowered slightly. Using a caliper, measure the original
height of the mounting pad. Using a mill
or file, remove
Vacu-Power Mower
69 Cutting Deck