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While inspecting the blades one blade is approximately 3/8 inch higher than the other. Also on this mower the blades do not overlap but come close to each other end to end.
While inspecting the blades one blade is approximately 3/8 inch higher than the other. Also on this mower the blades do not overlap but come close to each other end to end.
I forget. But I think the companies used to tell us that only the first half inch of the blade does the most of the cutting. I could be wrong; it has been many years. But take a good look at that leading edge of your blades. If that is dull; it could explain the uncut middle section of grass.
As far as the 3/8th inch difference: When you take off your blades; stack them and see if they fit together. You could have bent one blade. If you did; replace them. Trying to bend them could cause a weakness that might send a piece of metal flying. I could not advise you to attempt that.
However, if they do fit together; you might have another issue such as a bent spindle. Let's not go there for the time being. The blades usually get damaged first.
I have a 42 inch Craftsman riding mower and notice that the mower is leaving a strip or ridge of grass in the center between the two blades after I cut an area. Is this normal?
Yes, the grass is too long. You'll have to make double passes- forward/backward or move over only 1/2 width at a time, or cut with the deck at the highest setting and then re-cut at a lower setting. Otherwise, mow more often so that the grass doesn't get so long. This happens even with brand new blades.
I deal with the same thing here. I have a *lot* of grass (more than 10 acres) and not enough time (or inclination) to keep it all mowed 'just so'. I usually let the vast majority of it grow long and a local farmer cuts it to feed his deer. But, even the rest that he doesn't cut, I still don't have enough time or inclination to keep it 'manicured', so it often gets long between cuts, which means that I have to use one of the double-cut methods.
If you don't want to spend so much time cutting, your other option is a bigger/better mower, and/or an auxiliary off-set mower that you tow behind your tractor.
Here is a cheap balancer: 42-100 Blade Balancer. I used one very similar when I was in business many years ago. They might even have them cheaper made in plastic.
Thanks for the info and advice. I was unaware that there was such a thing as blade balancers. I just came in from mowing the five acres around the house and barns with the Craftsman. Whew! What a job! I sometimes use my Ford 8n tractor with a 6' finish mower to do much of this work but I had installed a new electric PTO clutch on the Craftsman a few weeks ago and wanted to check it out.
I actually have 20 aces of short grassland to keep up with but I use a 5' bush hog (rotary mower?) with the 8n to cut most of it.
Thanks for the info and advice. I was unaware that there was such a thing as blade balancers. I just came in from mowing the five acres around the house and barns with the Craftsman. Whew! What a job! I sometimes use my Ford 8n tractor with a 6' finish mower to do much of this work but I had installed a new electric PTO clutch on the Craftsman a few weeks ago and wanted to check it out.
I actually have 20 aces of short grassland to keep up with but I use a 5' bush hog (rotary mower?) with the 8n to cut most of it.
Your welcome! I also have five acres of rocks, roots, and some grass. I have three tractors that I use - I am usually busy fixing one or two of them. It pays to have spares and my fleet is aging. Sometimes I wish that I had one of your Ford 8n's - but that is older than my Gravely!
Your welcome! I also have five acres of rocks, roots, and some grass. I have three tractors that I use - I am usually busy fixing one or two of them. It pays to have spares and my fleet is aging. Sometimes I wish that I had one of your Ford 8n's - but that is older than my Gravely!
I wish I had more rocks and roots than I do. The only trees I have are the ones planted around the house and barns (mostly elms and thornless locust). My acreage is as flat as a dinner table but with a lush growth of knee-to-waist-high native grasses. We have a good top soil out here but it is a very fine silt to clay and is a real mess on the roads when it gets wet.
I had gotten into restoring the little Fords (8ns, 9n, and Jubilees) when I retired several years ago. I've had over 20 8ns in the past six or seven years but several Jubilees, 9ns and other newer Fords as well. Some came out ready to put in a parade but someone has always been standing there as they were finished to buy the pretty ones. I've sort of gotten away from the work any more because of health and eye sight problems. Right now I have only the Craftsman, an unrestored '49 8n and a '52 Ferguson TO30. I have the Ferguson in the barn right now replacing the clutch. I'm trying to get that done before the weather turns cold but have had some problems getting the correct clutch plate in. I've never worked on a Gravely but have come really close several times to picking one up.
I've never been to the Wilkes-Barre region of PA but I'll bet it's pretty. My family lived in Maryland in the 1980 and 1990s and camped in western PA (near where the 9-11 plane crashed.)
I have a 42 inch Craftsman riding mower and notice that the mower is leaving a strip or ridge of grass in the center between the two blades after I cut an area. Is this normal? this is my first riding mower. Also the mower has two blades and when the time comes how do I gain access to the underside to remove the blaces and sharpen them. I live in S. Florida and had Floratam grass and with all the rain it needs cutting every week.
Thank you.
I have same and it does same. No matter how I leveled the deck.
You disconnect several clips at the bottom, holding deck in place, slide one belt off, and slide deck out. I used to simply grab one deck side and set mower on its side, to gain blades access, but then oil starts leaking out. But that's quick and dirty, pun intended.
I wish I had more rocks and roots than I do. The only trees I have are the ones planted around the house and barns (mostly elms and thornless locust). My acreage is as flat as a dinner table but with a lush growth of knee-to-waist-high native grasses. We have a good top soil out here but it is a very fine silt to clay and is a real mess on the roads when it gets wet.
I had gotten into restoring the little Fords (8ns, 9n, and Jubilees) when I retired several years ago. I've had over 20 8ns in the past six or seven years but several Jubilees, 9ns and other newer Fords as well. Some came out ready to put in a parade but someone has always been standing there as they were finished to buy the pretty ones. I've sort of gotten away from the work any more because of health and eye sight problems. Right now I have only the Craftsman, an unrestored '49 8n and a '52 Ferguson TO30. I have the Ferguson in the barn right now replacing the clutch. I'm trying to get that done before the weather turns cold but have had some problems getting the correct clutch plate in. I've never worked on a Gravely but have come really close several times to picking one up.
I've never been to the Wilkes-Barre region of PA but I'll bet it's pretty. My family lived in Maryland in the 1980 and 1990s and camped in western PA (near where the 9-11 plane crashed.)
The biggest problem with the older tractors is trying to get parts. You are fortunate with the old farm tractors because many collectors like to keep them running. Not so with the older lawn/garden tractors. Yes there are some sources for parts - but they don't carry everything. I just went for a carburetor rebuilding kit to be told by the dealer to just disassemble it and clean the parts. Chances are that I could still find parts if I look hard enough - but it gets harder all of the time.
You want rocks! Check out this link and go down to post #358: https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...ctures-36.html. That stone row is five feet tall and four to five feet wide. They all came out of my back yard many years ago when the land was farmed. Unfortunately all of those old stone pickers died off many years ago! I wish a few of them were still around! Every spring I grow a fresh crop of rocks. They are hard on the blades. Not only that; but many of the newer lawn tractors have white metal spindles (like a newer Arien that I made the mistake of buying). Even old dealers/servicemen can make mistakes!
Actually, Ford N-series tractor parts are still extremely plentiful and are fairly inexpensive. Even places like Tractor Supply has parts for these old tractors. Unfortunately, most of the parts are made in China but what isn't any more? Most of the parts come in two different configurations and price ranges, i.e., the higher priced restoration quality parts that look very much like the original Ford part and a simple aftermarket part that is made inexpensively.
I know what you mean though about some parts getting difficult to find though. Once I picked up a 1955 Oliver Super 55 thinking it was the perfect size for a small farm. I finally found a guy way off in the mid-west somewhere who was reproducing parts for this tractor and was he high. I ended up just getting the tractor running and operating well, then I sold it unrestored.
We do have a few rocks but the ones around here are very small. Two years ago I found a broken arrowhead on the road in front of the house where there are a few small rounded rocks that appear to be left over from some ancient river stream.
While inspecting the blades one blade is approximately 3/8 inch higher than the other. Also on this mower the blades do not overlap but come close to each other end to end.
Sorry, I did not mean to highjack your thread. Did you get your blades off? Did you try laying them on top of each other? Are the tips of the blades dull? Just curious what is happening. Give us an update and let us know if we can help.
PS If you are removing the blades: Sometimes I will put a block of wood in the discharge shoot in-between the blade and the deck. Just so it acts like a stop while I'm trying to remove the blade. And sometimes I will just use heavy leather gloves to hold the blade against the pressure from my ratchet or breaker bar. It all depends on how hard the nut is on the spindle. In some cases you have to put a pipe wrench on the spindle - it depends if the teeth, that hold the blade, are damaged. But, if you have damage to your spindle; it might be time to replace the spindle. Then you might want to remove the deck.
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Check out this link and go down to post #358: 
Every spring I grow a fresh crop of rocks. They are hard on the blades. Not only that; but many of the newer lawn tractors have white metal spindles (like a newer Arien that I made the mistake of buying). Even old dealers/servicemen can make mistakes! 
