If both deck locator rods are broken will it cause deck belt and deck spindles/pulleys to make an unusual squealing sound and slow engagement of the spindles/blades? I just discovered the rods were broken at the front welds when I noticed the noise and the slow engagement. Our one granddaughter mowed our grass (18 acres) while we were gone for two weeks and I don't know if she hit some tree roots or large landscaping rocks,or cement seawall. Or, perhaps over time, they could have gotten weakened from use by my wife or myself. I surmise the squealing may be from the belt slipping and slow engagement also from slipping. When adjusting the deck belt tension should it be done with the deck height set at 1 -1/2 inches and the belt then being tight or loose? When tightening the drive belt does it make a difference what the deck height is? I read that a credit card thickness (.030) should be between the spring coils. Does this also apply to the tension spring on the deck? My thanks to anyone with information fo me.
60" 2021 ZT Elite Deck Locator Rods
- Thread starter Beanpole
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StarTech
Lawn Royalty
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- Feb 19, 2020
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Looking at the IPL the deck idler spring is not adjustable as one end is on the moving idler arm and the other is attached to a fixed position bolt. If both locator rods are broken then the deck can shift backwards and loosen the deck drive belt to a point of being so loose it will start slipping. Both locator arms will need to be replaced or the mounting points re-welded which ever is currently broken.
Star Tech: Thank you very much for your response. I ordered two new rods from Amazon. After I get them I am going to have a friend that welds, reinforce them in whatever way he can to make them less vulnerable to breakage. We mow around 40-50 trees on 18 acres of undulating yard with lots of protruding roots so it is inevitable that we from time to time have a collision with one. I am going to have the broken ones repaired and keep them for spares. The spindles on the deck are greaseless. I don't think any of the spindles are malfunctioning but I have read about people changing over to spindles with grease zerts. Your thoughts? Again, thank you.