Cutting deck problem

[Bange]

Murray 42L18G60X8A

When I bought this lawn mower, the platform was disassembled, with dents, some tears, broken cable and with rumbling bearings. I noticed some differences between the current platform and the one in the Murray manual (basically in the part of the brake set)
I recovered all the defects, redid some screws and fixed holes with excessive clearance (in the suspension arms) and installed it on the tractor, but there is a problem that I haven't been able to solve yet.

low platform photo

high platform photo

See the distance from the platform to the wooden stump ... in photo 1, the selected height is 1 and in photo 2 the selected height is 5.
It is noticed that it does not rise in the perfect vertical and this affects the tension of the belt and causes the blades to be activated from height 3 onwards, even without activating the coupling lever.
As there are grotesque welds on the fixing brackets, it is possible that the set is not in its correct geometry or has been modified.
Questions:
1 - Is it normal for the platform to go up or down without being perfectly vertical?
2 - It is possible that this difference is compensated for by the adjustment of the cable (not original).
3 - What is the correct measurement of the belt? The one that is installed is A-93.
4 - In normal situation, does the platform have any game (swing) or is it rigid anywhere?

Grateful for any help

 

[bertsmobile1]

The front mount is too short.
Very common for the mounting brackets to have excessive wear or even been bent backwards.
Check the anchor bracket, listed 70 in the diagram beow
People who consistantly run into things with the deck end up bending it backwards
Solution is to put a big shifer on it and bend it forward
front drag link anchor plate

To check if this is the problem put some spacers between the nut & the cone on the front drag link part 98 in the diagram below
This deck lift is not the best idea on the planet and when I level the blades I have to do it mid height because the deck tilts down at the highest position & tilts up at the lowest .
drag link

 

[Bange]

My friend, my English is terrible and I use Google for translation ... nicknames or expressions have no translation. I think your numerical references are from the manual I attached ... could you confirm and explain in other words the meaning of "The solution is to put a big shifer on it and fold it forward front drag link anchor plate"? I imagine it is the "arm suspension" (6) in the manual .... is that it? Do you have an answer to questions 3 and 4? Tks

 

[bertsmobile1]

The part shown as number 70 in the first diagram gets bent towards the back of the mower during use
So some times it needs to be bent towards the front to put it in the right place.

The drag link , part numbered 98 in the second diagram has a thread on the front to make it shorter which lifts the front of the deck higher and also causes the belt to be a little looser .This should stop the blades engaging when you raise the deck, .
At the end of the drag link are 2 parts, not given numbers because you have to buy them as a set.
The bit that presses against part 70 is a cone and behind it is the nut
the limit to how far you can pull the drag link forward is the clip ( number 98 ).
So if putting spacers between the but & the cone does not move the drag link far enough forward to make the blades level to the ground then the bracket ( part 70 ) will need to be bent.

I use a 24 inch long shifting spannar , also called a Monkey Wrench or adjustable spannar

 

[Bange]

Okay, in fact the part 70 is slightly tilted backwards (+ -95 °) ... do I adjust it to 90 ° or less?
As for piece 98, it already has the cone, a long spacer (+ - 5cm) and then the adjustment nut.
From what you say, whenever I adjust the height of the deck, there is a need for a touch-up on piece 98 to keep the deck as horizontal as possible ... correct?

 

[Bange]

...
This deck lift is not the best idea on the planet and when I level the blades I have to do it mid height because the deck tilts down at the highest position & tilts up at the lowest .
drag link...

What do you say about deck is valid for everyone or is there one that is better?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Okay, in fact the part 70 is slightly tilted backwards (+ -95 °) ... do I adjust it to 90 ° or less?
As for piece 98, it already has the cone, a long spacer (+ - 5cm) and then the adjustment nut.
From what you say, whenever I adjust the height of the deck, there is a need for a touch-up on piece 98 to keep the deck as horizontal as possible ... correct?

IT should point slightly forward so we can call it 80 to 85 the way you are measuring.
Not needed to be exact but it has less chance of bending back if it is bent forward to start with
Some times I take them off & turn the bracket around.
Some you can do it & some you can not do it .
Originally there was just the cone & 2 nuts , one to adjust it and the other to lock
I think you mean a 5mm spacer ( 1/4" ) ant 5 cm which is about the full length of the thread.
That rod need s to be adjusted to keep the BLADES as close to horizontal as possible at all cutting heights .
To work best the front of the blades should be about 1/4" lower than the back.
The blades might not be parallel to the bottom of the deck so you must measure from the blades

 

[bertsmobile1]

What do you say about deck is valid for everyone or is there one that is better?

Every deck that uses a drag link at the front will move in an arc as it is raised & lowered
To move parallel the deck needs to hang of 4 rods which is how it was done 30 years ago
But that was complicated and used a lot of parts which made it expensive.
So to make decks cheaper they went to 3 point mounting

 

[Bange]

Perfect, that was also my conclusion about this deck ... (I don't know others)
Has anyone tried to put an arm (6) longer?
This would soften the arc made when going up and down the deck.
Putting in Sketchup, the best position of the arm in the part fixed on the chassis is aligned with the motor shaft pulley .... but the brake / clutch shaft can get in the way a little ...

 

[slomo]

Every deck that uses a drag link at the front will move in an arc as it is raised & lowered
To move parallel the deck needs to hang of 4 rods which is how it was done 30 years ago
But that was complicated and used a lot of parts which made it expensive.
So to make decks cheaper they went to 3 point mounting

Right, cheaper not better.

slomo