Just bought a Turf Tiger with 61" Velocity Deck. It has a discharge baffle on it. I removed the discharge shield but wondering what is the purpose of the baffle? My previous 2 machines didn't have this baffle with same deck.
The baffle I'm talking about is #425625 in the parts manual. Assuming mine is LE model. I don't see LE on the mower anywhere unless that means Liquid Cooled?
Hi Sonders,
The baffle is what Scag calls a "turbo baffle" and is installed on newer Turf Tiger machines with higher HP engines. It is available from many on line power equipment dealers from $30 to $70.
It may assist in the exiting of clippings from the discharge chute, but could be another item that collects wet clippings and will need to be cleaned often.
Let us know how it functions as you use your TT.:smile:
Just looked it up in Scag manuals and it is starred as installed on California models!!! Must have something to do with emissions, fire, spread of clippings or cancer!!! In California only!!!
It may have become standard equipment on 61" TT Velocity decks.
For the time being it's removed. There was a big wod of grass clippings caked up behind it, so I removed it while giving the deck underside a good cleaning. I gave it a thorough cleaning and the damn thing looks better now than when I bought it.
Just another thing to collect grass clippings onto!!!
Anytime the grass has the slightest moisture content the clippings stick to these spots like glue!!!
I use a collection system most of the time, the front baffle and aft chute small director are collection system specific and always collect clipping buildup. I sometimes remove the blower and go open chute with the plastic deflector but leave the collection system baffling installed and when I make a turn, the clippings fall off the front baffle and make a pile which I have to go back over to disperse. Oh well, I can deal with it!!!
Most of the leaves in my area are still green, but I've already collected over 100 bushels so far at just three places!!! Tomorrow I have to do 3.5 acres with some leaves, about a 4 hour job. I have to blow some of the leaves across a side street onto another spot and then suck them up.
Take care!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:
Hey Mad Mackie, need your help on deck leveling. I have your write up saved and am trying to verify my route to adjust mine. With mower parked in garage on flat concrete floor and tires evenly aired to 12 psi on rears and solid front tires; deck dropped down to 4" cutting height position, I'm getting measurements on top all four corner of deck as follows: RF- 7.75" RR-7.5" LF-8.0" LR-7.5". The actual blade cutting height measured is showing 3.25" at front of blade cutting edge and just over 3" at back of blade. Whats my route to adjust properly?
Obviously I need to bring the rear of the deck up to get it 1/4" above the front for it to be pitched right. I achieve this by loosening the bolts on both side adjusting rods and adjust the rods accordingly. Then do I use the leveler bolt on left side of deck to get the right side up level with left side or left side down to level with right?
The front lift arms are one piece with the foot lever attached to the R/H side.
The adjustment on the left front lift arm is a fine adjustment for the forward side to side height adjustment.
The rear lift arms are separate and are independent.
The rods connecting from the front lift arms to the rear lifting arms raise or lower the rear of the deck and adjust side to side for the rear of the deck.
The cut height adjustment is the last thing to do.
Generally, the forward blade tip height should be 1/8" to 3/16" lower that the rear.
Correctly inflate all tires, place machine on a flat and relatively lever surface.
Measure the actual blade height with the outboard blades facing forward and aft.
Enjoy!!!
Not all decks are uniform like a Velocity deck. You may measure from a consistent position to check and adjust for level as the Velocity deck is a fabricated deck with a flat top.
As I have dealt with many different types of decks, I do the actual blade height.
Part of my garage floor is flat and level and I do adjustments on that area. Not everyone has a flat and level area to make these adjustments.
On every deck that I setup, I adjust so the forward blade tip is 1/8" to 3/16" lower than the rear tip and sometimes more as the operators manual may dictate.
This way the advancing blades start the cut of the grass from about the 9 to 11 o'clock position, following thru and discharging properly out the R/H discharge chute.
Scag and many other ZTRs hang the deck from the machine frame. Others use rear and sometimes front guide wheels that roll on the lawn surface and the guide wheel adjustment is the critical adjustment.
I generally do the blade height adjustment with the mower on the trailer.
Two reasons for this
Firstly it had a flat surface to measure off
Second it is 18" off the gound so it is a lot easier to work on.
First time I did it this way it was because I forgot to do them in the shop however she doing the very next mower it dawned on me that it was a lot easier & quicker done on the trailer
I was trying to make heads or tails of the owners manual. What you guys are saying makes more since. The manual talks about measuring the top of deck for level; guess thats where I got that from, Then it says to use the height adjuster lever to adjust cutting height. I don't see how that would work.
I messed with it a little bit earlier but the rods didn't want to turn, just the locking nuts turned on me. I found that taking the rods off the mower and turning the rear swivel joints a couple of turns towards the front actually got the rear of the blades at 4" which is cutting height I had it set on for checking. I'll probably give them one more turn to bring rear up slightly above 4", then focus on the front swivels to get front up to 4".
When I took the swivels off lastnight I noticed the ends are about worn through which would probably account for the adjustment being off. I'm going to buy new swivels and put on it and go from there. I should have taken a picture of the swivels.
Got a pic of the slightly worn swivels I replaced. That made a bit of a difference haha. Got it leveled pretty close now. Still needs to come up a hair more but I think it's time to winterize and put her to bed for the season.
Hi Sonders,
I see what you mean, wow, lots of wear on those swivels!!!! how many hours on the machine?
I pulled the cotter pin on one swivel on my machine, not much wear, but only 800 hours possibly 900 as I have had two malfunctioning Scag hourmeters.
It has 650 hrs. I believe they were hard hrs though as evidence from these swivels and a few other items I've replaced on the mower since buying it. I knew of a few small issues it had when buying it, which was reflected in the lower price I got it for. If only my wife would let me buy a new mower instead of always getting second hand stuff. Oh well, I like a little bit of a project.
