Leveling your lawn mower deck is a crucial part of lawn mower servicing. An out-of-level deck will result in an uneven cut with what look like “steps” in your lawn. Modern lawn tractors and zero-turn mowers allow you to adjust the deck relatively easily so that you can achieve a perfectly even cut lawn. Follow my step-by-step guide below to level your riding mower deck.
Signs that You Need to Level Your Mower Deck
Here are common signs you can look out for to identify if your lawn mower deck is not level. You’ll be able to notice potential issues with the deck by simply inspecting the cut your lawn mower is making.
- One side of the lawn mower is cutting lower than the other
- Steps in the lawn between cutting strips
- The grass isn’t being cut well, even with sharp blades
The Equipment You’ll Need On Hand to Level Your Riding Mower Deck
You’ll need a level surface to work on to level your mower deck accurately. The adjustments are fractions of an inch, so use the most level work area you can find. Then you’ll want to collect the following tools:
- Tire Inflator
- Tire Pressure Gauge
- Measure Device
- Wrench Set
How to Level a Mower Deck (Step by Step)
The principles and preparations are the same when leveling zero-turn decks or lawn tractor decks. To achieve accurate leveling, you’ll need to follow these steps.
- Preparing the Lawn Mower
- Inspecting the Blades
- Leveling the Deck Side to Side
- Leveling the Deck Back to Front
Preparing the Lawn Mower
To start leveling, you’ll need to have a safe and level lawn mower. Begin by positioning your lawn mower on your level surface. Next, apply the brake and raise the cutting deck to full height. Next, remove the spark plug, so the lawn mower cannot start.
With the lawn mower on level ground, you’ll next want to equal the tire pressure. Take your pressure gauge and measure the front tires. Inflate the front tires so they are of equal pressure, matching the tire inflation recommendations stated on the tire. Once done, you can repeat this for the rear tires. Additionally, your tire sizes must match. If you have odd tires, you’ll never be able to level your mower deck.
Inspecting the Blades
The next step in the leveling process is checking that the blades are straight. First, position the blade so that the tips point toward the sides of the mower instead of toward the front and back.
Then measure the outer tip from the ground up to the blade. Next, rotate the blade 180 degrees and measure the opposite blade tip. Both measurement results should match. If they don’t match, your blade is bent and needs replacement. Repeat this process for each blade on your deck.
Adjusting the Lawn Mower Deck Side-to-Side
We will adjust the deck in two stages. The first step is the side-to-side adjustment. Position the blades so the tips point towards the sides of the mower. Next, measure the outer tips from the ground up to the blade for both the left and right blades using your measuring device and write down the results.
Your end goal is to have both sides of the deck measuring within ⅛ inch of each other. You’ll only need to adjust one side of the deck to achieve this. Using your wrench, adjust the lift link adjustment nut on one side of the lawn mower. Usually, clockwise is up, and anti-clockwise is down. You’ll raise or lower the deck by making minor adjustments to the adjustment nut.
Alternate between adjustments and measuring the blade tip height. Once you have achieved the desired height, confirm by remeasuring both sides of the deck.
Adjusting the Lawn Mower Deck Front-to-Back
The second step is leveling the mower deck front-to-back. The front of the deck should be ⅛ – ½ inch lower than the back.
Start by positioning one of the blades, so the tips point towards the front and back of the mower. Then measure the height from the ground up to the blade of the tip facing towards the front. Next, measure the height from the ground up to the blade of the tip facing towards the back. Note the results of both measurements.
Grab your wrench and locate the front lift link adjustment nut. Your adjustment will alter the height of the front of the deck. Your goal is to get the front to be ⅛ – ½ inch lower than the back.
Adjust the nut clockwise if you need to raise the front of the deck. If you need to lower it, make anti-clockwise adjustments. Once done, remeasure the blade tips pointing front-to-back and confirm the mower deck is level within the desired range.
What if You Don’t Need to Make an Adjustment?
When you measure the blade tips, you may find that you don’t need to make any adjustments. You probably fixed the leveling problem by simply inflating the tires to equal pressure and ensuring the blade is straight. This shows you that proper tire pressure and good-quality blades are essential to achieving a perfectly cut lawn.
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