Kubota mower blade or rpm issue?

[acetravolta]

Just got this used Kubota zero-turn with under 500 hours and took it for a quick run and its my first time using one. Im seeing uneven rows of grass that seem to match the outer blades, even after slowing down. Blades are said to be new, but i cant check the deck due to recent surgery. Makes me wonder if its a blade, deck, or rpm issue. The engine's at WOT, but I can't tell the RPMs. Any idea what's causing this? And has anyone used a good add-on tach that works with a Kohler?

 

[TracleFantastic11]

I had a similar issue when I picked up a used ZT with a Kohler last season, it turned out that deck was slightly pitched and one blade was installed upside down (yep, really). If you can have someone check blade orientation and deck level, that might help. For a tach, Tiny Tach or SenDec units work well with Kohler engines and are easy to install.

 

[acetravolta]

I had a similar issue when I picked up a used ZT with a Kohler last season, it turned out that deck was slightly pitched and one blade was installed upside down (yep, really). If you can have someone check blade orientation and deck level, that might help. For a tach, Tiny Tach or SenDec units work well with Kohler engines and are easy to install.

Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely doublecheck the blade orientation and deck level, crazy how much of a difference that can make. I hadnt considered a Tiny Tach or SenDec, but i'll look into those. Did you notice a big improvement once everything was corrected?

 

[Arlong]

Uneven grass rows on a zero-turn with new blades usually point to a warped deck or improper blade balance, not just RPM issues. Trusting new blades without checking the deck is risky, it could be the real problem here.

 

[acetravolta]

Uneven grass rows on a zero-turn with new blades usually point to a warped deck or improper blade balance, not just RPM issues. Trusting new blades without checking the deck is risky, it could be the real problem here.

Good point, deck alignment or balance could definitely be the issue. I havent checked for warping yet, but i did assume new blades would rule that out. How do you usually check for a warped deck or imbalance without pulling everything apart?