twisted a blade

[endeavor to persevere]

I was mowing today with my Cub cadet XT1 Lt46 and hung a root and twisted the heck out of one of the blades. I had a set of mulching blades, so I put them on and finished mowing. Then I tried to level the deck and can't get it level in the front. One blade is almost 3/8 inch higher than the other. Do you think I bent the deck or bent a spindle. I hope not.

 

[Lubener]

Yes it is possible to bent the spindle, I did it last year. With a known good blade, observe the suspect spindle and blade while rotating it, you will see them wobble if that's the case.It is also possible to bend the supports for the deck.You mentioned that one blade is higher than the other, maybe the deck is also off side to side.

 

[endeavor to persevere]

I tried for a while this afternoon to level the deck. No mater how I adjusted front and rear I could not get the blades the same height in the front.

 

[endeavor to persevere]

I am going to check the blades and rotate them 180 to see if one is out tomorrow.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

I've had that happen. Took a while to figure it out. Turned out the deck flange that the spindle bolted to was warped.

 

[endeavor to persevere]

Well I pulled the deck off this morning. Looks like the spindle with the blade that caught the root is bent. When you screw the nut holding the blade almost down there is more clearance on one side than the other before it bottoms out. And when you rotate it 180 one side is a little higher then the other.

 

[IndyIan]

Wow, have a good look at the spindle housing too, on my mower the blade bent and then it broke the housing mounts after catching the ground a couple more times. The spindle itself was still dead straight and the bearings were fine, so I just ordered the housing and a new blade.

 

[endeavor to persevere]

I ordered a new spindle, nut and a new blade. Hope that takes care of it. Thanks.

 

[The motor guy]

Unbolt the spindle assembly from the deck and you can put a straight edge across the hole and see if that area is twisted at all. Then pound the [censored] out of that area with a mini sledge hammer.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Unbolt the spindle assembly from the deck and you can put a straight edge across the hole and see if that area is twisted at all. Then pound the [censored] out of that area with a mini sledge hammer.


When you get the spindle off, put in in a vise and rotate the shaft before you go bezerk on the deck. I bet the spindle is damaged.