why is my craftsman riding mower cutting uneven

by Ursula Heathcote Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Troubleshooting Uneven Cutting of a Craftsman Tractor

Description. Craftsman tractors, also referred to as lawn tractors, are different from other riding mowers for several reasons.
Assessment. Observing the cut your Craftsman tractor leaves in its wake will often indicate the problem. ...
Tires. Low or flat tires will always cause an uneven cut. ...
Deck. ...
Blades. ...
Guiding Wheels. ...
Axles. ...

A riding mower can begin cutting uneven when a tire pressure is low; a blade is bent or installed incorrectly; the deck is not level; a bearing is bad in the spindle housings or pulleys; the blades or belt is worn; the engine speed is too low; or there is operator error.

Full Answer

Why are my Craftsman lawn mower leaves uneven?

If just a single tire is low, the cut the mower leaves will be uneven. Observing the cut your Craftsman tractor leaves in its wake will often indicate the problem. Also, check for any patterns in the uneven cut, such as a high spot then a low spot, a high spot again, a low spot again, and so forth.

Why does my lawn mower keep cutting step?

Step cutting is usually caused by mower deck damage, misadjustment, or mower blade damage. Normally the deck just needs to be re-leveled. To check for this:

Why does my tractor blade cut unevenly?

Dull or damaged blades will cut unevenly. In addition, blades that are mounted incorrectly will also produce a poor cut. Using blades that are not designed for your specific tractor will negatively affect the look of the cut.

What affects engine performance on a craftsman lawn mower?

A number of factors can affect engine performance, including fuel quality, condition of the spark plug and dirt in the fuel lines or carburetor. Craftsman lawnmowers have a speed control located near the priming bulb, and that control should be set to the "Fast" position while the mower runs.

How do you fix a uneven cut on a riding lawn mower?

0:502:45Leveling a Riding Lawn Mower Deck for an Even Cut - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe front blade tip should be 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch lower than the rear blade tip to adjust loosenMoreThe front blade tip should be 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch lower than the rear blade tip to adjust loosen the jam nut.

How do you fix a unbalanced lawn mower blade?

To balance lawn mower blades you can follow these steps:Remove the blade.Clean off any built-up gunk or debris.Put the blade on a balance using its center hole.Assess where the imbalance is.Sharpen or grind the blade into balance.Brush off and reinstall the blade.

Why does my mower leave high spots?

High spots could be as simple as an engine running too slowly to properly rotate the blades. If they are turning too slow, grass will be missed, and your engine will be under undue stress. After adjusting the throttle, start mowing, and pay attention while you push the equipment.

How do you rebalance a lawn mower blade?

0:332:09How to Balance Mower Blades : Lawnmower Maintenance & RepairYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe easiest way I think to do it is to just clamp a nail into a vise. Then you can set the blade onMoreThe easiest way I think to do it is to just clamp a nail into a vise. Then you can set the blade on the nail through the blade Center hole.

How do I know if my lawnmower blade is unbalanced?

If you feel an awkward vibration when mowing, your mower blades are most likely unbalanced. If your lawn is not trimmed evenly, then the blades are most likely unbalanced. If mowing takes longer than usual, the blades are most likely unbalanced.

What happens if a lawn mower blade is unbalanced?

An unbalanced blade spinning that fast will cause a significant amount of vibration, which will put stress on yout blade shaft, spindle, and even the engine. So if you want to get the most life out of your mower... keep the blades balanced!

What causes mower to cut uneven?

Some of the most common causes of a lawn mower cutting unevenly include damaged wheels, a loose, bent or dull mower blade, a bent crankshaft, and a clogged or damaged cutting deck.

Why does my mower leave a strip of grass in the middle?

One of the main reasons that a lawn mower leaves clumps of grass is due to a defective or improperly positioned cutting blade. If you start noticing uncut grass while mowing, the first thing you should do is troubleshoot the blades to see if they are nicked, curled, or blunted.

Why does my mower leave a strip in the middle?

A strip of uncut grass left in the middle of mowing rows could signal that your lawnmower's blades are unbalanced or that one or both of them was installed the wrong way. Lawnmower blades are beveled and specifically designed to attach in a certain fashion.

How do you align a lawn mower blade?

Turn the mower blades slowly until one points forward and one points backward. Leave this as is and place a wood block inside the deck next to the edge of a blade that has to be aligned. Turn this blade just a bit to wedge it tight. Using an adjustable wrench, remove the blade's screw, spline washer and spring washer.

How do you sharpen and balance a lawn mower blade?

0:434:21How-to Sharpen and balance the blade on a lawn mower - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you want to make sure that you keep your edge. The same as the edge that was on the blade. AndMoreAnd you want to make sure that you keep your edge. The same as the edge that was on the blade. And just kind of go back and forth. And keep the like I said keep the edge at the same angle.

Riding Mower Blade is Worn or Dull

Dirt that is swirling in your mower deck can cause your mower blades to become worn and dull. The mower blade and deck are designed to create air movement and a suction under the deck to lift grass tall for a precise cut. Not only does it lift grass, it also draws dirt under the deck.

Riding Mower Tire Pressures are Not Correct

Before continuing any further, you must check your tire pressures. Something as simple as a low tire can cause your mower deck to not sit level causing an uneven cut. Make sure the pressures are as shown on the tire side wall.

Riding Mower Blade is Bent

A bent mower blade on your riding mower can cause your mower to give you a bad or uneven cut. When the blade impacts a solid object, like a tree root, rock, or toy, it can bend the blade. Take time to walk your yard prior to mowing to minimize the potential of bending your mower blade.

Riding Mower Blades are Unbalanced or Installed Incorrectly

A riding mower can give a bad cut when the blade isn’t balanced or it is installed incorrectly with the wrong hardware or upside down. Install with the sail pointing upward When installing a riding mower blade, the sail needs to be facing upward toward your mower deck. The sail is the high side of the blade.

Riding Mower Deck is Plugged with Grass

When airflow isn’t able to move under your mower deck to create a suction that lifts your grass, your quality of cut will suffer. A mower deck that is plugged with dirt, grass and other debris reduces that airflow.

Riding Mower Deck is Not Level

A deck that doesn’t sit level will give you an uneven cut. Measure your deck from side-to-side to check for equal measurements. The leveling procedures vary from one riding mower to another so it is best to refer to your owner’s manual for the correct procedures for your mower.

Riding Mower Spindle is Bent or Spindle Bearing is Bad

A bent spindle or bad bearing in the spindle housing can cause your riding mower blades to give an uneven cut. Check for damage to your spindle housings by grabbing a hole of each end of the mower blade. Rock the blade up and down. While doing so, listen for a knocking noise or any extra play (movement).

Wheels are Set to Different Heights

On some lawn mowers, the height of each wheel must be set individually. If just one wheel is set to a different height, no matter if it’s just one notch above or below the others, it can cause your lawn mower to cut unevenly.

One or More Wheels is Damaged

Whether you’re using a walk-behind mower or a riding lawn mower, having all of the wheels function correctly is really important for obvious reasons. A broken/damaged wheel won’t just make your mower harder to push or drive, it’ll also likely cause your mower deck to “dip” on the side of the affected wheel, leading to an uneven cut.

Cutting Blade is Loose

Power tools need to be constantly maintained, as through use their condition worsens. The blade is the perfect example of this. It’s possible that over time, the bolt that attaches it to the crankshaft becomes loose and the blade is no longer fixed down securely, so it’s no longer kept 100% horizontal when in operation.

Mower Blade is Dull

Your mower blade needs to meet two conditions to do its job: a) be completely horizontal, and b) be sharp enough to cut effectively. The reason why a dull blade can cause an uneven cut is because a dull blade does not actually “cut” the grass, it tears it.

Mower Blade is Bent

One of the most common bent lawn mower blade symptoms is an uneven cut. You see, when you bend the blade (this typically occurs if you pass over something hard, like a rock or a metal pipe), it has a similar effect to a loose blade.

Crankshaft is Bent

If you have bent your blade, it’s also possible that you could have damaged your crankshaft, and installing a new blade isn’t going to fix that. No sir! A bent crankshaft is big trouble. Want to know how to tell if a lawn mower crankshaft is bent? It’s really very easy.

Cutting Deck is Clogged

A lot of people think that the only part of the underside of a lawn mower that matters is the blade. How wrong they are! The cutting deck itself is super important in creating the vacuum effect that makes the grass blades stand up tall so they can be cut level.

What affects the performance of a Craftsman mower?

How to remove blade from lawn mower?

The blade can be removed from the mower while the mower is on its side. Stabilize the blade with a block of wood to prevent it from turning, and then loosen the blade bolt with a 9/16-inch wrench. Sharpening the blade yourself requires putting it in a vise and grinding its cutting edge with a grinder.

How many height settings does a lawn mower have?

The wheels have only three height settings -- low, medium and high. Adjust all four wheels to the same height setting. If the grass is long, then use the high setting to avoid overworking the lawnmower and producing an uneven cut.

Does a Craftsman lawn mower have a blade?

Whether you use your Craftsman lawnmower to mulch grass clippings, to collect them in a grass catcher or to discharge them through a side shoot, the mower needs a sharp cutting blade to produce an evenly cut lawn. If you're sure the blade is sharp, however, and your lawn still has streaks or patches of unevenly cut grass, then the mower deck height may not be adjusted properly or the motor could run too slowly. Sears, Roebuck and Co. sells Craftsman lawnmowers.

Why is my lawn mower not cutting evenly?

If a lawnmower does not cut evenly, the most probable cause is mower deck damage and misadjustment, resulting in an uneven cut. To fix the problem, several things need to be checked: The Tire Pressure.

What happens if my lawn mower is not leveled?

If the mower deck is not leveled, then it will cut uneven grass. While riding a mower, sometimes, it hits the bumps and debris that make the desk height misadjusted. However, sometimes while changing blades, the desk level is also disturbed. If the desk is not leveled, then you may face this issue. – Solution:

What happens if you overlap a lawnmower blade?

On the other hand, while mowing, the machine pushes it downwards. If the person overlaps the row into the previously overlapped row, then the under do not get a chance to be cut. Blades do not reach the very edge of the mowing deck.

What is the primary source of cutting grass?

The primary source of cutting the grass is the blades used in the lawnmower . If the edges are dull and damaged, then obviously, they will not miss the grass properly. If the blades are damaged, they can be sharpened by you or a professional. If the edges are not sharpened, then they will cut the grass unevenly.

How to adjust mower blades?

Turn in clockwise to raise the mower and in an anti-clockwise direction to lower it. Adjust until the blade height difference is within 1/8 inches. Use a measuring tape to measure the heights. If the front blade tips are 1/8 inch to ½ inch lower than the rear blade tips, this is acceptable. 3.

How high should a lawnmower desk be?

For the most effective results, a lawnmower desk should be leveled. The height difference between the front and rear blades tip must be between 1/8 inch to ½ inch. It depends on the model of your lawnmower as well.

Why do we use riding lawn mowers?

We use a riding lawnmower to cut our grass so that the result looks beautiful and attractive. To make a lawn look good, an even cut is needed. If the grass is cut unevenly, it will look a bit untidy. For that reason, it is important that your lawnmower cut grass evenly. But what about a lawnmower that does not cut evenly?

Why does my mower leave a strip of cut grass?

A strip of uncut grass in the middle of a mowing row can be a sign that the lawnmower’s blades are unbalanced or that one or both of them was installed the wrong way. Make sure that your mower’s blades are balanced and that both are locked to the mower deck.

Why is one side of my mower deck lower than the other?

If the deck on your lawn tractor is lower on one side than the other, it will result in an even cut. Smoothing out your lawn is done by leveling your tractor deck. You can level the lawn tractor deck with a few common tools.

How do you align a riding lawn mower blade?

The mower blades should be turned slowly until they point forwards and backwards. Place a wood block inside the deck next to the edge of the blade to align it. The blade should be turned a bit to wedge it. The blade has a screw, a spline washer and a spring washer.

What happens if mower blades are not balanced?

If you grind more metal off one side than the other, a blade can become unbalanced. The blades are spinning at a high rate. An unbalanced blade spinning fast will cause a lot of stress on the yout blade shaft, and even the engine.

Why is my Husqvarna riding mower cutting uneven?

The lawn is cut too close to the ground on the low side because the deck is not evenly distributed. It’s the result of a deck in need of leveling and it makes a lawn look like it was cut at an angle. You can disengage the cutting blades by pushing the attachment clutch switch on the left side of the dash.

How do I get my mower to cut higher?

If you want to increase your lawn mower height, you have to adjust the lever next to each wheel. The lever should be moved as many times as necessary. The lawn mower height can be lowered by moving the lever towards the front of the mower.

Do mower blades need alignment?

Is it necessary for the mower blades to be lined up? When a machine is fitted, the blades are lined up so you don’t have to touch them. The setting needed to give the best cut is what sets them up when they leave the factory.

Why are my Craftsman mower leaves uneven?

Low or flat tires will always cause an uneven cut. Check the tire pressure on all four tires. Be certain that no tire has a slow leak. If just a single tire is low, the cut the mower leaves will be uneven. Observing the cut your Craftsman tractor leaves in its wake will often indicate the problem.

Why is my Craftsman tractor deck uneven?

Often the deck on your Craftsman tractor is the cause of an uneven cut. The deck height adjustment may be in need of repair. It is also possible that the deck suspension mechanisms are broken. If the deck is not properly suspended it will result in an uneven cut.

How are Craftsman lawn tractors different from other riding mowers?

First, the cutting deck of the tractor is centrally located, beneath the seat, rather than in front of the seat like a riding mower. In addition, lawn tractors have a steering wheel as opposed to steering levers. Many Craftsman lawn tractors are equipped with amenities such as headlights, adjustable seats and adjustable steering wheels.

What is a Craftsman lawn tractor?

Craftsman, a trademark of Sears, represents a history of quality tools and lawn equipment. Since 1927 the Craftsman line has been changing and expanding to meet the needs of an evolving world. Today the Craftsman line of lawn tractors boasts over 13 different models with deck sizes ranging from 42 to 54 inches. The lawn tractor is popular amongst homeowners with large properties that need a mowing machine that is versatile and capable of performing tasks other than just cutting the grass.

How to tell if Craftsman tractor leaves?

Notice if the grass is higher on one side of the swath and shorter on the opposite side. Also, check for any patterns in the uneven cut, such as a high spot then a low spot, a high spot again, a low spot again, and so forth.

What happens if you cut a tractor blade wrong?

Do Craftsman lawn tractors have steering wheels?

Many Craftsman lawn tractors are equipped with amenities such as headlights, adjustable seats and adjustable steering wheels. Craftsman, a trademark of Sears, represents a history of quality tools and lawn equipment. First, the cutting deck of ...

Why does my lawn mower streak?

Streaking is when thin strips of uncut grass are left behind the mower. Streaking is usually caused by operator error or poor blade maintenance. Streaking can occur if the engine speed is too low. All mowers are designed to run at full throttle.

How to make mowing harder?

The topology of the ground can make mowing tough. Try staying at right angle to the slope, or if you can't do that without tipping over try not going all of the way down (backing up back up or down the hill) and then do the lower dip part at an angle. In this case your tires could be low or the ground soft from rain to your riding lower.

How to turn a tractor blade perpendicular?

Manually turn the blades perpendicular with the direction the tractor is sitting. Measure the outer tip of the left blade to the surface your parked on (don't measure from the deck shell, it has to be from the blade tip). Write the measurement down.

Why is my deck off from side to side?

If the tire pressure is not as recommended per the manufacture , the deck could easily be off by a 1/4" from side to side. Step cutting is sharp ridges left in the lawn surface. Step cutting is usually caused by mower deck damage, misadjustment, or mower blade damage. Normally the deck just needs to be re-leveled.

What to do if your deck blades are 1/4 off?

If the measurements are a 1/4" or more off, it needs to be corrected. The next thing to do is to turn the blades and measure again. If the measurements are not the same, one of the blades is probably bent. Other things to check for are damage to the deck shell, and bent or loose spindles. Streaking.

Do mowers run at full throttle?

All mowers are designed to run at full throttle. Believe it or not you are doing more harm to your engine by running it slower than full throttle when you are mowing. Blades need to be spinning at the correct blade tip speed. They need to be sharp and not have too much wear on the uplifts.