My riding mower is scalping the yard...help?

Question

I have a 42" Craftsman riding mower, I would say it is about 5 years old (not sure). I was mowing with it and hit a large rock, after that it started scalping the yard. I have changed the blades and it is still doing it...any suggestions?

Answer 1

Whatever controls the deck height is out of position.  The blade height never changes.  Raise the entire cutting deck.

Answer 2

You may have knocked off one or more of the gauge wheels on the deck. Look on all four corners of the deck and see if one or more of the wheels is gone. They keep the deck from scalping the ground.

The other thing is you may have bent one of the spindles so that even with new blades one of the blades is running on a slight angle which causes blade to tilt into the grass a little too far.

There is also a carriage system that holds the deck level. Sometimes this is a chain on the two front sides and an angle bracket on the two rear sides. Make sure they are still there.

Also check your tire pressure, part of that rock may have been thrown into one of the tires causing it to leak a little air.

This would let the deck ride lower.

Craftsman mower will also scalp when you turn sharp. The deck wants to tilt as you turn which causes it to scalp.

Check these all out- I'm sure it's one of them that's the problem.

Answer 3

With the mower on a level surface, measure the height of the bottom of the deck to the ground.  It should be the same on both sides and the front just a little bit lower than the rear.  There are adjusting nuts on either side to get it level.  While you are doing that check to make sure nothing is bent.  If you need leveling instructions, e-mail me and I can send you the instructions from my owner's manual.

Are you sure that you installed the blades correctly?  On the sears tractor they use the star type hole in the blade, if the blade is not properly seated on the blade adaptor it will be lower.  The blade also needs to be installed with the bevel up.

Answer 4

park the mower on a level surface,asphalt or concrete. Raise

the deckup until you can see under it, probably all the way. measure from the ground up to the blades. Figure out what is out of level then look where the deck attaches to the mower. One of the hangers may  have come off. If not then they may need readjusted. also check the pulleys. if one wobbles you may have a bearing out.