Cub Cadet 33" Wide Area - Manual (Page 20)

CUTTING DECK AND LIFT SHAFT
11
Cleaning the deck
Clean debris off of the deck every time the deck cover
is removed. It is routine maintenance that will make the
deck easier to work on and prolong the life of the deck
and spindles.
DANGER: Debris build up on the mower deck is
an unsafe condition. The debris traps heat in the
spindles causing damage to the spindle bear-
ings. Debris around the belt can over-heat.
To clean the deck while it is removed:
1. Blow all the debris off of the top of the deck
using compressed air regulated to about 35psi
(2.5 bar).
2. Scrape off the debris build up from the under
side of the deck using a plastic scraper.
NOTE: Applying a light coating of oil to the
underside of the deck after scraping it clean will
help prevent rusting of the deck and help keep
the debris from building up on the underside of
the deck.
Blades
The condition of the blades will greatly effect the quality
of the cut.
The blades should be sharpened and balanced after
every five acres, depending on local conditions. A dull
blade tears the grass instead of cutting it. Torn grass
blades leaves a rough look and makes the grass vul-
nerable to diseases.
Blades need to be examined for damage before sharp-
ening. Blades must be balanced after sharpening to
reduce the vibrations felt from the deck.
Bent blades are a sign of a blade impact. The blades
must be replaced and the spindles inspected for dam-
aged timing belt, pulley, bent shafts and cracked hous-
ings if a bent blade is found.
Synchronized blades and a high vacuum deck shell
design give an exceptionally good cut using OEM
blades.
The cutting deck on this mower is mounted with a slight
rake, meaning that the front of the deck is a 1/4” - 3/8”
lower than the rear of the deck. This is very important
to get the proper air flow in the deck so that the blades
can make the grass blades stand up to get cut.
Air flow in the cutting deck is generated by the spinning
blades. If the blades are mounted upside down, the air
flow will be reversed pushing the grass down instead of
standing up.
NOTE: Blades have the part number and the
word patent stamped on the bottom of the blade.
Blades that are mounted upside down, increase
the risk of impacting an object. See Figure 4.5.
Figure 4.5
Stampings