I have Z445 54 inch and the middle blade. Is cutting lower than sides. The outer blades are at same height, any help?

Check that blades are sharp and not bent. You may need to dismount the whole deck from the machine. Turn it upside down and clean all accumulated grass and gunge from inside the housing. Check that the spindle bearings are tight and not floppy. If they are, replace them. Remove seal from inside of bearing so grease can enter when servicing the bearings. Do not over grease and blow outer seal out. When you have checked that 1. Bearings are sound, 2. Blades are sharp. Blades are balanced. This may require placing a rod in the vice and putting blade so it swings freely. Grind more off the low end until it sits level. 3. Check that blades are not bent. To do this tie a builder's line across the edges of the deck over any wear guides. Make sure they are the same height each side. Get a ruler or a block that just fits beneath the string on the end of the blade. Rotate half a turn and measure the other end. They should be the same. 5. Check that the blades match in the centre. EG they must must not be any difference in height at all. The string line will tell you whether the spindles are the same height and also whether they are in the same plane. If not, you may have to remove them from the housing and clean the matching surfaces spotless and then pack with thin washers or strips of thin tin or shimm material until blades are a good match. It is surprising how many machines are not properly done in the factory. . 6 Make sure the blades are not worn out. If ground back too far they leave a ragged finish with bruised cut ends that look bad. The ends doing the cutting can be higher than the blade inside and thus rubbing on the grass. If all these things are right, reassemble mower and drop deck into working position. Measure from a flat floor to the blade ends so they are the same on each side of the machine. Adjust by screwing the hanger threads as required. Blades should be flat as if they are low either front or back the cuts will be hollow in the middle and leave a wavy surface behind.

I suggest that you should remove deck, turn upside down and place straight edge or tight string line over blades from outer edges of deck frame. Use the guide strips to get even measurement. Rotate blades and measure distance from straight edge to tips at both sides. they should be the same. If there is difference from one side to the other, either the blades are bent, or if each blade is same at each end but not aligned in centre (difference in height) then the spindles need packing to make them even. Check that bearings are not loose. If you do not understand this best to take it to service centre.

The blade only cuts on the outer 4 inches of the blade rotation(diameter). As the mower moves forward, it cuts the full width of the deck. If sprigs of grass are missed or excessive vibration is present, you may have a bent crankshaft. Check and be careful, ejection of the blade hazard exist.

Spindle is most likely wore out allowing on blade to drop down lower than the other.( most likely )?? 25+ years small engine mechanic as well as motorsports.(solution buy mew bearings replace or sometimes cheaper to just replace whole spinde with bearings already in it. Hope this helped.Ofcorse could b bent blades ect but most likely the bearings have allowed blade to drop down.

I've had to do this at least 5 times. If you look under the body, there are two supports that carry the mower deck and lift and lower it. Each of these has a nut that holds up the deck and the nut is on a stud that goes up and down when you raise or lower the lever. Put the deck in the middle of it's range, around #3, make sure the key is off, move your blades so they are on the right and left edge of the deck.
Get yourself a device to measure blade to ground height, I have a block of wood that is 3 inches long. Make sure your floor or ground is level and tires are properly pumped up. Then raise or lower the adjustment nuts until both sides are equal height.

Gary

Is the cutting height set to the lowest level?

measure the height of cut from the ground to the bottom of the deck all the way around, if it is the same the blade or bearing housing is at fault, if it is lower on the left look for a bent or broken mount from the deck to the tractor on that side.


I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gregg_78ecbb34e27be215

one of two things the blade spacer in the center is to big or the bering under the center pully is getting bad pull up on the center pulley do you have 2in slop there you go if not center spacer is to long now either your blades are syncronized so the dont hit each other or you have the type that get as close as a hog hair either way your center blade is off set

Hi,
This is rather odd. Are you saying it's higher because of the grass height from one side of the deck to the other after mowing?
Sometimes when a spindle bearing is sloppy or played out, the belt pulls the spindle to one side. As you might imagine, this tilts the cutting blage and causes a close cut on the inside and high cut on the outer.
I would check the spindles for bearing issues. If they are ok, I would check to see if you have an issue where one blade that might be installed incorrectly. The heights aren't adjustable per the blades, just the entire deck is adjustable.
I hope this helps... Good luck!

SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A BENT BLADE TRY PUTING A 2X4 UNDER THE DECK THEN LOWER IT TO HOW IT LOOKS IF ITS THE SAME ON BOTH SIDES THAN YOR BLADE IT BENT