My Mountfield 1300M cutting deck won't lift up

the mower engine should stop as soon as you leave the seat. check the switches for grass clogs and such. shut off the deck and replace the catcher. then start it. oh and dont do that again. read the manual

Your deck belt need tighten

I would check the mower deck itself. This usually happens when it clogs with grass or something got jammed in the belt or pulleys.

I don't recall a belt that raises and lowers the blade. Normally you would have either an electric or mechanical deck lift that raises and lowers the whole deck

Do the blades need sharpening? Check the belts for tightness and the spring that holds the tension. what stops? The blades stop, but the belt is still turning? Check to also make sure the blades turn freely with the belt disengaged. you may have a spindle problem too.

there are several rods that support the deck if one is missing it can allow the deck to move in the wrong dirrection

Does the mechanism that raises & lowers the deck do it evenly at both sides, if not, is there any way of adjusting it? Where there any spacers that you might have missed before fitting the blades?

Larry,

I have a Troy built x20 lawn tractor and the lift cylinder moves until the weight of the blade is on it and then it stops. Sounds like we have the same problem. Any luck with yours? ANy answers out there. Again, the cylinder will move raise and lower until the weight of the blade is applied. The left to right cylinder will move but very slowly. Any ideas from anyone would be appreciated.

Tim

Hello,

I am guessing that this was posted in wrong category.

You mention that you have to keep pushing / letting go of the accelerator. Is the engine RPM changing, or is the tractor surging, when you do this? What happens if you keep a steady pressure on the pedal? Isn't the throttle control via a lever on the panel?

Your uneven blade height can be caused by a multitude of issues.
1) If the spindles were changed, the wrong spindle may have been used on one side or the other.
2) The wrong blade adapter has been used on one of the spindles.
3) Mower deck has been bent
4) Mower deck is binding. Try raising it all the way up, and lowering all the way down. See if the uneven cut changes at both levels (all up or all down).
5) Blade is bent on one side, though this would usually cause such a ruckus and vibration it would be quite noticeable.
6) Belt is slipping. Yes, sounds strange, but if blade speed changes significantly, then the position where the grass is actually cut changes because the grass can "lean over" more.
7) Using a mulching attachment in tall grass can cause 1 blade to clog, and the cut grass that is swirling bends over other grass that needs to be cut.
8) Mower deck support bracket has been bent
9) Mower deck wheel has a bad bearing, and doesn't support the deck at same height as other side.
10) Mower deck is cracked / bent at a support location
11) You have lost a retaining pin at a support bracket and the bracket is loose.
12) A spindle's bearings are worn out, and the spindle is "jumping" as it turns.

If the blades are directly beside each other where they blades will overlap, it is normal for a small amount of height difference to occur. But, most decks have off set blades, one slightly in front of the other.

you should be able to raise the deck all the way, and pull the tractor's front wheels up onto something (landscape timber?) to get more access, then measure blade height in relation to bottom of the deck. If different, then you are looking at wrong blade / adapter or a spindle issue. If the blades are the same height, then you are likely looking at a deck support issue / binding in linkage.

Check to make sure there is no obstruction in the blades or on top of the deck where the belt goes. Also check that your pulleys turn freely and that a bearing didn't freeze up.
Let me know if this helps.
roundo4