48" Deck Questions
 

I have a couple of 48" decks that i'm going to make one from, but when I was striping them down I noticed different sized outer pulleys between he two. So I looked them up on the parts finder site and it looks like they offered both styles for this deck, one larger.

I can understand why you'd want a smaller pulley (to speed up the blade), but why a larger pulley, why slow the blade speed?

On top of that when you look at the parts schematic they only offered the larger pulley for side showing qty.1 (left side item 21), but the smaller pulley qty.2 (Right side item 20). So why only slow the blade, and only on left side?

Best I can figure is to mount the larger (slower) on the Left to help mulch the grass more before it discharges, IDK.:big think:

mike

I believe the right blade is meant to spin faster to help with the extra grass clippings it has to deal with. The left blade only has to cut the grass off. The right blade cuts the grass as well as the clippings from the other two blades.

I never noticed that either, But it makes sense. I'll have to check mine.

Greg

It is. The manual says that the 48" decks have progressive speed blades for faster more efficient discharge.

See I knew you guys would have the answer.

No offense but I got mine from a manual. You can learn a whole lot of stuff from one of those.

None taken, sometimes I take it for granted or forget to reference. Aside from this site and my own direct experience with the tractor, the Manuals have been equally valuable.

I still question why the parts schematic shows qty. (2) of the small pulley. I suppose it could be an error, or possibly an option.

Either way it still doesn't explain why a slower blade speed would be of more advantage on the left side.

Mike