ZT1 42 bent/warped stamped deck question

[ITguyAR]

I know it's hard to tell from these pics as it's not freshly mowed. I just snipped these from my house cameras remotely but gives an idea of how it cuts lower on the left blade.

I'm going to mow this afternoon so I will take a pic of a few freshly mowed lanes so you can tell easier.

[ITguyAR]

Here is a good shot of the deck showing the difference in location of the blades at the rear of the deck. A good 1/4" or more difference.

[Oak]

So lets say your blades are at the 12 & 6 o'clock positions in that pic. How do they look in the 3 & 9 o'clock position? Are they the same height at the tip where they are closest?

Here is a tool that use to check my decks. You will want them even on the side to side but the front should be about 1/8" lower than the rear. Make sure your blades are not bent and measure at the tip.

https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-42-095...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Here's a good vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA9x699q4Bs

[ITguyAR]

Originally Posted by Oak

So lets say your blades are at the 12 & 6 o'clock positions in that pic. How do they look in the 3 & 9 o'clock position? Are they the same height at the tip where they are closest?

Here is a tool that use to check my decks. You will want them even on the side to side but the front should be about 1/8" lower than the rear. Make sure your blades are not bent and measure at the tip.

Here's a good vid.

Yep...I've got that same tool and also a basic little stand to check blades for being balanced after I give them a basic sharpen. I'd put a new set on it after that incident last spring (or was it fall of '21...I'm getting old. lol) The current blades are good and can stack on each other with no bend in them.

At 3 and 9 o'clock, the "drivers side" blade dipped down on the side but it was mainly lifted in the rear and pointing down to the front left. It was an odd "warp/bend". After about 45 minutes with an 8lb sledge and 3lb mallet, it's about as even as it's gonna get and I can tolerate it. I leveled it out a bit before mowing but it's not perfect yet and hopefully this weekend I can get the leveling gauge out and get it closer. I'm not near the "yard nazi" I used to be when we had a .3 acre usual residential lot here or when I lived in Texas; I'm a little more laxed about it with more area. But, I still do my best to have the greenest and most weed free yard in the neighborhood and do so without an outside company spraying. ha.

I appreciate everyone's input.

[Farmall450]

Originally Posted by ITguyAR

My buddy keeps telling me that if I'm wanting a larger mower, either a 54" ZT or LT model, that I shouldn't put a lot of time into it and just sell it as is and move on. I get that. It's a lot of work going back and forth with it all. Bottom line is, I do want a larger mower and maybe the LT 54" model as the LT version is a little easier to work with for the spray spreader with switching. Wonder what one is worth with maybe 120 hours on it.

At least a ZT1 or XT1 54 would have the fabricated deck.

[ITguyAR]

Originally Posted by Farmall450

At least a ZT1 or XT1 54 would have the fabricated deck.

True. Too bad you can't just buy a pre-assembled 54" deck and add on. Even the 50". I can't see the 42" and 50" being that much different for the frame although I guess they might have a different engine than the Kohler 7000 series. I guess I'll pressure wash this 42" and get her all dolled up and sell it for a 54" of either iteration.