Riding Mower Decks

The biggest difference between the deck of a push mower and the deck of a riding mower is that the deck of the riding mower is harder to get to. Located on the underside of the lawn mower, the mower deck is the assembly that causes the blades to turn and do their work. The parts of a mower deck are a series of belts and pulleys that make the mower blades spin.

Problems with the Mower Deck

When dealing with a riding lawn mower, problems with the deck can be hard to solve at home. Especially if you have a larger model, it can be nearly impossible to get underneath your mower for home repairs. Because of this, proper maintenance is a must.

The easiest and most important element of lawn mower maintenance is simply washing the mower after use. Grass clippings can accumulate in the machinery of the deck. This is a minor problem, but if it goes ignored, it can cause serious problems in the deck by disrupting the balance in your belts and possibly causing the blades to spin unevenly. If it goes long enough, this problem can even cause your belts to break.

If you do need to service your mower deck at home, make sure to disconnect the spark plug wire before going under the machine. This precaution prevents the blades from starting to spin under any circumstance. Once under your mower, you can then start to determine what is causing your problems and how to fix it.