# John Deere LT180



## peterlw (Sep 12, 2010)

Hi All
Just got a secondhand John deere garden lawn tractor and have a problem already. Hit a tree stump, just above ground level and now the blades are fouling each other. I don't have any info in the manual and not sure what I've done. Are the blades synchronized in some way, and need to adjust the belts or have I bent them or something else?
I'm in the UK so model numbers may be different, its got a two blade 42" cutting deck with a Kawasaki engine.
Thanks


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi peterlw...welcome to TSF.

Even if bent, the blades should not come into contact with each other. Are they actually hitting each other or the deck housing?? Remove the v-belt that drives the blades and turn them by hand to see what and where they are hitting. I'm thinking 3 things on this one:
Bent blades
Bent spindle
Bent deck housing where the spindles attach


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

looking at the IPB ( illustrated parts breakdown) for that thing it seems that the blades are not supposed to touch each other, we used to have those at work too when I was on a mowing crew, make sure the deck is not bent out of shape in any way, and that all three spindles are not bent in anyway or it will streak when you cut I found a maint reminder sheet for ya here:
https://jdparts.deere.com/partsmkt/...ne/fb_MaintSheet_LT180_48CdeckLawnTractor.pdf

And a place to get a service manual here:
http://www.ebooksolutionstore.com/john-deere-manual/105820566.htm
But looking a pic I found of your deck on Google and Ebay both I'd say you have a warp somewhere causing the entire spindle to be bent in a position that makes it hit the blade next to it, we used o have the same problem with the John Deer's and Toro Zmasters at my work when people would hit things, and unless your really really good that adjustments are best left to the John Deere service tech's I'm sorry to say that, but I have yet to see anybody that can get a spindle mount straightened out


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## peterlw (Sep 12, 2010)

Thank you guys, looks like I've bent a spindle then as the blades definitely touch, not the deck. Sounds like I have to find a John Deere specialist, not a simple fix - doh!


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

If the spindle looks bent then its the deck around it, if you bent the spindle the blade wouldn't even turn


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## curlytarter (Nov 26, 2010)

I run a service shop and have a GT272 John Deere with a 42" deck. It has a dual notched belt--notched on both sides. This is a special deck requiring said belt and special blades. The manner the belt is assembled turns 1 blade clock wise and the other counter clockwise. There blades bust be installed 1 blade a l (north)and other blade as -- (east-west).

In other words 1 blades must be at a nintey degree angle or perpendicular from the other.  l_
Belt must be locked in order to maintain this position when belt gets off position blades will hit as they meet.

*Hope this helps*
*curlytarter*


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