Alex Ethridge

I bought a 22" walk-behind, push mower at WalMart a few years ago and it has a very annoying design flaw that makes using it so difficult that I parked it a year later. I would like to get some use out of it as it runs fine.

Here's the problem: I discovered it was difficult to use because the cutting edge of the blade is recessed nearly two inches above the bottom edge of the housing. I ran my own lawn mower repair shop for three years (many years back) so my experience tells me this is a design flaw. I need a blade adapter that will lower that blade about one and three-quarter inches.

I found a Murray blade adapter that gives me one and one-eighth inches; but, I need at least one and three quarters. Look here to see a diagram of what I'm writing about.

http://www.psep.biz/store/murray_blade_adapters.htm

It's the MURRAY 442735/400272/20051/442346, the second one down on the page.

Anyone know where I might find such a thing?

Basementgeek

Hi and welcome to TSF

I really don't think it is a design flaw, but a safety feature. If you run in over your foot, it probable won't cut your toes off.

From what I have seen grass should be keep cut about 3 inches, to help prevent weed growth.

I guess you could put a couple of washers between the shaft and the bottom of the adapter.

BG

pat mcgroin

I had the same trouble with an old Snapper that I changed the engine on.
Different engines come with different ouput shaft lengths depending on the application.
Basementgeek is right about the safety feature but I would still get the 1 1/8 adapter as it will at least help.
It seems cheap enough.
Another option could be to talk to a machinist and see if he could do something better for you, possibly even lengthen the new adapter another half inch.

Basementgeek

Please understand that any thing you do to modify the setting of the blade, you do so at your own risk. The blade is higher up for a reason.

BG

SABL

Before making any changes make sure you have enough wheel adjustment to avoid "scalping" your lawn. Like BG said, I also think the recessed blade is a safety measure that not only saves toes but pushes objects out of the way to help protect the blade.

I haven't used a mower for a long time (Toro Z and a string trimmer) but will be using a push-mower soon. Don't have one to look at but will peek at the neighbor's when I see him out and about. I personally think you may be asking for trouble if you lower the blade. Exactly what makes your mower difficult?? Deck clogging??

SABL

Checked the neighbor's mower...it is a Murray but an older model. The blade is pretty close to the bottom of the housing and about 2 1/2" below the top of the deck. Maybe during assembly a spacer was missed if you don't have sufficient area for the clippings to circulate before being discharged.

Alex Ethridge

Thanks for the replies and I did order the referenced blade adapter. I'll see how it works out. I found two more adapters. It doesn't show a cut-away drawing; but, if I figure the math correctly, they come closer to the length I first wanted. If the one I ordered doesn't do the trick, I'll order one of these. They're the 672503 and 1101824 Murray Blade Adapters on this page.

This IS a design flaw. Go to any department store that sells walk-behind, push mowers and lift every one of them there and you cannot find a new mower with a blade recessed more than one-half inch or less than one quarter. This one of mine is a full one and seven-eights inches. Cutting grass with it is a strain.

I serviced a few thousand mowers in the three years I ran that shop and I never saw such a deep recess.

Concerning the 3-inch cutting height being recommended, I cut my centipede two inches to maintain a tight, close-to-the-ground weave of this kind of running grass. It is the recommended height.It is a continuous and tiring strain to push a mower with a one and seven-eights recessed blade across even slightly uneven ground and maintain a two-inch cutting height. The mowers' housing is continually jamming against the ground and the tightly woven centipede grass.

Concerning wheel adjustment, I do have adjustment capability that places the bottom edge of the housing three inches off the ground.

Thanks again.

SABL

Good luck Alex.

Does sound like an error on the part of the engineering department. If you are cutting at 2" I can see the problem.

Basementgeek

I just checked my 10 year Lawnboy, and the blade is close to being flush with bottom of the deck. So much for my comment about a safety feature.

BG