Anyone familiar with Woods L306 mower?

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

I got this mower used and it works fine and everything finally got sorted out and adjusted. But it is leaving two unmowed streaks which tells me the there is a gap between the three blades. The longest blades I can find online are said to be 24.5 inches, which is .5 inch longer than what is on it. I ordered a set of blades that were supposed to be 24.5 but they are only 24 inches. Can someone tell me what size it is actually supposed to have? I am several miles from the closest Woods dealer and they are notoriously difficult to deal unless buying new equipment.

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

What part number are the blades you ordered?

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

The Woods part number is 13404

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

It should take Woods part # 13404. They are 24.5" long. It takes the same blades as my RM306

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

They should be the correct blades

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

But they are obviously too short. Woods mowers do not mow this sloppily when they are right. What could cuse this besides blades?

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

Besides blades being too short, the other thing that would cause streaking in grass would be the mower not being level front to back, just very slightly lower to the front.

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

I should add that there is about a four inch gap tip-to-tip between the blades and it seems they should be much closer than that. The deck does not appear to have been modified in any way.

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

I will check the level. You think it should be pretty close to level to perform correctly?

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

Yes, it has to be pretty close to level to cut correctly, I don't recall what it should be set at but the front is supposed to be very slightly lower, something like 1/4" lower to the front and not the back. And I just measured mine from blade tip to tip and I have 3/4 gap there. And my blades are worn.

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

Many thanks for your help. I will double check the height adjustments etc and find a set of blades the correct length.

J Hamilton · Aug 29, 2020

No problem, glad to help. Also how are you measuring the blades? The correct measuring is like in this picture, at the ends of the cutting tips

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

I will measure again to see if I did it wrong. Tis a good possibility. But with that wide gap between blades something is making no sense to me. Will try again tomorrow. Hope it is just something I am doing wrong or overlooking.

John B. · Aug 29, 2020

You're going to have a big gap between your blades because your blades are not set in a straight line. The middle blade is forward from the outer blades. This is set up this way so the blades can overlap and not leave streaks. Are you using this on a narrow front end tractor if so your front tires are laying the grass down before it's cut? How far apart are the streaks in the grass this would tell us something whether it's your front tires or the blades not having enough overlap? I have a woods L306 but I'm unsure what length blades I have.

John B. · Aug 29, 2020

I forgot to mention if you have a bad bearing on one of the blade spindles the belt will pull the spindle at an angle thus giving you two streaks.

Cuznguido · Aug 29, 2020

John B, you have a good point but these streaks are entirely caused by the blades.

Ozlander · Aug 30, 2020

Maybe it's not a L306.

rustyfarmall · Aug 30, 2020

I have an L306 mounted under a Farmall H with narrow front. I adjust the height to suit what I am mowing. Sometimes, if the grass is extra tall, I will even just raise the mower up for the first pass. It always cuts a clean swath. NEVER leaves any unmowed strips.

If the mower is leaving uncut strips, it has to be the wrong blades.

Bob N.Y. · Aug 30, 2020

I have a Woods RM306 mower. The blades measure 24" straight across and 24.5" diagonally. When I line the blades up with each other, there is about a 1/2 inch gap between them. I tend to agree with the bad bearings theory. The tension from the belt would pull the tops of the shafts together and that would spread the bottom ends apart.

brooktre · Aug 31, 2020

(quoted from post at 13:33:39 08/30/20) Maybe it's not a L306.

That is a good observation Ozlander. Cuznguido, are you sure it is a L306? They are 72" wide with 3 spindles / blades.

The owners manual gives 4 causes for "Streaking conditions in swath":
1) Conditions too wet for mowing
2) Blades unable to cut that part of grass pressed down by path of tractor tires or casters
3) Dull blades
4) Loose blades

You can find an owners manual online that could be helpful. The belt on my L306 would be difficult to install without the manual.

brooktre · Sep 1, 2020

Here is a diagram of the L306. It measures 72 inches across and the blades are 24.5 inches.

Anyone familiar with Woods L306 mower?

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