How to Level John Deere X380 Deck | Most Overlooked Mower Maintenance Point 

Thank you...at 76 years of age I think I will be able to level the deck. Well done!

What an AWESOME, slow, calm, easy to follow and meticulous tutorial! Best I've ever seen!

Thanks, another clear, simple video with nothing but what's needed!

I absolutely love ur tutorial videos. I own an x300 that I bought back in March 2013. Thanks to your videos, I just made a great decision and added, yet, another member to my deere family. An x330. I noticed that it wasn't cutting too well and realized the deck probably wasn't leveled properly from dealer. When I got mine on May 14, 2021, it was just dropped and hadn't even had the PDI yet. I came back the next day to get it. I am going to try and do the relevel myself. It doesn't look too bad, except getting on the ground. Sure is hard on this Fat boyLol. Anyway, thanks for all your help.

This video was great! I was able to understand and see everything that he was talking about!! Love your videos!! The outcome... my John Deere lawnmower deck is now level and I did it all by myself! Thank you!!

Thanks very much. Nice pace and clear description. I will follow your instructions. It is nice way to share valuable information to a community of John Deere partners.

This is a lot different than my GT 235. Just bought a new X380 and I thank you very much for showing us on RU-vid.

Now this is a great deck leveling video. Should resolve the poor cut on my new X350. Can't believe the dealer didn't properly level prior to purchased. Thanks!

Very helpful video. Placed my manual and wasn't sure how to level my x390. You explained this very well. Thanks 👍

Just bought a X380, looking forward to mowing my lawn when it gets here!

Thank you! I will be doing this in the am.

Looks like a very easy job. Well designed. I will say I bet it becomes very dependent on how well you keep those adjustment points lubricated so they don’t rust and seize

Great video! It was clear and concise, and it really helped me. Thanks!

You Make it look so easy and it is at age 74 I had no trouble thanks great video

This was the #1 complaint I saw with this mower, good to know it's an easy fix!

Great Demo! Just did mine, very easy

the best video i saw yet

Thank you. Excellent video.

Thanks for video. Much appreciated!!

Thanks for the demonstration

Very help full I have a 2012 x304 . helped me big time

What happens, when after you mow. Well while he's mowing the deck height changes. My dad is having a sorts of issues, halfway through the acre and a half it starts scalping and he needs to adjust the deck, everyone he mows. He did have the local dealer change the back of deck hardware under warranty this winter. He's mowed twice but still having issues. Any recommendations?

Anyone know what would cause the tool to be so hard to turn when raising the deck that it literally slips out of the nut? I mean I'm turning as hard as I can, and can't get the deck to raise. Looked to me like you barely applied pressure to raise this one. Thanks for your videos!

Very helpful. Thanks👍👍👍👍

Excellent very helpful

Well done thanks so much

I have an X350 and need to check my deck. TY for the tutorial.

Good video! I know exactly what I'm doing now!

Do you adjust mover wheels to the same height at front and back. Tks.

Thank you! Very informative. JD X390 :)

Thanks for showing us that! I looked in the manual and couldn’t make heads or tails of the adjustment! DC

Well done sir

thanks for taking the time to create and post this video is this a 2 or a 3 blade mower thanks keep up the good work

Awesome video! Super helpful. Any tips on adjusting the scalping wheels?

my young friend, I just shelled out $4400 for a 2021 X370...absolutely fine machine. However, right off the trailer it cut worse than my 26 yr old Wheel Horse...I mean pathetic. That was 2 weeks ago, and I find myself having to perform this task..a task that SHOULD have been done @ the dealer...and this machine went through two dealers, so NO excuse. I'm bypassing the guage,and cutting 3 identical blocks the exact length of the guage to use simultaniously. It's quicker than back and forth..and @ 65, I can't get up/down like I used to....Thanks for this demonstration....and best of business for you.

Easy when you are working on a brand new mower. I am trying to adjust my rusty and dirty adjustment bolt and of course when working with a ball end hex head the wrench head has stripped to a nice round ball. Good luck everyone!

Thanks for the video! When you are done, what height to do set the anti-scalping wheels back to?

Ty

Thanks for another informative know how for adjusting my mower deck. One thing I feel you should add is at the end of video you did not explain about the mower wheels. Like which hole you should choose for the height of the deck verses the height of the deck wheels. Thanks man for teaching us about our John Deere Tractors!!

Excellent video! I am looking to upgrade my 2004 LX280 to the X380. I think this would be the comparable model since my LX280 had the oversized rear wheels like the X380 does. Would the oversized rear wheels have anything to do with the transaxle? /

In position 3, I evenly adjusted my bracket bolts and positioned the leveling gauge to the right of the scalping wheels like you’ve shown. I noticed that when measuring to the left of the scalping wheels, it does not match. Is this still correct?

Is the a setting for the adjustable wheels on the deck? Also im assuming the front adjustment have to have the same amount of threads showing. Thanks. Great video

ctembry Is it necessary to level both sides of the front rollers at the front of the mowing deck onX350 48"

Howdy, I love you knowledge on the JD350X. I saw the one on using the deck washer and did not bookmark it. Can you somehow get me the link to view it again. Keep up the awesome job!!

What do you do when you have a power flow bagger? level before putting the power flow on after the power flow system is on? thanks

Do you want to have the powerflow on or off there when you level? Just picked up an x350!

How many hours should it take a JD certified mechanic to install a new rockshaft on an X380?

Great video. Just picked up a X350 with 28 hours on it. First thing i did was air up the tires and level the deck using this video. I found the deck was extremely low. That explains why the previous owner was cutting his lawn at the highest setting. I had to raise all three points quite a bit to get it to fit the gauge at the 2-1/2" setting. Now my deck lock doesn't work. Any ideas? By the way the lock did previously work.

Great video!!! I just bought my wife one of these. Her LX279 "only" lasted 16 years!!! BUT, on the X380, the leaver that locks the deck in the "UP" position needs to be adjusted. Do you know how to do this?

Why do they get out of adjustment?

How far down do you put the anti scalp wheels after adjusting the deck. You pulled them all the way up to start with but didnt point out the lowering of them.

What hole should the deck wheel pin go into? It looks like there's 6 visible holes on the back and 5 in the front. Is that correct for x390 mower?

I found a trick to get mower deck out and back in. Use a floor jack to jack the front of the tractor up just a little. Deck slides in and out nicely.

Looks easy when they work as they should. The issue I have is the bolt and all thread are both free turning. This is making it where I can't adjust the deck. Hopefully penetrating oil can free the nut that's obviously seized.

Great video. Should there be any compensation if you’re using a power blower for your bagger? In other words once the deck is level you can put the power blower on or should you have the power blower on when you’re leveling the deck if you plan to use that.

Excellent video and narration. How often do you recommend we do the leveling? Start of every mowing season? Also I see that a thin strip of grass is not mowed (I have grass mulcher and lawn striper). Could this be due to the mower-deck not being level? Thank you.

Hi. Great Video I adjusted my deck x-380 As you said .But now I cannot lock my deck in the up position, Did I do something wrong? Thanks Hal Ward

I have an X330 JD with the mulch kit installed. Could you comment on the leveling steps for this machine. Thank you.

On my x350, 42”, the rare adjustments are all the way up and the deck is still too low. Is there a master adjustment for the whole apparatus? I’ve checked the tire pressure.

if the whole measuring tool has to pass under the deck, why do they have the number on the face of the tool? what difference would it make if you used the wrong side of measuring tool ?

wish we had level floors

I bought a slightly used mower without the leveling gauge. Can you tell me how high the gauge is?

Help, purchased X500, used. Looked for the long wrench under seat and no wrench. Simple tool cost $50 plus in Canada. What type of head on this tool. Can I just buy a very long screwdriver, slotted, Phillips, Robertson. THANKS

Can’t get right scalp wheel ride off the ground tried everything any suggestions would be appreciate

I have a X300. The foot deck control pedal is stuck. The adjustment dial is stuck at the highest level. I am unable to free up or move either one. Has this ever happened to you, Any Suggestions i need to lower my deck to mow our grass. my name is George St Louis. Enjoy all your videos, keep them coming

I adjusted the deck proper;y and now the lift lock does not work. How can I fix it?

Reset to desired height? Then adjust scalping wheels??

I have an x380 John Deere I can turn the adjusting Tool and it turns the adjusting rod but it will not lift or lower the deck it looks like there is a nut on the bottom and it will turn all the time it is up in a tube-like assembly it is T shaped thing that pulls the deck up and down looks like that thing should hold the nut on the end from turning. Do they brake and need to be replaced. I bought it new and have never adjusted the deck hight before and it is as low as it can go.

I used a pair of channel locks to adjust the level. Will look for a cheaper adjustable wrench than 50 in Canada plus 13 %tax

Hi, does anyone know why my x380 mower lift lock stopped working after leveling? I can't figure it out. The foot pedal works and the deck goes up and down but will not lock. I tried adjusting the deck all the way to the lowest position and each position up all the way to 4 inches. No locking. Help?

This is where other manufacturers fall short. John deere has great deck designs with well engineered supports. My cub cadet (mtd) only has 1 support on the front of the deck. As i mow is bounces around quite a bit and it does affect the cut quality. The chute design on the cub cadet is poorly designed too with a smaller opening and it leaves the blade exposed if the chute is brushed up against something its pushed into the spinning blade. My cub does ok as long as i cut often,but if its been wet and i miss a few days,its shortcomings show more and more

This looks similar to my X310. If I have it correct, you need to raise the deck, set the knob to 2.75 (on the x310), lower the deck, and follow the gauge 1,2,3, and should be good.

Is it the same process for 4 wheel steer X300 series?

Well, I set my deck to 2/12 , lowered it and the tried to use the wrench that came with the deck. The deck won't raise and the wrench is hard to turn.

I've got a 48in deck level all the way around and it's never mowed level at all since new.

Purchased a new X-380 back in 2018. The only problem I had was the rear long adjustment bolts for leveling the deck did not want to hold position unscrewing itself due to deck vibration causing the deck to sink lower during mowing.. Double nutting each adjustment bolt along with blue Loctite solved the problem. Anyone else have this happen on the X380 ?. Is there a better self locking nut than the stock one with the nylon insert ?..

What size deck was this

Earlier video for owner operator knowledge. When you attach the hose for deck wash do you engage the pto 🤔 I will assume that people in other reviews that have uneven cuts never saw this video. What position is the deck height for starters?

How to replace fan belts on mower deck x380?

Do you leave the wheels on the deck all the way up? After you leveled it you didn't address where the wheels should be.

Easy until the 3rd adjustment. I'm a girly-girl and don't like dealing with this stuff. Now I have to go look for a wrench. Thank you for the clear instructions, though.

how tall is the gauge?

You forgot to adjust your anti scalp wheels, once you leveled it Great video though

I have owned the my X384 for the past three years and two months ago purchased a new JD Z530M zero turn. I needed a fast on the straightaways and quick on the turns mower, as it was taking all day to mow five acres. I think the deck leveling using the long Alan round tip tool on the belly mowers is a poor design and needs to be like the one on the zero turns where you use a box wrench. You use an 18mm to adjust the front of the decks anyway, and having a proprietary wrench that you use to adjust the two sides that you can lose makes no sense. The round tip hex wrench works fine one you first get the machine. Put it through three seasons of washing and dirt, the tip of the bolts fill up and the bolts are hard to move. I workout and it is a real pain to the and turn the bolts with the wrench since it is long it puts too much torque I’m the head of the bolt and because of the rounded head on the hex tool you are pushing sown as hard as you can on the tool so it does not slip out, and because the bolts are not new, they seem to be stuck, and I had to spray WD-40 on them. You can go underneath the frame and use a smaller hex wrench, but because it is in a tight spot it is hard to turn. However the adjustment on the zero turns just use a wrench and are much easer to tuen using the adjustment tool for the x380’s. Otherwise I love both machines since they use the same oil, oil filter and air filter I buy everything in bulk.

B

It doesn’t work for me

there are holes in the frame towards the front that have 42, 48 54 ect on them, even the manual doesnt say what they are for ... that, and the 54 inch deck barely goes up high enough in transport mode to go into a trailer... dumb design, over priced shitty "high end" homeowner tractor. sucks that you gotta spend over 10 grand to get a decent reliable tough machine

Your about as mechanically inclined as a 3 year old!