Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - leveling the deck on my craftsman

I am having some issues leveling the deck on my Craftsman mower. I done what I was supposed to do in leveling it by adjusting the leveling rods. I know that there is no play in the rods now that I have adjusted them and and I can see that all seems to be level by measuring it all around. It is still cutting about 1/4 deeper on the left side. I have been playing with it trying to get it adjusted but just can't seem to get it. Would adjusting the belt help any because I know that it does need to be tightened? Any help would be great.

Are your tire pressures equal?

Yes, that was the first thing I done.

Bent blade maybe? Normally, the deck should never have to be levelled once it has been set. Uneven cut is usually caused by a low tire, bent blade, or bent mandrel shaft.

They are new blades and the tires are all equal and....bent mandrel shaft...? what is that and where is it located?

The mandrel is the shaft that the blade is attached to.
With the mower on concrete and engine off, hand turn the blade so one end is pointing left while the other end is pointing right. Carefully measure from the bottom edge to the concrete. Then swing the blade so the end that was pointing right, now points left. Measure it from bottom edge to concrete. Any difference in height means either a bent blade, bent mandrel, or the blade was not properly positioned before tightening.

Great...I will give that a shot and let you know what I come up with.

Sometimes the deck itself will be bent a little, depending on what it has been hit with. You can sometimes relevel a misalligned mandrel by adding washers as spacers at the bolts that locate the mandrel assuming that the mandrel is straight.

Ok sorry it took so long to get back with you guys on this but I have been so busy. I had to put a new mandrel shaft on it due to bearing being wore out. I noticed when I was taking it off that the far inside bolt was dug into the deck of it, almost like it was overtightened so it was causing it to lean in towards the middle of the deck. I put washers on the top of it and you can see that the pulley is now strait but the inside blade is still about half an inch lower on the inside section. I measured the blades and that is how i figured this out. I am at a loss on this one.:madhell: :wall:

Hammer the distorted part of the deck back into place until the blade tips are even again.