Whats this little lip under my Kioti 60" deck? Pics.

[ShowroomShine]

Another member told me to take the little lip off on the front of the deck. Something about its used for mulching leaves and creates a low pressure spot behind the lip to mulch leaves. Said removal of the lip would allow the grass to be sucked up better and be cut by the machine more.

I removed the lip, and adjusted the deck pitch this weekend. Pitch was 3.5" front blade, 4" rear of blade...so 0.5" pitch. I got it closer to a 1/4" pitch.



Problem is, I mowed with it over the weekend and the striping is not nearly as good as it was. When I first got the mower (2 weeks ago) it striped pretty well, now after my 2 adjustments it does not stripe as well. It still cuts really nice, but the stripes are just not as visible.

Any suggestions?

 

[engine29]

That lip helps keep grass and leaves from falling back down the front of the deck. Also helps w/ airflow. Why would you mess w/ taking it off. Leave it the way it is

 

[Coolnorth]

HI Showroomshine,

In my experience with riding mower decks, I had one with no lip on the front and eventually, because I was cutting rougher land, the front edge of the formed deck folded back on catching a root that had come up out of the ground and it caused enough bend to close the tolerance between the blade and front of the deck. So, the blade started striking the deck, sparks, noise, etc.

I ended up adding a 1/4 inch thick by 1 inch wide bar that we curved to fit the front of the deck - curved through the 1 inch section (so it was laying flat on the bottom of the deck, like in your photo. I think that is one of the biggest benefits of the piece, especially when it is rough country mowing that needs to be done.

My Sears Craftsman mower does the same thing - pitches forward. I don't like it, but haven't taken the time to adjust it.

Hope all goes well with yours.

 

[RG1]

That lip helps keep grass and leaves from falling back down the front of the deck. Also helps w/ airflow. Why would you mess w/ taking it off. Leave it the way it is

That is not quite correct regarding its function. It creates a low pressure area above the lip that creates better vacuum for leaves and the leaves from being blow away from the front of the deck instead of getting sucked in under the deck to be mulched, but it also keep long grass bent over longer which can cause the blades to miss or partially cut it. Most manu's that sell a "leaf kit" like that, recommend removing it for normal cutting, and installing it for bagging or leaf mulching because it helps reduce front of the deck blowout.

This is one of the kits I've owned for JD decks (this is for a 54" deck), and what I just posted is right in the manual that comes with the kit-