Best (Older) Deck for Sandy Conditions? 42-Freedom? 44-Pirnanha or 48C ???

[pgtr]

Hello

I've got an LX255 from about 1998 which came with the 42C deck. I'm in VERY sandy conditions - actually it's just pretty pure sand and and mow fairly thinly grown weeds, cactus and such.

The 42C deck, while well built has been absolutely terrible for these conditions. The problem is that the deck generates far too much lift. I've experimented with various blades over the years, currently using almost flat sand blades for another make (drilled out to fit Deere spindles) which helps some but these blades are a 1/2" too short and still pretty dusty. The deck has been so sand-blasted over the years - it's starting to blast through the deck. Besides I'm tired of being covered in fine dusty sand after just a half hour on it. (Love running out and mowing right after a (rare) rain - no dust!)

So I started looking around and am considering finding used one of the following decks: 42-Freedom, 44-Piranha or maybe the 48C.

Looking for some feedback on any of these 3 decks with respect to pure sand conditions.

Thanks!

 

[pgtr]

I should add that I often stretch periods between mowings and have to whack down fairly tall native weeds/plants. Mowing less means less times covered in filth, breathing in dusty, etc. I'm not interested in mulching per se one way or the other. I've used both standard and mulching blades with basically equal effect - just need to cut the local native weeds, grasses, plants, cactus to a reasonable length periodically without creating a huge dust storm. Any plastic plugs will have to be removed - they would otherwise have an extremely short life due to the sandblasting effect.