What blades for ZD326?

[CNeubauer]

Our ZD326 with 60" deck needs new blades and I'm leaning towards a set of Gator G6 blades but am open to suggestions if there's something better. Don't really need aggressive mulching but something that would chop up tall grass a little bit better would be nice.

 

[art]

Depending on what you call tall grass sometimes a slower ground speed might be the best solution. We sell both Kubota and the gator blades although many who have changed to the gator blades have changed back. On the commercial side they did not feel they got a benefit large enough to offset the frequency of blade sharpening and replacement period. For typical home owners we have not heard a discouraging word. I know that some feel all steel is the same, the Kubota blades hold an edge longer and seem to take a considerable amount of abuse without bending or nicking compared to other replacement blades.

 

[jcummins]

After four years of use i still have orginal blades and i agree. They are holding up extremely well.

 

[Scooby074]

Factory blades are fine. I was going to run the G6's like on my BX where they made a difference, but on the ZD the stock high lifts work great. The ZD deck is pretty well designed so it doesnt see the benefit like the poorly designed deck on the BX. At one time Kubota made 2 options for ZD blades. I believe one was a standard and the option was a HL. I think Kubota phased out the standards so that now all that is available is the "old" high lift. At least thats what me and my parts guy figured when we were going through the superseded part number list.

 

[CNeubauer]

Just a quick update here. I went with the G6 blades after reading a lot of commercial mowing guys really like them and they are supposed to last as good as anything. I like how they do mulch the grass some, we mow a lot of stuff that might get 8-12" tall between mowing and with the stock blades regardless of how many times you went over it I could never get the clippings chopped up as much as I wanted, with the Gators hit those clippings as second time after they've dried and they turn to dust. The downside to the Gators is they leave some standing grass unless you slow way down, at 4 mph they cut just as good as the stock blades but at 8 mph the stock blades do a much better job. The grass (just part of an old crp field) was 8"+ tall when I mowed it with the Gators and as you can see there's not much for clippings. I think I'm going to finish the year with the Gators since tree leaves will start falling soon but I think I'll get a set of new Kubota blades for spring and switch back to the Gators for mowing tall stuff.

 

[missingstexas]

looks good. I installed the G6's after 2 years on my mower and have been moderately happy. I think you nailed it about slowing down. I find they also don't do as good a job on damp grass (early dew) as stock blades.

 

[art]

Just a quick update here. I went with the G6 blades after reading a lot of commercial mowing guys really like them and they are supposed to last as good as anything. The downside to the Gators is they leave some standing grass unless you slow way down, at 4 mph they cut just as good as the stock blades but at 8 mph the stock blades do a much better job. The grass (just part of an old crp field) was 8"+ tall when I mowed it with the Gators and as you can see there's not much for clippings. I think I'm going to finish the year with the Gators since tree leaves will start falling soon but I think I'll get a set of new Kubota blades for spring and switch back to the Gators for mowing tall stuff.

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Most of our customers run the factory blades all year do to the fact of them holding an edge better(not all is created equal) and they switch to the gator blades for leaves only. Time is money for working people!