Improving MMM quality of cut, blades how sharp?

[mikester]

I can't speak for your specific machine but keeping the underside of your deck scraped clean and the blades knife sharp makes a huge difference on all the machines I've used. Whenever I start seeing stripes on the grass its time to scrape the underside of the deck. Also, avoid cutting when the grass is wet.

Here's a tip to make cleaning under the deck easier:
1. Don't use water i.e. pressure washers just make more of a mess
2. I bought an air powered paint scraper/chisel. It uses a 2 inch wide blade and does an AWESOME job at removing the impacted grass. No more skinned knuckles!

 

[SDT]

I'm disappointed in the quality of cut I'm getting with the Kubota MMM. This is my 2nd deck, had a 60" on the B2920 and now a 54" on the BX2380. Looks ragged like a bad haircut I'm wondering if even brand new blades need to be sharpened or something? I purchased a JD X380 for mowing a couple years back, like night and day quality of cut vs the Kubota MMM. Had higher hopes for the new BX2380, turf tires, smaller machine, any tips on improving the quality of cut with the Kubota MMM? I have a 1 acre yard around my house its not a field.

Cut quality depends upon several factors including ground speed and length of grass. If you travel too fast or the grass is tall and/or wet, your deck will not pick it up properly resulting in poor cut quality.

The deck used on the BX series has little grass clearance in order to provide ground clearance when the deck is lifted. Grass clearance allows a deck to clear better, allowing increased ground speed.

Not sure if high vacuum blades are available for the BX but you may want to try these if they are.

SDT

 

[oosik]

I cut everything with my JD G100 - including my 3/4 acre of lawn. I've used just about everything short of dynamite to clean the underside of my mmm mower.

Last year I had a true brain fart. I manage my pine forrest - which means I chip 750 to 900 small pines every spring. I end up with LARGE piles of pine chips.

Soooo - I drove the mower up on top of a pile - engaged the blades and lowered the mower down into the chips. Five minutes later - the underside is clean as a whistle. AND because they are pine chips - nothing gets dulled or dinged.

 

[ryan08]

The blades on my 60" MMM came sort of sharp. The bevel was pretty steep and when I read the manual they stated to keep a pretty blunt tip so that sticks and things don't kill the cutting edge. This is all well and good for a heavy-duty application, but for lawn use I would grind the bevel at a much steeper pitch for a sharper edge. I mostly use a zero turn to cut grass and try to keep a good edge on those blades. My BX deck does a good job on grass, but I dislike side discharge and use it as a back-up mower.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

I usually lift the mower deck up with the FEL and blast it with a pressure washer to clean it. Bostik Glidecote helps to keep the grass from sticking to the deck.

 

[nikerret]

I've been throroughly impressed with me BX25D-1 and the 60" MMM. I mow at 3K-3.2K RPM's and still get a great cut on my lawn. I have had the unit since 01/2016 and have not had the blades off. Just grease and grass. It's not like it's been babied, either. Last spring, I was sure I would have to sharpen the blades, but they still worked great. Here's some of what she has done, all before last spring:

On the way to cut this, it rained, for about ten minutes. This was after making a path, for the truck, I decided to clear a hunting area:


Here's another angle:


And another, all of this was as tall as the weeds you see, behind the tractor.



This is a pasture I mowed, to prepare it for parking, for a large horse auction:

 

[LD1]

1. Sharp blades. New aren't as sharp as I like....but shouldn't cause problems.
2. Deck clean. Gotta keep it clean for proper airflow. Mowing wet grass plugs a deck.
3. Blade speed. Faster is better. Thats your rpm
4. Blade type. I like highest lift possible unless you have Sandy dirt and it pulls alot of dust
5. Deck pitch. Have you ever checked it? Level side to side...and slightly lower in front. Like 1/8 to 1/4"
6. Got any pictures of the "bad haircut" to help us further isolate the problem rather than just giving all the basics to check

 

[deathtoblackberries]

No pics, days after I mowed it snowed then snowed 2 more times its all buried in white at the moment. Deck pitch, I'll have to give that some thought.

 

[Tags]

I have a BX2360 with a 60" deck, unloaded turf tires, and the loader removed while mowing. I'll echo pretty much what everyone else has said, WOT is a must, clean deck, sharp blades, and I have had to fiddle with the side to side adjustment a few times. All in all I am very happy with the cut quality.

 

[rick480]

Extremely happy with the cut of my BX1860 filled rear tires and a 54 deck. My wife often asks if I used the BX or the walk behind Toro when she gets home. Huge difference in grass around the country though, I知 cutting a blue grass lawn. I always wait several days after a rain to let it dry out, and never mow before noon to let the dew evaporate. I use 3000 plus RPM and low ground speed. I sharpen the blades once a year.