Mowing Cleaning mower deck

[RedHawkRidge]

I found it impossible to keep the mower deck underside coated with anything. When mowing, the blades pick up and propel rocks, sand, branches, you-name-it against the surface directly above them. Under the onslaught of regular mowings, I don't think anything can hold up for very long. Unfortunately, the surface that gets pounded is where the grass clippings, dirt, and wetness build up and harden to a cement-like consistency. So, I think we're fated to scrap, blast, chop, hack, spray, soak, and scour our beloved mower -- ****, we can't just let it get all crusty, can we?
jim

 

[thatguy]

After recoating the underside several times I am thinking the same thing - at least in a DIY coating..

I wonder if anyone has used a ceramic type coating?

Brian

I found it impossible to keep the mower deck underside coated with anything. When mowing, the blades pick up and propel rocks, sand, branches, you-name-it against the surface directly above them. Under the onslaught of regular mowings, I don't think anything can hold up for very long. Unfortunately, the surface that gets pounded is where the grass clippings, dirt, and wetness build up and harden to a cement-like consistency. So, I think we're fated to scrap, blast, chop, hack, spray, soak, and scour our beloved mower -- ****, we can't just let it get all crusty, can we?
jim

 

[prosperity]

I don't want to sound like a smart-*****...but...

Having a regular deck cleaning routine will avoid all this.

I am a little over-the-top with stuff like this, but I will never put my machines away leaving any wet grass under the deck.

If I mow when the grass is wet (usually quite often as I have an area always in the shade), I will clean the underside of the deck before I put it away. If you do it right away, it all comes off very easily.

If done right away - I have a set of ramps nearby - drive the tractor up on the ramps, and just a water hose will wash everything off.

If I happen to let it go a bit, then a plastic paint scraper and/or pressure wash will easily take care of it.

Leaving the underside with caked on wet grass is just inviting rust in my opinion - I certainly don't want to let my $2500 deck rust out.

 

[thatguy]

Point well taken.. I had cleaned (and recoated it with slip plate) late in the summer, but I had used it before I put it away and just never got around to cleaning it..

Since I dont take the deck of during mowing season, I will try the ramp trick to see if that will help keep it from getting totally caked on

Brian

I don't want to sound like a smart-*****...but...

Having a regular deck cleaning routine will avoid all this.

I am a little over-the-top with stuff like this, but I will never put my machines away leaving any wet grass under the deck.

If I mow when the grass is wet (usually quite often as I have an area always in the shade), I will clean the underside of the deck before I put it away. If you do it right away, it all comes off very easily.

If done right away - I have a set of ramps nearby - drive the tractor up on the ramps, and just a water hose will wash everything off.

If I happen to let it go a bit, then a plastic paint scraper and/or pressure wash will easily take care of it.

Leaving the underside with caked on wet grass is just inviting rust in my opinion - I certainly don't want to let my $2500 deck rust out.

 

[Water Boy]

I find that a good coat of car wax on the underside of the deck makes it easier to clean. I do it for the FEL and shovels for snow removal as well.

WB

 

[Yankee]

The flat end of a 3' pry bar, used like a scraper, takes off anything caked on like it's barely there.

 

[Whitey]

I had our JD 425 mower deck repainted a few years back......blasted, primed and painted JD yellow, the underside, undercoated with Rhino coat without the aggregate, smooth rubber underside, only have to clean it once a month instead of every time.......and wet grass....no problem.

 

[camaromitch]

I was just wondering about doing an undercoating for the bed of a pickup on the bottom of my mower. I might stand my mower up this spring and sand down the underside real good and brush on some undercoating and see how it does. There's no way I'm putting paint back under this thing. How does your Rhino hold up to the mowing?

 

[beenthere]

I don't go to extra effort to clean the underside of the deck. It stays quite clean with small sticks and hickory nut shucks . But not mowing when the grass is wet helps the best.
Have never heard of any product that will work to keep it clean...where it takes the place of regular cleaning before putting it away.

When putting mine away, I first blow the tractor and deck off with air, and avoid washing it down with water except on a rare "wash day". And store the tractor/mower inside to avoid rust.

 

[thatguy]

I went back out today to finish cleaning the deck.. After hitting it with a wire brush on a drill I realized that 90% of the deck was still covered with Slip Plate.. I thought the silver i was seeing was bare metal, but it was the slip plate..

There are a few places that dont seem to hold the slip plate... I am going to recoat it this weekend to see if I can get a better coverage..

I need to make a better effort of cleaning it off more regularly though..

Brian