Gator Blades---Updates ??

[1075]

I have a John Deere X595 with the 54" deck and am considering installing Gator (mulching) Blades. My main reason would be for use with a powerflow bagging system when removing leaves from my yard in the fall. I am thinking that the Gator Blades would help the powerflow to be more effecient by chopping the leaves up more finely before sending them into the chute. I would also probably leave them on for late fall mowing.

I did a search and read some mixed reviews, but I was interested if anyone had any long term updates.

 

[Gatorboy]

In my opinion, you won't get the lift you would with normal blades, so you might not get as good of flow out the chute, even with the finer chopped grass. Gator (mulching) blades are really designed to be used when you don't plan on picking up the clippings.

 

[beenthere]

I put the gator blades on my 54" deck, and when picking leaves up (blower with mc519 cart) I left a lot of mulched leaves on the ground. Too many, IMO, as I clean up leaves probably 4-5 times in the fall to get them all. So, wasn't impressed with the gator blades for that reason.
Also, as others have said, too many grass 'fines' getting out from under the mower deck with the gator blades, which likely meant that they were working as designed, and mulching the grass finer.
These blades didn't throw the mulched grass out very far, and it was a dirtier job when mowing with 'some' wind blowing.
All in all, I wasn't impressed enough to put them back on, and prefer the standard blades that come with the 54" deck.
But, just my experience.
There are plus's and minus's, and each may get more of one or another.

 

[hazmat]

You might do better with the Deere mulching blades. They have been designed specifically for your deck.