How is it going with the improved finish mower decks?

[prs]

It has been mowing season quite a spell now, how have the new model decks been performing? I would like to mow a little taller than my contour is capable of providing.

prs

 

[zmountaineer]

It has been mowing season quite a spell now, how have the new model decks been performing? I would like to mow a little taller than my contour is capable of providing.

prs

How high does that contour mower go?

 

[JackIL]

I have had my new deck for a year now and am very pleased with the performance and quality of cut. I traded in my former Contour Deck to get the new one. The Contour Deck works very well on short grass such as would be found on a golf course, but it does not perform well in tall grass. It was designed for mowing golf courses, so it is doing what it was designed to do. The hydraulic deck tilt accessory is a must on the new decks.

 

[prs]

How high does that contour mower go?

The top setting is only 3 3/4".

prs

 

[prs]

I have had my new deck for a year now and am very pleased with the performance and quality of cut. I traded in my former Contour Deck to get the new one. The Contour Deck works very well on short grass such as would be found on a golf course, but it does not perform well in tall grass. It was designed for mowing golf courses, so it is doing what it was designed to do. The hydraulic deck tilt accessory is a must on the new decks.

Thank you Jack. I have to keep the blades razor-sharp, but get fairly good result. I would like to mow taller, but I hate to give up that extra foot of cut width. I noticed in your videos that you have some rolling fields with "ripples" that would let many wide decks "scalp". Has scalping been a problem at all with the new deck.

prs

 

[JackIL]

No problem with scalping so long as I watch and drive appropriately in the areas were scalping can occur. The quality of cut and absence of clumping are major benefits of the new 6 foot deck. Also the radiator screen stays much cleaner than with the rear discharge deck.

 

[davek78063]

No problem with scalping so long as I watch and drive appropriately in the areas were scalping can occur. The quality of cut and absence of clumping are major benefits of the new 6 foot deck. Also the radiator screen stays much cleaner than with the rear discharge deck.

Rear discharge is a must. You don't realize how important it is until you either switch from a side discharge or go back to a side discharge. My finish mower has a rear discharge but my rider that i use to get close to stuff does not. You breathe less dust and other crap with the rear. I also recommend sharpening blades nearly razor sharp, seems to improve the overall cut.

 

[prs]

davek78063, I have to stand behind JackIL regarding the two or three negatives of rear discharge. The biggie is the dust we breath from them, I got a BIG dose of that last mowing of a field next to a mature forest. The oak pollen that fell a few weeks ago was on the ground heavy and I was breathing a big yellow/green cloud of it. The second aspect is how quickly chaff and dust clogs the radiator screen raising operating temps; I have stop about once per acre. A third is the less efficient cutting and I think it is due to the low lift blades Ventrac uses on the rear discharge (at least on the contour); there is little suction to lift the grass for the blades to cut. And then there is the HUGE advantage, it is really easy to trim close to obstacles on either side without a side chute and giant rubber guard in the way.

davek78063, or JackIL; do you know if the new model 72" mower is available with high lift blades?

 

[zmountaineer]

davek78063, I have to stand behind JackIL regarding the two or three negatives of rear discharge. The biggie is the dust we breath from them, I got a BIG dose of that last mowing of a field next to a mature forest. The oak pollen that fell a few weeks ago was on the ground heavy and I was breathing a big yellow/green cloud of it. The second aspect is how quickly chaff and dust clogs the radiator screen raising operating temps; I have stop about once per acre. A third is the less efficient cutting and I think it is due to the low lift blades Ventrac uses on the rear discharge (at least on the contour); there is little suction to lift the grass for the blades to cut. And then there is the HUGE advantage, it is really easy to trim close to obstacles on either side without a side chute and giant rubber guard in the way.

davek78063, or JackIL; do you know if the new model 72" mower is available with high lift blades?

I would venture to say you could get high lift blades for the contour mower even if they aren't ventrac made. I would guarantee that ventrac makes high lift blades for the new 72" deck.

 

[davek78063]

I think there is much more dust and other crap stirred up side discharge, but if you have a different experience then I am not going to argue that. I also haven't had the problem with the radiator screen. I also have chains protecting the rear discharge. I also like the fact that i am pulling away from the discharge, the only exception being when i am going around trees, but even then I think the chains tend to knock down the dust.

As for the lift I haven't had a problem with that but I tend to cut the grass when it is 6-8". I would think you could get some mulching blades and replace them assuming they are the same thickness. In my case my blades are not keyed and I tried to replace with a thinner blade and I couldn't get them tight enough. Turns out the blades were about 1/2 the thickness of the orig blades.