How to "undercoat" mower deck.

[Sedge1]

Friends, some of you may have read and even responded to my post earlier this week about striking a rock and deforming the 60" mower deck on my BX2200. Got me a 24" pipe wrench (a beautiful tool BTW) and will have at it over the weekend.
But it occurred to me that I should do something to protect the underside of the deck from rust. This is my second deck on the tractor which I have happily owned for about 14 years. The original one gave up the ghost last year after literally rusting into oblivion. My fault, I am afraid to say. I should have been more attentive cleaning off wet, impacted grass from the undercarriage. I have no doubt that this is what caused the rust out because the deck rusted from the underside out. I was very fortunate to find a barely used 60" replacement deck for about 25% the cost my local Kubota dealer wanted. And I want to presereve it.
So what is the best way to protect the undercarriage from rust. I will do a better job cleaning out the wet grass. But is there a way to effectively seal the underside of the deck housing to provide a rust barrier - like a rust paint or other coating. If so, any specific suggestions would be appreciated, as well as the best method to prepare the surface and apply.
Much obliged.
David

 

[Scar0B2150]

Paint won't last. Deck bottoms are painted from the factory.
A truck bead-liner spray or under coating may work but the deck will have to be VERY clean for it to stick.
The problem with a bead-liner/ undercoating is how thick it goes on, and the finish is rough. Your blades may not have the clearance needed once it is applied.
I have never done the above, so I can only speculate how it may hold up.

 

[ehcrain]

Tractor supply sells a product specifically designed for the undersides of mower decks. I've seen it in spray cans and gallon cans at my local stote. Havent tried it but might be worth some google searching.

 

[spitter]

I paint my mower deck every year when I put it away for the winter . Nothing special wash off grass let dry. touch up with what ever rattle can i have tha'ts half empty. Top of deck I touch up with simplicity orange. Bought tractor in 98 not a spot of rust on deck.

 

[mikester]

Store your deck indoors, out of the elements, in a dry area. Rust won't be a problem.

 

[nyone]

It's a 14yr old deck so prob alreaty started to rust. The worst possible thing you could do is to undercoat or put truck bed liner on it. It will trap water when it gets a chip...and cause it to rust faster.

Storing it inside and up off the ground is prob the best practice. This let's it dry.

 

[LittleBill21]

i have painted my decks 15 ways to sunday, nothing lasts, i now just use a rattle can and 5 minutes.

 

[Captain Dirty]

Coatings do not last owing to the abrasiveness of the material scouring the underside during use. I have dusty conditions that erode the upturned tips of my mower blades and have measurably reduced the thickness of the sheet metal over a few decades; rust is not my problem. Murphy still allows clumps of grass to adhere in certain places. My suggestion is to remove any clumps and store the deck on blocks to allow air to circulate beneath it.

 

[TractorGuy]

When I built the deck for my JD F725 I came across some Loctite PC9599 wearing compound on Amazon for $42. I went back later to try and buy another bucket of it and it was listed for over a $200. I see it listed now for $93.29.

It's blue epoxy stuff full of ceramic beads.

Amazon.com

It's a pretty grainy finish that I was afraid would gather grass pretty bad but so far stuff seems to fall off of it.

 

[arrow]

I as well, have tried just about everything including Rustoleum, epoxy over POR 15, Mow Eze and Pam.
As one poster stated "nothing lasts".
Short of what they put on non stick frying pans or things like ceramic, plutonium, and cement coatings from nuclear waste sites, I don't know what else to use.

 

[IndyJay]

When I built the deck for my JD F725 I came across some Loctite PC9599 wearing compound on Amazon for $42. I went back later to try and buy another bucket of it and it was listed for over a $200. I see it listed now for $93.29.

It's blue epoxy stuff full of ceramic beads.

Amazon.com

It's a pretty grainy finish that I was afraid would gather grass pretty bad but so far stuff seems to fall off of it.

According to Henkel a 6 LB bucket doesn't go very far. Otherwise looks great.

http://tds.henkel.com/tds5/Studio/ShowPDF/243%20NEW-EN?pid=PC%209599&format=MTR&subformat=REAC&language=EN&plant=WERCS

TYPICAL PROPERTIES OF UNCURED MATERIAL
Coverage:
0.2 m²@6 mm thick/2.5 kg
2.3 ft²@0.25 inch thick/6 lb)

 

[Hoobie]

My nephew and I own identical lx188 John Deere lawn tractors. he faithfully cleans and oils his deck every fall. I do absolutely nothing but sharpen blades once in a while and pull out "some" of the dead grass grunge. Both decks are identical and in good shape. And both are 29 years old. This always annoys the nephew!
Not recommending this....just saying.

 

[Sedge1]

OP here. Obliged for all the experience. Appears the general consensus is against the attempt to coat the deck. Instead, I will just power wash the under carriage after each mow, and commit to removing it every couple weeks for a better scrape and clean. Thanks again.
David

 

[TractorGuy]

According to Henkel a 6 LB bucket doesn't go very far. Otherwise looks great.

http://tds.henkel.com/tds5/Studio/ShowPDF/243%20NEW-EN?pid=PC%209599&format=MTR&subformat=REAC&language=EN&plant=WERCS

TYPICAL PROPERTIES OF UNCURED MATERIAL
Coverage:
0.2 m²@6 mm thick/2.5 kg
2.3 ft²@0.25 inch thick/6 lb)

Excuse the blurry picture but this is the coverage on a 54" deck. I would have added more if they hadn't gone up so high on the cost when I got it. There was no way to make it smooth and pretty with the supplied amount of hardener. Two 6 lb buckets with extra hardener would have coated the whole thing and made a smoother surface.

deck after coating

Deck Before coating

 

[IndyJay]

I think it will work very well. Had often thought about a coating or replaceable liner. They need to drop price and offer it in green and orange.

 

[TractorGuy]

I've got 3 years on it. I might pull it off one day and see how it is wearing.

 

[ray66v]

For future reference, My father has a Hustler X-one, with 400 hours on it.

I just took the blades off two weeks ago, so he could sharpen them. While under there, I of course removed the grass that that had stuck in some places.

To my surprise, the underside of the deck was like band new. Even shinny in some places.

Whatever alloy they use, it's up for the job. There is absolutely no rust. And he does nothing to it.

 

[i7win7]

Don't know if it will work on mower decks but the 2 part coatings look interesting
check out videos for Never Wet and Ultra Ever Dry

NeverWet Superhydrophobic Coating Products | Hydrophobic Coating & Water Repellent Spray

NeverWet makes superhydrophobic coatings for consumer & industrial applications. Objects coated with NeverWet can't be touched by liquid. It's anti wetting, anti icing, anti corrosion, self cleaning and oleophobic.

www.neverwet.com

 

[IndyJay]

Don't know if it will work on mower decks but the 2 part coatings look interesting
check out videos for Never Wet and Ultra Ever Dry

NeverWet Superhydrophobic Coating Products | Hydrophobic Coating & Water Repellent Spray

NeverWet makes superhydrophobic coatings for consumer & industrial applications. Objects coated with NeverWet can't be touched by liquid. It's anti wetting, anti icing, anti corrosion, self cleaning and oleophobic.

www.neverwet.com

Looks like Rustoleum picked it up. Not sure how durable the coating is but the price is reasonable enough for me to want to try it.
$21.99 for 10-15 square feet? Great if it works!

Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 274232 Never Wet Multi Purpose Kit : Tools & Home Improvement

Buy Rust-Oleum 274232 Never Wet Multi Purpose Kit on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

 

[arrow]

Looks like Rustoleum picked it up. Not sure how durable the coating is but the price is reasonable enough for me to want to try it.
$21.99 for 10-15 square feet? Great if it works!

Amazon.com: Rust-Oleum 274232 Never Wet Multi Purpose Kit : Tools & Home Improvement

Buy Rust-Oleum 274232 Never Wet Multi Purpose Kit on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

It appears to be a liquid detractor. Everything the show on the video has something attached to liquid elements whether it'd be paint, mud, water, oil, etc. in order for it to repel stuff.
I guess you'll just have to mow the lawn when it's wet