Cleaning Under Zero-Turn Deck After Every Session: Really Necessary?
- Thread starter Suburban Plowboy
- Start date
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fidowanttobe
Platinum Member
One mowing. I scrape almost every single time. Much easier when still damp.
Aquabird
Silver Member
I seldom cleaned the deck out, other than just when I removed the blades for sharpening. Deck was just fine. I just recently sold my diesel mower for $4,000. I had a bad boy with a 28hp Cat diesel in it. It is a great motor with lots of power. I needed a front mount mower deck and had zero room in my pole barn to keep two when I bought my diesel Grasshopper.
Paul McILwain
Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2022
- Messages
- 42
- Tractor
- LS 5030C/MF220-4/ Satoh S650
I have a husqvarna 320r 4 wheel drive articulating front 48 inch deck that will raise vertical for cleaning or service. Clean and sharpen once a season & has greaseable spindles. 5 acre yard site plus 800 foot tree line that I mow both sides
tradosaurus
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2017
- Messages
- 3,260
- Location
- Texarkana, TX
- Tractor
- Kubota MX5400 HST, heavy duty bucket, 3rd function, R1 tires (rears filled), 2 remotes
I only clean mine after changing blades or if the grass is wet and there is a bit of mud.
I use a mower jack (750 lb rating) that I bought at Harbor Freight when I need to get under the mower.
If there is caked on dirt underneath I use my electric pressure washer.
I ALWAYS blow off the mower with a leaf blower after every mow. My 2 yr old Toror ZMaster 2000 still looks fairly new.
I use a mower jack (750 lb rating) that I bought at Harbor Freight when I need to get under the mower.
If there is caked on dirt underneath I use my electric pressure washer.
I ALWAYS blow off the mower with a leaf blower after every mow. My 2 yr old Toror ZMaster 2000 still looks fairly new.
Tractor2011
Member
Check out the Bad Boy models.
OP
Suburban Plowboy
Platinum Member
Okay, this does not happen to me. I don't think it's even possible. Maybe the grass here is not capable of it. I have never seen anything stuck under my deck. I thought cleaning was for light residue.
OP
Suburban Plowboy
Platinum Member
I am using the ZD326, and it looks like some of my concerns were totally baseless. Nothing new there.
1. The deck has partitions that isolate the blades to some extent, so it confines leaves and grass somewhat.
2. Running it with stock blades chewed my leaves up pretty good. Good enough to make me think they will get the job done with weekly use. '
3. Power is not an issue. I don't think this mower will even think about bogging down if I get a mulching kit. Maybe it's because the grass is so thin here. Real grass is like salad compared to this stuff.
My sense is that if I put G6 blades on it and block the chute, I won't need a mulching kit. I'm not sure I need one with stock blades.
I got G6 blades, so I plan to put them on and block the chute. The main purpose of blocking the chute is to keep stuff from making a mess.
I don't understand the chute blockers that open and close. Why would you need to open and close a chute blocker during a session? My JD has a mulching kit on it, and I have never seen the need to open the chute.
1. The deck has partitions that isolate the blades to some extent, so it confines leaves and grass somewhat.
2. Running it with stock blades chewed my leaves up pretty good. Good enough to make me think they will get the job done with weekly use. '
3. Power is not an issue. I don't think this mower will even think about bogging down if I get a mulching kit. Maybe it's because the grass is so thin here. Real grass is like salad compared to this stuff.
My sense is that if I put G6 blades on it and block the chute, I won't need a mulching kit. I'm not sure I need one with stock blades.
I got G6 blades, so I plan to put them on and block the chute. The main purpose of blocking the chute is to keep stuff from making a mess.
I don't understand the chute blockers that open and close. Why would you need to open and close a chute blocker during a session? My JD has a mulching kit on it, and I have never seen the need to open the chute.
RjCorazza
Elite Member
Glad you are enjoying the zd326. It's a great mower.
As far as closing and opening the chute, it will likely leave windrows of pulverized material when closed. When I'm mulching leaves I get a row of piled leaves, close the chute then go back over the windrow with the chute open to splatter it out. I also close the chute when it's convenient to throw towards a flower bed or whatever, then catch the windrow on another pass.
As far as closing and opening the chute, it will likely leave windrows of pulverized material when closed. When I'm mulching leaves I get a row of piled leaves, close the chute then go back over the windrow with the chute open to splatter it out. I also close the chute when it's convenient to throw towards a flower bed or whatever, then catch the windrow on another pass.
Brown Dog
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2014
- Messages
- 1,437
- Location
- North GA
- Tractor
- John Deere 5115M 5101E H260 5115M 540M all MFD
Here in North Georgia I’m mowing 20acres weekly of super thick & tough farm fescue mixed grass.
I removed the stock side deflector as soon as I got both mowers home.
There is NO WAY I could run a chute blocker with the super heavy clippings that my ZD1511 & ZD1611 72 inch SD slings 10-15’ out of the decks wide opening.
I even have to mow in CCW circles (rather than back & forth stripes) in some areas because the clippings are so heavy.
So chute blockers don’t fit all applications lol
I sold a 3cyl ZD1211
because it simply didn’t have nowhere near enough power for my hilly application & thick grass.These 4cyl Turbo 15&1611 still bogs but nowhere near as bad as the lil 3cyl.
I’m not mowing a flat subdivision type yard
It takes me 8-9hrs weekly mowing solo.
When my wife can run the second 72 inch mower : it takes us 5+hrs as hard as we can go.
I never scrape clippings out from under my decks as I mow 2-3days a week. Way too much trouble imo.
They are stored in a dry barn
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