Cleaning Under Zero-Turn Deck After Every Session: Really Necessary?

[TMGT]

Everyone praised the Oregon G6 blades so I tried them & thought I liked them for a full summer but I went back to Hi Lift blades & noticed they didn’t have any blowout from under the front of Deck like the G6 DID.

G6 didn’t sling heavy clippings near as far out the chute with deflector removed either.

So I’m a HI LIFT Blade Fan

I only use the G6 for leaf cleanup. They were well for breaking up dry leaves for the collector, but they do like to blow out the front a little more if you aren't in grassy area.

 

[RjCorazza]

I use the Gator G6 blades year round, and for my conditions I don't notice excessive blow out from the front of the deck. I also have only scraped the underside a handful of times over years, usually when I have to cut wet. By the time I'm done mulching leaves in the fall the deck is clean as a whistle.
All that said, mowing conditions, grass type, deck construction, etc vary widely... Whatever works!

 

[CalG]

I think my mower would kill the engine with the blades running and I get off the seat. But I wouldn't tempt fate by spraying under the deck with the mower running.
Better to buy a mower lift and do it safely. A ripped off thumb or hand would be more expensive.

If you read the text, there are no hands or hoses under or near the deck or spinning blades. Only the water spray, bouncing off the concrete onto the mower underside.

I also value my appendages! ;-)

 

[Brown Dog]

I’ve never scraped or washed the underside of 72 SD deck.

I replaced worn out hi lift blades the other day & only had a little bit of grass clumps stuck above the blades around the bearing housings.

The rest of the deck was bare metal clean as a pin & I mow some serious grass weekly some damp some dry.

 

[tradosaurus]

If you read the text, there are no hands or hoses under or near the deck or spinning blades. Only the water spray, bouncing off the concrete onto the mower underside.

I also value my appendages! ;-)

You maybe careful but it's the dude that says "hold my beer and watch this!" that will lose a limb.

 

[CalG]

You maybe careful but it's the dude that says "hold my beer and watch this!" that will lose a limb.

Darwin approved!

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Now that I have mowed twice with this thing, I completely understand the chute blockers that open and close.

This mower throws stuff a country mile, and a lot of the time, that's fantastic. Makes a leaf blower totally unnecessary. It even works on pavement. I assume a chute that is always blocked will leave that mess where it is. On the other hand, there are some places where it would be better to just let the mess drop and blend into the turf.

It has some damage on the rear of the chute, so I will have to figure out whether it needs some remedial fab to make it work with a blocker. If anyone has a brand to recommend, I am listening.

I am thinking of returning the mulching blades I bought. The mulch kit I put on my John Deere 430 would probably mulch leaves adequately if I could keep the mower running for 10 consecutive mows, but the Kubota cuts them up way faster. It's doing great with normal blades, and I'm afraid I'll screw things up if I install the G6's. I'm not sure yet.

The thought of life without moldering dunes of hateful leaves is almost intoxicating. More than I dared hope for.

 

[lilranch2001]

I am still struggling to find a used diesel zero-turn to replace my aging JD 430. I wanted a Kubota ZD because they have built-in jacks, but good ones don't pop up often at realistic prices. Right now, I can get an okay deal ($8900 asking) on a Gravely Pro Turn 460 with a Kubota engine. A younger ZD326 that looks good has materialized at a better price, but the seller can't show it to me until Friday, and in situations like this, a pushy buyer usually shoves his way in and beats me to the deal.

The Gravely looks good, but I have two issues with it. First, the spindle bearings are sealed, so sooner or later, I will have to replace them. Kubotas have zerks, so I expect the spindle bearings to last longer. Second, the Gravely has no jack, so if I want to get under the deck, I have to drag out a floor jack, a two-by-four, and jackstands.

I have been told that if I want a deck to last, I have to raise it and clean it every time I use it. Is that realistic advice? If it is, I really need a Kubota, because there is no way I'm going to drag a bunch of junk out of the shop every Saturday so I can clean under the Gravely's deck.

I had an EXmark for 24 years, usually cleaned 2-3 times a year when I changed blades, and then I just scraped any huge build up.

That deck was as good as new when I traded it in for my new Lazer Z

 

[tradosaurus]

Now that I have mowed twice with this thing, I completely understand the chute blockers that open and close.

This mower throws stuff a country mile, and a lot of the time, that's fantastic. Makes a leaf blower totally unnecessary. It even works on pavement. I assume a chute that is always blocked will leave that mess where it is. On the other hand, there are some places where it would be better to just let the mess drop and blend into the turf.

It has some damage on the rear of the chute, so I will have to figure out whether it needs some remedial fab to make it work with a blocker. If anyone has a brand to recommend, I am listening.

I am thinking of returning the mulching blades I bought. The mulch kit I put on my John Deere 430 would probably mulch leaves adequately if I could keep the mower running for 10 consecutive mows, but the Kubota cuts them up way faster. It's doing great with normal blades, and I'm afraid I'll screw things up if I install the G6's. I'm not sure yet.

The thought of life without moldering dunes of hateful leaves is almost intoxicating. More than I dared hope for.

Yes! I would have to rake a lot of leaves for about 2 months and burn them. Once I put mulching kit on my ZT all I have to do is make sure I mow the leaves within a day of falling or otherwise I would have 1 foot of leaves on the ground.
I haven't burned leaves in 5 yrs.
Only drawback is the amount of dust that kicks up so I have to wear a gas mask to keep the fine dust from my lungs.
gas mask

 

[kozal01]

Now that I have mowed twice with this thing, I completely understand the chute blockers that open and close.

This mower throws stuff a country mile, and a lot of the time, that's fantastic. Makes a leaf blower totally unnecessary. It even works on pavement. I assume a chute that is always blocked will leave that mess where it is. On the other hand, there are some places where it would be better to just let the mess drop and blend into the turf.

It has some damage on the rear of the chute, so I will have to figure out whether it needs some remedial fab to make it work with a blocker. If anyone has a brand to recommend, I am listening.

I am thinking of returning the mulching blades I bought. The mulch kit I put on my John Deere 430 would probably mulch leaves adequately if I could keep the mower running for 10 consecutive mows, but the Kubota cuts them up way faster. It's doing great with normal blades, and I'm afraid I'll screw things up if I install the G6's. I'm not sure yet.

The thought of life without moldering dunes of hateful leaves is almost intoxicating. More than I dared hope for.

I have a Grass Flap (brand name) thats foot controlled, works great.

 

[walnutman]

Unless the deck is stamped steel sheet no cleaning is required, I only clean mine when I get time, which is normally 2X yr.
My Hustler deck is welded together 1/4" sheet steel W/steel strap bracing around the edge of the deck. I bought that Hustler in 2002, it still has the original sealed spindles. My yard is 1.5A plus I mow the roadsides in front of my property and inside my fence lines at least 1X Wk.
The caveat is, it's always stored in my garage and never wet unless I wash the machine, then I blow-dry it with a leaf blower.

I disagree. When it's all loaded up, it doesn't cut nearly as well and you are asking for corrosion.

 

[lilranch2001]

I disagree. When it's all loaded up, it doesn't cut nearly as well and you are asking for corrosion.

Well, you can clean yours to your hearts content, then.

My eXmark gets chunks scraped off when the blades get sharpened a couple times a year, and the first one lasted 25 years, and only got traded in because the clutch finally went out, and I got a excellent trade-in on a new Lazer Z, the dealer sold my old one within a week after he replaced the clutch!

I think keeping the engine clean and properly lubricated is much more important than keeping a deck spotlessly clean.

By the way, I mow between 8-12 acres each week.

 

[walnutman]

Well, you can clean yours to your hearts content, then.

My eXmark gets chunks scraped off when the blades get sharpened a couple times a year, and the first one lasted 25 years, and only got traded in because the clutch finally went out, and I got a excellent trade-in on a new Lazer Z, the dealer sold my old one within a week after he replaced the clutch!

I think keeping the engine clean and properly lubricated is much more important than keeping a deck spotlessly clean.

By the way, I mow between 8-12 acres each week.

I'm more talking about cut quality.

 

[lilranch2001]

Like I said, clean your heart content, but my eXmark has never looked any worse than that deck in the video, so I guess I must be doing something right, or my eXmark deck is a better designed deck than the typical deck.

 

[walnutman]

Like I said, clean your heart content, but my eXmark has never looked any worse than that deck in the video, so I guess I must be doing something right, or my eXmark deck is a better designed deck than the typical deck.

Got rid of my 14k eXmark before I lost my kidneys.
Contractors don't care because you know who's riding them.

 

[lilranch2001]

That’s funny, I bought my first 26 years ago my next door neighbor watched me mow for a few months after he bought his place, and decided to buy an eXmark, and then, my neighbor next to him decided to get one himself so that’s three neighbors and 26 years all liking their eXmarks, mowing around 29 acres total.

So far, none of us have lost our kidneys!

 

[RayIN]

I'm more talking about cut quality.

Yep, i see the stamped steel deck, thin.

 

[walnutman]

That’s funny, I bought my first 26 years ago my next door neighbor watched me mow for a few months after he bought his place, and decided to buy an eXmark, and then, my neighbor next to him decided to get one himself so that’s three neighbors and 26 years all liking their eXmarks, mowing around 29 acres total.

So far, none of us have lost our kidneys!

Good machines for sure but way too stiff on my property.
Back to the original question.
No not after every session.
Depends on your type of grass and moisture.
Nice dry grass doesn't accumulate as much but wet grass?
Thats when I'll clean maybe every three cuts.
Here in East Texas it doesn't matter how hot and dry it gets, the grass is soaking wet every morning. Need to wait until it burns off in the sun.

 

[Brown Dog]

… so that’s three neighbors … mowing around 29 acres total …

I’m a one man band mowing 20 acres here on the farm weekly.
Occasionally when the stars align just right : I can persuade my wife into mowing with the backup ZD1611 mower

Two 72” 4cyl Turbo Zero’s can flat cover some ground

 

[Brown Dog]

Yep, i see the stamped steel deck, thin.

IF he’d push that crank handle onto the square shaft : it’ll turn much easier smh

Scraping underside of deck clean isn’t necessary in my book as long as it’s stored inside out of the rain.
I’ve got way too many chores to get done after 9-10hrs of weekly mowing.