Adding rollers to a Woods 6' finish mower

[Kubota Tee]

Wondering if anyone out there has added rollers to their rear PTO driven finish mower. I picked up a used Woods 6' side discharge finish mower that works pretty well for me, but I'd like to add some rollers to the back to give the lawn that nice striped look when I mow back and forth. I have rollers on my 54" Toro garden tractor mower which are adjustable to match the cutting height. I don't really change the cutting height that often, but I'd like that feature to be included if I were to add something to my Woods mower. Let me know if you've done this customization and of course, pictures are always appreciated!

 

[JCByrd24]

I'm guessing the reason you don't see rollers on RFMs is because they would skid much more than a MMM. You would need a large roller with domed ends to prevent digging in as the mower whips around quickly in the turn. Flail mowers have these, but the whipping action is much less because they are so much closer to the tractor. Instead for stripping you may want to consider chains that drag or rubber like stall mat or mud flap. Just make sure whatever you use cannot contact the blades when backing up. If using rubber perhaps round the corners or cut them off at an angle, again to prevent digging.

 

[Sysop]

In stealing a thought from elsewhere here on TBN from a member I can't remember who in a post I no longer remember where to find; here is a thought.

Make the roller into sections so the various sections can rotate at various speeds in turns to prevent skidding and scalping. Rounding the ends is a good idea too.

 

[Kubota Tee]

Wow, never really thought about the impact rollers would have when turning. I do like the idea of a hard rubber mat or chains to knock down the grass which may end up achieving the same results as rollers with less scalping of the lawn. Thanks guys for the great input!

 

[pedalstomper78]

My thought on this same topic was simple. A hinged roller setup on the back of the mower using the rubber rollers that you can still buy at any hardware store. Those worked great for years and they may tear up the lawn at first, they will wear down a bit on the edges after a while and not dig in anymore. It would be simple to do and I think would have great results. I was hoping to do this to my 72" Land Pride over the winter.