anyone ever closed off the side discharge chute on a finish mower?

[kossetx]

To make it mulch? Just wondering...

 

[K5lwq]

I have gator blades on my finish mower and it does a great job. I actually bungee the side discharge guard up so it can spread better. I never rake leaves or grass anymore.

 

[Peter 315]

Try gator blades and don't let the grass get to high before you mow........

 

[Deere Dude]

I got a 7' rear discharge mower and still get a slight row of grass on the right side. I think your grass would still bunch up with a shield on. Unless you want to put a shield on so grass don't shoot against something.

 

[GeneV]

I think it depends on how your baffles under the deck are spaced. For instance, my craftsman mower just has a straight open channel between the 3 blades. Installing mulching blades and blocking off the chute turns it into a great mulcher.

My massey deck on the other hand, first off I can't even find mulching blades to fit it. But even if I did, the deck design has a "bay" for each blade, and all three open up to a channel which then directs the clippings out the chute. Just blocking the chute would turn the clippings into a clumped-up mess in there. Kubota has a similar deck design, but they actually have a kit you could buy which converts the deck into a mulcher. It involves blocking off that channel I'm talking about.

 

[RjCorazza]

I run a chute blocker on my ZD mowers, with gator blades and a non - mulching deck. It's not a solution for regular and constant mulching, as it leaves a windrow.
I block the chute mostly to avoid splattering flower beds etc, or for finely pulverizing leaves in the fall.

 

[TractorGuy]

Not sure why but the mfg of gator blades says not to use them with a mulching blank installed.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I have a 1991 Farm King 72" mower. I completely closed off the side discharge and opened up the whole rear to make it into a rear discharge mower. There is no "tunnel" for the grass so that isn't an issue. I need to add baffles under the deck the same as a factory rear discharge mower has. Other than not distributing the grass evenly it is an excellent modification. It really upped my mowing speeds in similar conditions.