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

[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.