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.