Mowing Commercial side and rear discharge deck questions

[Industrial Toys]

Sure, sometimes you have to go over an area again. But there comes a point when there is just too much material there to do anything with, short of gathering it up. So even with much material left on the lawn, the RD at least leaves a more or less even blanket while the SD leaves windrows.

 

[Ortimber]

Let me guess. Soon it will become against the law to slam side discharge decks. Hate Speech and all that! A person should use both and make their own choice. As for the clumping, I have only seen big ugly clumps coming out of a side chute. Usually in a very sporatic manner.

Even my little Murry push mower has no side chute and I love it, for not throwing grass on the driveway , against the house or other unwanted placed. Not to mention the SAFETY factor. You don't find that you have smashed a window, later after mowing, and that has happened to me.

Also, this thread did specify "commercial".

SDDLM

Side discharge deck lives matter.

Sorry, had to say it.

 

[Ford850]

Side pros:
I like using the side discharge as a blower. Clearing drives and walks much quicker than with a regular blower. I can blow several rows of leaves or heavy grass into windrows for sweeping later or into a woods. I like the ay the side discharge blows 2 - 3 passes over which really helps spread the layer out thin.

Side cons:
The only negative I have with the side discharge is needing to plan passes around beds, building and fences. And because of the 'pro' above, about it discharging 2 to 3 passes over, that means several passes around beds before I can discharge towards it. Like others said, the chute comes off immediately otherwise it directs everything too close and that can create heavy clumps.

 

[Xfaxman]

How limited is the recycler deck in tall/thick grass?
I've always liked the idea, but thought it would struggle to cut in thicker stuff.

Not limited, just go a little slower. Have to slow down with the other decks also.

Here is the Recycler on the TORO 325D 4WD in some tall/thick stuff:

 

[4570Man]

Sure, sometimes you have to go over an area again. But there comes a point when there is just too much material there to do anything with, short of gathering it up. So even with much material left on the lawn, the RD at least leaves a more or less even blanket while the SD leaves windrows.

Both those pictures are a once cut not multiple passes with my SD Grasshopper. A good SD doesn’t make windrows used in grass as intended. That only happens with crappy mowers or in grass way taller than a mower is meant to cut. In grass a foot or less my machine throws to clipping wider than the deck and leaves a smooth finish. Both of the RD finish mowers I’ve had did a worse job. One leaves clumps and wind rows between the blades and the other throws pretty even but it’s pretty much the whole clipping and not ground up nearly as good as the Grasshopper does. I’ve heard similar complaints from the rear discharge Kubota owners along with radiator clogging.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I find I don't need to blow off the driveway as I used a RD mower. I guess, leaves is another matter, but I found blowing witha SD deck is not the greatest. It moves much material but not all.

I use Gator Blades on my Steiner RD deck. They are supposed to be a mulching blade. Not sure if they break up heavy stuff bettter or not.

I am sure that there are varying performance levels of different RD mowers. What I know for sure is that EVERY SD mower blasts the stuff out the side, and that is my objection to ALL SD mowers.

 

[Summerlin]

What is a grass flap?

Just a manually actuated chute blocker. Plenty of options for them out there. I use it around the landscaping of the house and yard. Out in the open I let the clippings fly

 

[Hay Dude]

Not limited, just go a little slower. Have to slow down with the other decks also.

Here is the Recycler on the TORO 325D 4WD in some tall/thick stuff:

View attachment 600444 View attachment 600443 View attachment 600442

I always appreciate the way you present your ideas with pictures. You are really helpful to this website.
Your mower did cut those areas, but it appears you'd have to cut them again for it to look like a lawn.
So what you're saying is that is will cut tall grass with a mulching deck, but it'll take multiple passes.
Of course, a side or rear discharge deck may fare no better and may require multiple passes.

The most important thing to remember is that this is contract lawn cutting, so I'd doubt the highest the grass will get it maybe 8-10" anyway.

What I'd really like to know is how much slower does an enclosed deck with mulching style blades, cut in "normal" taller grass, like a lawn left uncut a few days too long, not so much a 2-3' tall field.

 

[Xfaxman]

I always appreciate the way you present your ideas with pictures. You are really helpful to this website.

Thanks.

Your mower did cut those areas, but it appears you'd have to cut them again for it to look like a lawn.

The reason it doesn't look like a lawn is because the deck was up to max cutting height for mowing out in the pasture.

So what you're saying is that is will cut tall grass with a mulching deck, but it'll take multiple passes.
Of course, a side or rear discharge deck may fare no better and may require multiple passes.

No if the deck is set down lower it will cut it all in one pass.

The most important thing to remember is that this is contract lawn cutting, so I'd doubt the highest the grass will get it maybe 8-10" anyway.

What I'd really like to know is how much slower does an enclosed deck with mulching style blades, cut in "normal" taller grass, like a lawn left uncut a few days too long, not so much a 2-3' tall field.

I don't know, but don't think it would be too much slower. I don't have any recent lawn mowing experience, we live on 80 acres, don't have a "lawn", just a "yard" and am lucky that crabgrass and weeds are green or it would really look bad .

 

[stevem5215]

On my 72" rear discharge Woods pull behind deck it will leave grass clippings all over the top of the cut area. If I want it better then I have to multiple cut it like taking 1/2 swipes and re-cut the other 1/2. (which defeats the purpose of a 72" deck). Rear discharge just leaves all the clippings spread out over the whole section. IMO these mower decks just are not designed like a 21" mulching deck on a small push behind mower. On those they have "high vacuum side discharge" or as mentioned in this 2019 Honda mower review:
"In terms of cut quality and the ability to maintain turf health, itç—´ one of the best self-propelled mowers available, due mostly to a pair of unique Honda featuresé*� two-blade cutting system that offers golf-course-like results, and a way to dial in a precise mulching-to-bagging ratio to compensate for various grass conditions."

Personally, I'd like to see the HOnda two blade system used on more mower decks as i really think they are onto something with that setup. And in big commercial cutting application there's a real use for less grass clippings that need to be collected with a better cutting system design like used by the Honda method.

Anyway, IMO the side discharge is still the best way to disperse grass clippings until someone can make a good mulching design work on a big mower deck application. And what we have now is three big blades doing a lot of high speed cutting and heavy air movement blowing it all out the side.

Steve