Grading Gator blade test results - dissapointed

[hazmat]

Well I've had them for about a month now. Cut the grass ~6 times. Put the regular blades back on yesterday.

Results

Gators seem to distribute clippings a little better.
They don't seem cut them into smaller pieces.
They give a worse cut - grass is less even. Leaves a ragged strip between the blades.

I'll try them again in the fall to see how they do in the leaves.

Test vehicle - TC18 with 60"MMM rear discharge.

 

[Inspector507]

Thanks Hazmat
For now I think I'll stick with the regular blades

 

[Gatorboy]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that Gator blades are mulching blades -- meaning they don't want to be discharged out the rear/side, but rather using a mulching deck (no discharge), the grass has a chance to get cut up into smaller pieces.

You will not get the lift with these blades, thus the reason for not having as good of a cut. Lifting blades will raise the grass up before cutting much better than the Gator blades.

 

[jwstewar]

OK, who is the next volunteer to try the high lift versions? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[hazmat]

Dave,

You're right. But the Gatorblades web site says NOT to plug up an output chute on a multi-spindle deck. They do say that for a single spindle it works better to be blocked - ie a mulching deck.

I've thought about trying to block up the discharge. If I ever get some free time, maybe I'll give it a shot.

 

[hazmat]

<font color="blue">OK, who is the next volunteer to try the high lift versions? </font>

My parts guy thought the decks shipped with the high lift standard. No way to confirm though. My blades look to be at least "medium" lift - so I may already have them.

After I wear out my stock blades & gators - I'll be ordering the high lift version. Yo're gonna have to wait /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[thcri]

Dave, I am going to disagree with you. I have had the Gator blades on my New Holland side discharge for close to a year now. They are hi-lift. My standard blades would not pick up the grass from my front wheels knocking the grass. A day later the grass where my front wheels were would stand back up and I would have to back out and mow again to get it even. My Gator blades are hi-lift and do pick up the grass where the front wheels knock it down. When talking to Gator they will tell you it is hi-lift and the pitch on the blades is much greater than the New Holland blades. As far as mulching you don't need to put the end on the shoot. My grass is much finer clippings and it is thrown farther out of the shoot than before spreading the grass in a larger area. Also my rust problem of having to much grass clippings has gone away. These blades also take more horsepower out of your tractor due to moving more air and chopping the clippings finer.

I would never go back to my standard blades. I have two sets of them I would sell to anyone for just about nothing as I will never put them back on.

That is just my experience and I do have a picture of the blades some place here on TBN where you can see the pitch and the knives.

murph