How to "undercoat" mower deck.

[3Ts]

I got the HF ZTR lift and it helps a lot. I still have to get down on the ground to clean the deck and I have trouble getting up and down, so it would be nice to have an actual lift. (I've considered both a 2 post and 4 post car lift.) I have one spot in my yard where the grass is always so green and filled with water that every 10 feet I have to stop and clean out the deck. (Note: I don't but should, so I save that area for last and just press on). My goal is to find something that will keep the grass from sticking to the deck, even if I have to reapply it every year. Or if it's easy to apply like an aerosol, before every mowing would work as well and PAM isn't it.

 

[IndyJay]

I got the HF ZTR lift and it helps a lot. I still have to get down on the ground to clean the deck and I have trouble getting up and down, so it would be nice to have an actual lift. (I've considered both a 2 post and 4 post car lift.) I have one spot in my yard where the grass is always so green and filled with water that every 10 feet I have to stop and clean out the deck. (Note: I don't but should, so I save that area for last and just press on). My goal is to find something that will keep the grass from sticking to the deck, even if I have to reapply it every year. Or if it's easy to apply like an aerosol, before every mowing would work as well and PAM isn't it.

I often wondered why someone doesn't come up with a vacuum formed Teflon® liner that you can install inside the deck of major brands. You would likely have to replace it every year or so but seems like it would be worth it.

 

[PJohnson]

I have been giving thought to using anti fouling paint used for boats bottoms. Has anyone tried it, or know of a reason not to?

 

[two_bit_score]

I often wondered why someone doesn't come up with a vacuum formed Teflon® liner that you can install inside the deck of major brands. You would likely have to replace it every year or so but seems like it would be worth it.

Most manufacturers wont even spring for a simple gas cut off switch or an hour meter on lower end mowers. They count cost on everything and have to compete on price daily. They would think it's crazy pay to fix a problem that never occurs on 99.99% of mower decks.

I cannot recall ever seeing a mower with a rusted out mowing deck unless it was used in a saltwater environment. None of my mower decks has ever rusted through and Ive never done anything but scrape out dried grass when I had to change blades.

Just out of curiosity, @IndyJay, what $$ would it be worth to you to have a liner like you describe available at a store or online so you could replace it every season on your mower?

 

[Creamer]

The best is to coat your deck over winter when it is not in use. Coat it with a spray lithium grease and then it doesn't rust. Once spring comes you use it often enough it should not rust - if you clean it.

 

[IndyJay]

Most manufacturers wont even spring for a simple gas cut off switch or an hour meter on lower end mowers. They count cost on everything and have to compete on price daily. They would think it's crazy pay to fix a problem that never occurs on 99.99% of mower decks.

I cannot recall ever seeing a mower with a rusted out mowing deck unless it was used in a saltwater environment. None of my mower decks has ever rusted through and Ive never done anything but scrape out dried grass when I had to change blades.

Just out of curiosity, @IndyJay, what $$ would it be worth to you to have a liner like you describe available at a store or online so you could replace it every season on your mower?

I was thinking more aftermarket rather than OEM. My grass for some reason is very sticky and clumps to the deck. It has to be scraped off nearly every time I mow. I do not have a problem with rust.

My JD 394 is not a lower end mower, but the deck is hard to remove and install, more so with fused neck and shoulder issues. My blades generally stay sharp though the season so it would a once a season chore. So I would pay 40-50 to not have to remove the deck several times in a season.

 

[Oaktree]

I cannot recall ever seeing a mower with a rusted out mowing deck unless it was used in a saltwater environment. None of my mower decks has ever rusted through and Ive never done anything but scrape out dried grass when I had to change blades.

The deck on my mower is enough of a PITA to remove/replace that unless something breaks it only gets done once a year, in the fall before I put it away for the winter. Scrape out all the dried grass, sharpen the blades, inspect the belt and maybe lube the spindles/pulleys.
Like you, I've never seen a rusted mower deck.

As far as preventing grass build-up, I've never had it bad enough so it affected anything. Then again, I try not to mow when the grass is wet. I can only imagine what pro landscapers have to go thru though, since they don't have that luxury.

 

[JJT]

I mow 3 - 4 acres a week for ~30 weeks, change/sharpen the blades annually and clean and oil the deck once a year. I've never seen a rusted out mower deck. My current mower is 20 years old and should have at least another 20 years of life left. When I change the oil in the fall, I change the blades, scrape off the deck and hit it with a good coat of spray lube.

 

[SARG]

For winter storage I scrape the 60" down and apply Fluid Film.

 

[daman1]

Nothing works grass will always stick