Kubota MMM mulching kit??

[53gravely]

My new 7610 has a 60" MMM RCK-24? (the non-suspended one). It is at my second home in VT and if I haven't been up in 3-4 weeks the grass is 6" tall and the MMM will deposit "furrows" of clippings 4" deep in the middle of the last swath. The factory angle of the discharge chute was obviously set by lawyers worried about it flinging rocks--probably the same schmuck that came up with the new "ventless" gas cans /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I stuck a bolt in the deck to jack the chute up/open another 1". This helps a bit buy now leaves some clumps.

Is there a MULCHING KIT (blades and a piece to close off the deck? How does it work in long grass? I have one for my Scag and it works slick--no experience in long grass, though.

Anyone have any other thoughts...roundup the whole lawn? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Stef]

Once I asked my dealer for a mulching kit and he told me that it's good if the grass is not too tall (meaning: final cut 2.5"; initial height 3.5"). Mulching kit is working fine for short grass but it's a mess with long grass.

So... I didn't buy one. I must say though that I have a bagger on another tractor. If the grass is very long then I mow the first day and bag it the day after. That's what I do when I let the grass become too tall. The bagging is done pretty fast, it's just to remove the lines of clippings.

 

[Schultz]

I'm not sure about your mower but my bx mower is slow and has been somewhat a disappointment compared to my last one. I don't think you can compare a bx mower to a Scagg with or without a mulching attachment. From what I read in the owners manual the blade tip speed is something like 12,500 ft/min on the 60" bx mower. Scagg mowers are all up around 18,500 ft/min, which would provide a lot more mulching power. The only way to make up for that lack of speed is run double blades or the next best thing would be to modify some high lift or gator blades to fit.

 

[Schultz]

Sorry for the misinformation but the blade speed for the 60" BX deck according to the manual is actually 14,271ft/min. Still slow compared to all the other brands.

 

[botalvr]

Always been a debate here, but as long as the grass isn't wet, or really long (over 6") I would not go without my mulching kit. As long as you keep it clean and sharp blades, I get plenty of lift, and no clippings. I also was able to remove the deck "flap" which gets me in and out of trees better. Since the baffles seal the opening anyhow, I saw no safety issue with removing the flap.
No clippings makes me happy. I'm not so sure about the added fertilizer claim, but again no clippings.
(gotta have the kit and the blades, can't do one without the other)
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JoeL4330]

presumably you are discharging into the already cut area ...cutting high grass in several passes, lowering the height of the cut ...taking less than a full swath, which allows faster travel, spreading cut grass out further. Leave grass higher ...and, cut more often (which, it seems, you can't)

mulching kit will require much slower travel speed, overall equivalent to mowing twice as blades are set up to cut twice.

My big Befco (C50 tph) has a mulching kit, cuts well but would have trouble with 6" or higher grass

 

[tomnky]

I have the mulching kit on My BX2200 with a 60" deck.

It does not do all that well in taller grass as it leaves clumps of chewed up grass.
The key to success is never mow more than 1" off , makes sure the grass is dry.

This is what works for me and it leaves a well manicured look. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[53gravely]

I think I'll "bag it" on the mulching. Found this at TractorSmart:

http://www.tractorsmart.com/Kubota%20Service%20Tips/Kubota%20Mower%20Service%20Tips.htm#Mulching

Boy, this outfit tells it like it is....

 

[Tom_H]

I have the mulch kit on my 60" MMM on a BX2200. It works great as long as grass is dry and I don't take off more than an inch at a time. I have to wait for the grass to dry after our long wet winter and by the time it dries it is about 8" tall. On the first cut of the season I have to cut in multiple passes to take off a bit at a time. The tall fescue also lays down flat when tall and I have to rake it proud again. After this first series of cuts is done, the rest of the season is easy. We get no summer precipitation so I can irrigate early in the week and then be assured of dry turf to cut on the weekend.

It is nice not to take the time to empty the bagger any more, nor to wind up itchy afterwards. Also, I don't have to store the bagger or wrestle it on and off. Previously, I had to fertilize once or twice a year, but since the clippings recycle the nutrients, I haven't had to fertilize since I began using the mulch kit.

This topic has run in a number of previous threads. You may want to search the archives. Some love the kit and some dislike it. Local conditions make a big difference.

I would not worry too much about the tractorsmart piece. If one plans to cut long wet grass, there will be problems with thatch and clogging regardless of whether one has a mulching system or a standard system. Good luck.

 

[Junkman]

Want to sell your old bagger???? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif