Mower Deck cleaning

pcmem · May 13, 2003

JimD,

We use the brush on, two coats in the spring and touchup each month when I swap blades. Seems to wear through on the center top portion of the deck between the spindle sets first so I try to coat them thicker. Never tried the spray on stuff. The paint seems to be too thick to spray.

Good luck,
Michael

knucklehead · May 13, 2003

Sorry...too hard to resist....it's been ten days & 50 posts....I've been good until now....

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WVBill · May 14, 2003

I've mowed with mine for about 10 hours now after brushing on a thick coat of slip-plate. I have mowed the grass dry, wet, and tall and have just hand-cleared the build-up (mower off) by reaching under.

I took the deck off the other day and this picture shows the result. The shiny areas are where the slip plate has totally worn away back down to bare metal.

As others have said, an occasional re-coat is necessary but all-in-all I'm pleased with the result.

agcomike · May 25, 2003

after 2 hrs my slip-plate all 4.99$ of it was worn off /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif i'd say just spray it off with hp hose every once and a while and don't worry about it just buy a new mower deck every couple of decades.. i bet the deck will out last the tractor..

BrettW · May 26, 2003

Re: Ultimate Mower Deck cleaning

I just got a new mower but now I so dang scared it will rust I'm not going to use it!! I guess that is the ultimate in mower deck protection!!!!! Just going to buy a cow and start a museum for unused implements!!! bw
ps, if any dealers want to send me a nice box blade, or back blade, or FEL, or rake for the museum, I have a nice spot for them!! and you get a brass plate with your name on it. bw

agcomike · May 26, 2003

Re: Ultimate Mower Deck cleaning

I had this thought on it.. let's assume everyone paid ~1000 dollars for a nice 6' finish mower compare that to a rider of ~1500-~2000.. a lawnmower design life is 3-5 years depending on model and general cost..

even if you only get 5 years out of your mower before the deck rusts off you'll have enough from what you've saved on a rider to buy another..

I'm going to say just try and pressurewash or just spray off the deck every time you mow.. don't mow when wet . keep blades sharp..and don't worry about it.. you'd be suprized what testing is done on mower decks.. I've seen some results where i work.. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

ipwanab · May 26, 2003

Reading all these posts on deck cleaning made me smile and grimace. A couple years ago I had an unhealing sore on my knuckle. I paid no attention to it for along time and then got scared and went to Doc. He numbed it and dug under skin forever. He asked me what kind of lawn mower I had. I thought "Is this guy nuts?". I said John Deere. He held up a sliver of yellow paint that had been driven in to the bone. He called a granuloma.I must have done it cleaning the deck on my deere with a plastic putty knife, I never felt it. Be cautious!

r0GuE · May 26, 2003

We had a vendor for a telephone switch come in two months ago for what was going to be a few days stay. He never went home.

He started acting goofy... staring at the walls, saying stupid things.
He was driving and he just stopped on the road and sat until the cops picked him up.
He went to the hospital and it turned out he had a problem with his liver that caused high ammonia levels. I guess he knew that he had liver problems (hep?). he got it from cutting himself while working on his septic system.
He died while still in our town.
Go easy, and keep it clean. Go light on the chemicals and use protective gear. DO NOT IGNORE CUTS AND SCRAPES LIKE YOU DID WHEN YOU WERE TEN.

Mosey · Jul 1, 2003

I cleaned my LandPride mower deck with a pressure washer, then hit the rusted spots with a wire brush (on an angle grinder), and put 2 coats of the brush on Slip Plate EZ Slide. It was a messy job since I didn't have a way to flip my 670 lb deck over and it dripped all over since I had to paint upside down. I'm letting it dry overnight and will try it out either this evening or tomorrow evening.

kofronj · Jul 11, 2003

Well, after a couple months of EZ Slide (brush on), I have the following observations:

1. The stuff seems to last well. The only areas of wear are on the sides of the deck (near where the blade end's spin).

2. I see just as much grass on the bottom of the mower as I did before I coated it. It could be because of the wet summer we're having, but I personally will not do this again. It's not worth it.