Under deck cleaning safely

[Camo Kubota]

Looking for suggestions on safest way to pressure wash the underside of deck while attached to tractor. I used a floor jack and lifted up front end, but didn't feel it was very safe.
60" belly mower on BX 2230, front end loader is NOT attached and will not be put on.
Any suggestion is appreciated.
Thanks

 

[bcp]

How about a right angle or adjustable angle nozzle for your washer?

Combine that with a pair of common automotive oil-change-style ramps.

Bruce

 

[Evil the Weasel]

They sell right angle wands for pressure washers, but I'm not sure how well it would work.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Personally, I wouldn't trust a floor jack, as a leaky seal could give you a nasty surprise. I'm also not a fan of "most" jack-stands.

I don't currently have a rotary cutter - but - I think I would raise it and put a few cinder blocks on each side. That is - unless someone on here tells me why that is a stupid idea

 

[George2615]

Take it off and flip it over to clean it properly. Very tough to do while still attached using a right angle spray wand. Once its clean give the bottom a new coat of siliconized snow plow paint or epoxy to prevent future sticking and easy clean up.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Personally, I wouldn't trust a floor jack, as a leaky seal could give you a nasty surprise. I'm also not a fan of "most" jack-stands.

I don't currently have a rotary cutter - but - I think I would raise it and put a few cinder blocks on each side. That is - unless someone on here tells me why that is a stupid idea

I wouldn't use cinder blocks (CMU) for supporting any large amount of weight, they just are not that strong and will crush easily. I would more easily trust a jack stand as a safety measure while using any type of jack that is rated for the weight (3000# is about total weight of that tractor) Jack it up, put the stands under it for safety but leave the jacks under it also. You can clean it effectively without getting your body underneath the tractor by using the pressure washer wand.

 

[AStanton]

I'm wondering if it would be easier to never clean it and just resign yourself to replacing it every 10-12 years. I pretty must have done this with my lawn tractor and the deck is still goin strong after 13 years.

 

[Evil the Weasel]

I'm wondering if it would be easier to never clean it and just resign yourself to replacing it every 10-12 years. I pretty must have done this with my lawn tractor and the deck is still goin strong after 13 years.

I'd wonder if a replacement deck could be found after that many years. The grass buildup would really affect mowing quality and eventually become unbearably loud. I take mine off and stand it up with mower axles. This creates a very stable and accessible position to scrape, pressure wash, and repaint.

 

[KennyG]

If the floor jack is high enough just build a pair of wood stands to go under the front wheels. Don't use hollow concrete blocks because they will fail suddenly without warning.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

One thing I learned from my Dad at a young age was the value of solid blocks of wood. I have a large stack of varied dimension wood blocks. If something is up in the air and I'm under it at all, I stack blocks under it in case something were to let go. Never trust hydraulics to support a load.

 

[skyhook]

If you have a spot in the front where you can hook up a,
chain block to an over hanging tree, you could lift the front end up.

 

[longshot47]

I cut with a late 80's 6100 w/belly mower. Dropping the mower is no joy, so, I do it only at the end of season when everything gets serviced and scraped [I manage to dress the blades periodically, while still attached, but thats another story]. What I have found over the last few years is that a liberal application of used hydraulic oil or the teflon-like, no-stick spray [I think 'Gunk' makes a pretty good one] to the underside of the deck, is reasonably effective at preventing accumulation of debris. Also, try not to cut when wet!

 

[chim]

My first tractor had a belly mower. The ramps that were suggested worked great. Since then I've had all rear decks. For them, I shorten the top link and raise the deck. Then park the tractor where the deck hangs over a drop to gain extra clearance. That works for pressure washing.

I scrape more often than pressure wash. To avoid getting under the deck I have a stiff putty knife fastened to a short piece of lightweight pipe.

 

[dougtrr2]

I clean the deck on my BX24 once a year, whether it needs it or not. I stand it up on the deck axles I bought on recommendations from here. At the same time I take the blades off and sharpen them.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you have a QA FEL, it would likely take less time to hook it up and use it to raise your tractor than getting jacks together and jacking. You would still want to use safety blocks or jack stands under it though if you plan to crawl under the tractor. I am still of the opinion that it can be cleaned without getting your body under the tractor though and as Chim says, if you have a ditch etc just park it where the mower is across the low area to give extra clearance. I used to change oil in my truck by straddling a ditch and it worked very well.

 

[bellweather]

Ramps, jack stands, wood blocks are good options. During the mowing season, I use ramps then reach under with a long wood or plastic scraper to remove the bulk of the buildup. I give it a deep clean with water pressure at the end of the season after I remove the deck. I find that if I can avoid cutting wet grass will I get less buildup.

 

[deerseeker001]

I use a chain hoist to pick front end up high enough to clean and change blades.

 

[snpower]

Take it off and flip it over to clean it properly. Very tough to do while still attached using a right angle spray wand. Once its clean give the bottom a new coat of siliconized snow plow paint or epoxy to prevent future sticking and easy clean up.

Hmmmm interesting where can I get this paint from?

 

[David_Kb7uns]

I say drill a few holes and add these.

Amazon.com: 490-900-0025 MTD Riding Lawn Mower Deck Wash Kit: Patio, Lawn & Garden

David Kb7uns

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

I have found with gator blades I get very little build up of grass on the underside of the deck, perhaps within 2" of each blade hub a buildup and that is it, my deck is the 60". I scrape it off and I am good to go. I do not like to power wash the deck, water and grease hubs and high pressure water does not go well.