New X749 with 54C deck has terrible cut quality

[bubbacuse77]

Gentlemen, I have had my new 2012 X749 with 54C deck for 3 months now and I notice that I was very disappointed with the quality of the cut. Mainly because the deck didn't seem to be producing enough lift to pull up the grass that the front tires pushed down. So the lawn just looked terrible unless you went over the entire thing twice. Then I started thinking that maybe the mulch kit that is installed on the deck is the problem. I took the plastic mulch kit off and changed the blades back to the originals and man what a difference. The deck has so much lift that it just vacuums stuff up now. However now I have a mulch kit that was clearly an afterthought or the engineers at Deere and cost me $230 dollars and a non mulching mower that costs $13K. A bit of a disappointment to say the least.

Any Ideas from guys that have still mulched with there 54C deck with the original blades by fabricating something to block the end. The original side chute is obnoxious and just gets in the way. What about gator blades? I need some advice from the JD mower crowd on this one.

 

[Gator6x4]

I personally don't think a 54 inch mower deck is suited for mulching. A lot of volume is trying to get out and has no opening to escape. Small push mowers work fairly well as a mulcher.

With the mulching blades and the plastic plug removed from the exhaust chute you should experience an enjoyable mowing experience.

Try throwing the cut grass onto the just cut area instead of onto the area of grass to be cut. Also take a bungee cord and secure the flying debris shield in a up position. This will scatter the grass clipping instead of wind-rowing.

 

[ssls6]

Are you running the engine fast enough? The wheels slow enough?

 

[Nooodles]

Are you running the engine fast enough? The wheels slow enough?

yeah engine at full speed and about 5 mph

 

[bubbacuse77]

I do run the engine at top RPM when mowing to get the tip speed up. The thing cuts awesome with the stock blades and letting it go out the side discharge. I think Gator is right, these decks are not made for mulching. I guess when you think about it, you will never get the lift with a mulching set up because the air is constantly being forced down the area closest to the middle of the blade because it has no where to go like a sided discharge.

Anyone run gator blades?

 

[Nooodles]

I do run the engine at top RPM when mowing to get the tip speed up. The thing cuts awesome with the stock blades and letting it go out the side discharge. I think Gator is right, these decks are not made for mulching. I guess when you think about it, you will never get the lift with a mulching set up because the air is constantly being forced down the area closest to the middle of the blade because it has no where to go like a sided discharge.

Anyone run gator blades?

no. those should be used for gators only. They are pretty much model specific

 

[JD6400NZ]

no. those should be used for gators only. They are pretty much model specific

Never knew Gators came with mowing decks

 

[BBO]

It seems to me the simple standard straight blades are the best with these mowers.
The back side creates the suction to lift the grass and a sharp edge cuts it.
Then I want the air to throw the cut grass out 8 feet if possible, and I remove the safety deal on the end to help with this.
I am sure others will disagree with this, but it spreads the grass out farther and I never have to rake.

Any of the mulching blades suck too much dirt and rocks up for some areas in my 5 acres.
I mow around a farm and my deal is to cut it as fast as possible.

 

[Yellowfever440]

How many sets of blades did you have installed when you were mulching with 54c and x749. The reason I ask is because Deere used to have the owner install the regular high lift blade and a set of mulching blades so their was 2 blades per spindle. Then a chute deflector that kept everything in the deck. That deck should mulch and look almost identical to the way it is without the mulching kit on, the yard it self should look almost identical.

 

[s219]

I was wondering the same thing -- sounds like the mulching blades were not doing their job right.

 

[bubbacuse77]

Yes, the mulching kit was installed by the dealer and yes the deck doesn't get nearly the same lift as the regular blades because of how the two systems work. Mulching blades push the air back down in the center of the blade and lift it Near the tips, this is how they cut the grass up so fine into little pieces. Regular blades get better lift because there is no down draft in the deck, rather it is out the side. I am thinking about building a hydraulic chute deflector for the side discharge so that i can close the side when i need to mow in tight spots or edge on that side of the mower. I believe gator blades will give me the same lift but will chop up the grass a bit finer before leaving out the side chute.

 

[buickanddeere]

Were the blades on backwards?

 

[mikehaugen]

Yes, the mulching kit was installed by the dealer and yes the deck doesn't get nearly the same lift as the regular blades because of how the two systems work. Mulching blades push the air back down in the center of the blade and lift it Near the tips, this is how they cut the grass up so fine into little pieces. Regular blades get better lift because there is no down draft in the deck, rather it is out the side. I am thinking about building a hydraulic chute deflector for the side discharge so that i can close the side when i need to mow in tight spots or edge on that side of the mower. I believe gator blades will give me the same lift but will chop up the grass a bit finer before leaving out the side chute.

Sounds like a perfect situation for their "mulch on demand" system offered on some of their zero turn mowers. Pull a lever and it closes off louvers in the deck instantly. Cool idea, but I am not sure how effective it is. Too bad they don't offer that on the tractors, as far as I know anyway.

 

[Dashe]

I have a x720 with the mulching kit and the JD mulching blades on a 54C deck and I get a great cut. I like the fact that I can trim with both sides of the deck without the chute on. If the grass is wet or too tall the cut suffers badly. I also have used G6 gator blades mustly for mulching up leaves and they work great too. Either you are mowing differently than I am or I am not as particuliar about my cut. I alway mow with the throddle full open.

 

[bubbacuse77]

I have a x720 with the mulching kit and the JD mulching blades on a 54C deck and I get a great cut. I like the fact that I can trim with both sides of the deck without the chute on. If the grass is wet or too tall the cut suffers badly. I also have used G6 gator blades mustly for mulching up leaves and they work great too. Either you are mowing differently than I am or I am not as particuliar about my cut. I alway mow with the throddle full open.

I probably mow every 5 days with the amount of rain we are having and by then I end up cutting 5inch grass down to 3.5 inches. The main issue is that I have found the mulching kit doesn't produce enough lift to do a good job pulling up the grass ran over by the front tires. I stopped at the dealer for some other stuff today and he told me that is a common problem that more than one person has complained about. I am going to run the stock blades for now and order a set of G6 Gator blades with a side discharge. I also plan to fabricate some kind of discharge blocker for the end and take off that big plastic chute. I want the blocker for when I am around the house and run the risk of throwing a stone into a window or want to edge on that side of the deck. I plan on using a small hydraulic cylinder in stead of the electric motor pictured since I have an unused hydraulic hook up only 8 inches away on the X749. I'm sure i will get some side blow out when it is down but the pros really like these things. I guess sort of a poor mans "mulch on demand" set up.

 

[Gittyup]

I have a 425 with a 54" deck. Bought it with the mulching kit. Hated it mostly. Great for leaves, but lousy for grass. Took it off and went to the original blades. I also pulled the pin and removed the deflector shield.

You might try the gator blades without the kit and see how they work. Some seem to like them.

 

[Mechanized ME]

I have a x720 with the mulching kit and the JD mulching blades on a 54C deck and I get a great cut. I like the fact that I can trim with both sides of the deck without the chute on. If the grass is wet or too tall the cut suffers badly. I also have used G6 gator blades mustly for mulching up leaves and they work great too. Either you are mowing differently than I am or I am not as particuliar about my cut. I alway mow with the throddle full open.

I am with you on that note Dashe, my X700 with a 48" deck and the mulching kit does a fantastic job!

 

[bubbacuse77]

I have a 425 with a 54" deck. Bought it with the mulching kit. Hated it mostly. Great for leaves, but lousy for grass. Took it off and went to the original blades. I also pulled the pin and removed the deflector shield.

You might try the gator blades without the kit and see how they work. Some seem to like them.

That is what I'm thinking, gator blades with no mulching kit. I still want the ability to not throw rocks into cars or windows so I am going to fab a hydraulic deflector.

 

[bubbacuse77]

Anyone want to buy a barely used mulching kit for a JD 54C Deck?

 

[Gittyup]

Even without the deflector my 425 doesn't throw thing up. It throws down and not very far. I actually clean my stone road of leaves in the fall by going over it with the tractor. It really doesn't pick up stones hardly at all. Might be different with your deck and mowing situation, but I'd try it without before going to all that trouble.