Buying Advice Best mulching MMM for SCUT

[TractorGuy]

The current listing for the MF2315 says it's a right side discharge. Must be a typo.
Massey Ferguson | Mid-Mount Finish Mowers

 

[AxleHub]

I would of loved a mulching deck for my Massey, but my leaves are too much for mulching in the fall. I would of preferred a removable mulching kit like other manufacturers, so I can switch in the fall.

Greetings Fiziks,

I've actively used my mulcher deck on leaves in Fall and it worked very similar to how it handles grass. The differences I see in my mulcher compared to a kubota deck with mulching kit . . Is that the kubota with mulching kit I tested bogged down because it still only had the 3 blades and was designed for chute cutting and the mulching kit merely blocks the chute and turns the path. A higj lift kubota deck was better but I still couldn't maintain full rpm under cutting load. The Massey mulching deck has 6 blades working as you know . . And unless your leaves are wet . . The blades break down the leaves with 6 blades . . Much faster than with 3. In my testing . . I found breaking down material quickly with more blades allows the deck to not buildup resistance and force slower rpm

Now if the leaves are wet . . I don't think it is different than wet grass . . Its a problem for any mower then. But this is only my testing I did and cettainly others could get different results.

My rule of thumb for good mulching is if the engine can maintain full rpm . . . Then mulching has a good chance of succeeding. If rpm can not be maintained . . Then its a different result and a way to reduce load is required.

Were you able to test a mf 2315 mulching deck to see how it performed with leaves ?

I found the hardest leaves to work with are Ginko tree leaves and Catalpa tree leaves. One is very small and incredibly slippery and the other is very large and "movable".

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Greetings Fiziks,

I've actively used my mulcher deck on leaves in Fall and it worked very similar to how it handles grass. The differences I see in my mulcher compared to a kubota deck with mulching kit . . Is that the kubota with mulching kit I tested bogged down because it still only had the 3 blades and was designed for chute cutting and the mulching kit merely blocks the chute and turns the path. A higj lift kubota deck was better but I still couldn't maintain full rpm under cutting load. The Massey mulching deck has 6 blades working as you know . . And unless your leaves are wet . . The blades break down the leaves with 6 blades . . Much faster than with 3. In my testing . . I found breaking down material quickly with more blades allows the deck to not buildup resistance and force slower rpm

Now if the leaves are wet . . I don't think it is different than wet grass . . Its a problem for any mower then. But this is only my testing I did and cettainly others could get different results.

My rule of thumb for good mulching is if the engine can maintain full rpm . . . Then mulching has a good chance of succeeding. If rpm can not be maintained . . Then its a different result and a way to reduce load is required.

Were you able to test a mf 2315 mulching deck to see how it performed with leaves ?

I found the hardest leaves to work with are Ginko tree leaves and Catalpa tree leaves. One is very small and incredibly slippery and the other is very large and "movable".

I used to have a John Deere X534 with the mulching kit. The problem was, even with multiple passes chopping the leaves into fine bits, there are just some areas of my yard that I feel its gets too deep, smothering the grass.

 

[AxleHub]

I used to have a John Deere X534 with the mulching kit. The problem was, even with multiple passes chopping the leaves into fine bits, there are just some areas of my yard that I feel its gets too deep, smothering the grass.

That makes perfect sense Fiziks, except isn't the statement true with any mmm deck ? I'm missing why that short term condition prevents having a mulching deck vs. A discharge deck. Isn't it just a case of too many leaves in a particular area . . . for any deck ? ? ? and the quanity of leaves just need to be reduced before cutting or after cutting ?

I'm not saying any one deck is the perfect choice . . what I'm just asklng is . . Whether grass is far too high or leaves are far too high/heavy . . if too much accumulates on the lawn after cutting . . 1 type deck or anorher still leaves too much on the lawn (whether chute thrown or mulched). It seems the answer is big vacuumed unit with trailer catching or raking I would think ? ? ? ?.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

That makes perfect sense Fiziks, except isn't the statement true with any mmm deck ? I'm missing why that short term condition prevents having a mulching deck vs. A discharge deck. Isn't it just a case of too many leaves in a particular area . . . for any deck ? ? ? and the quanity of leaves just need to be reduced before cutting or after cutting ?

I'm not saying any one deck is the perfect choice . . what I'm just asklng is . . Whether grass is far too high or leaves are far too high/heavy . . if too much accumulates on the lawn after cutting . . 1 type deck or anorher still leaves too much on the lawn (whether chute thrown or mulched). It seems the answer is big vacuumed unit with trailer catching or raking I would think ? ? ? ?.

I went with the side discharge and added a grass/leaf collector unit. I would like to mulch for grass season and bag/collect for leaf season. The downside to the dedicated mulched deck if you can't change. I'd prefer a more traditional side discharge with a removable mulching kit. However, that feature alone was not enough to make me buy another brand tractor.

 

[dieselscout80]

Axlehub, how fast can you mow with your mulching deck if the grass is say 6” tall?

 

[AxleHub]

Axlehub, how fast can you mow with your mulching deck if the grass is say 6 tall?

Diesel,

Your question is filled with variables. Dryness of lawn? Grass type? Desired cut height? Slopes or flat? Sidehills? Soil quality (determines grass density)? Weeds or clover in grass vs. clear grass? Obstacles? Blades freshly sharpened? Overlap pattern?

1 yard is flat with fescues and some clover. It is general lawn quality and is not show piece quality. It is not unusual to cut it at 5 to 6 inches cutting to 2.75 to 3 inch. It's 3/4 acre with few obstacles but it's washboard. That could be cut in high gear or not if not. About 45 minutes but not trimming. If I have someone else cut it with commercial j. D. Zero turn, it takes him just under 40 minutes but I don't tear up any sod on turns and he does.

2. My other lawn is 1+ acres with half being very dense bluegrass with slopes and sidehill, the other half being fescues or reduced and clover combined and some considerable slopes. This lawn has significant obstacles everywhere. This lawn gets cut in low gear 4wd. 6 inch grass in fescues is n sweat but cutting high dense blue grass requires more overlap because the desire is triple or more than fescues. This lawn is deep black soil and irrigated with southern exposures. This lawn could not be cut with the same commercial j. D. zero turn that can do my other yard. Because this lawn is typically cut to 2.5 to 3.00 inches, the front lawn typically would not be 6 inches high. If I were to bag the front half with my prior riding mower at 6 inch height we're talking 20+ dumps of 2 large catch bags each and considerable clogging.

When you read how "fast" a mower cuts, it's often based on perfect condition variables. I've cut 7 and 8 inch fescues in single pass on my mulcher with little engine effect but that isn't deep black soil with blue grass density either. 7 inches of dense bluegrass cut to 3 inches would be a double cut situation.

Also recognize I can cut with left side or right side facing because there is no throw out to gardens or people or buildings. A 54 inch deck actual cut needs only a 55.5 inch space clearance.

Jmho

 

[dieselscout80]

Axlehub, so you can now at max speed in low range correct?

In some places you can mow in high range.

I looked on tractordata, but it only lists the max speed in high range not in low range.

What’s max speed in low range.

I have lots of slopes and our grass is a mix of Bermuda and Bahia grass.

We get hung up on the deck of our 54” lawn mower lots. We also have slopes that end at our pond.

 

[AxleHub]

I just ordered a deck from the dealer I purchased my GC 1720 from. I wanted the 54" mulching deck. He just looked at me and said, the only deck I can get is the 60" drive over. I asked him why. He said, "cause know body wants the 54", they all want the 60". He went on to say that he could try to get the 54" but it may take a couple months because they just didn't make many any more.

He went on to assure me he uses two GC's to mow his land and the 60" is the way to go.

Needless to say, I ordered the 60" deck but haven't received it yet to review it.

Just thought it odd that two different dealers are pushing the same deck but quoting different reasons.

Steve,

Back in early 2015 my dealer had not seen a 2315 mulcher either and mine was the 1st one they'd see. Since then they've sold a number of them. Why? Because they didn't know their advantages and build quality.

The idea it would take 2 months to order one sounds like a great excuse to sell what you have in inventory. Dealers (and salesmen) are just like the rest of us. . . . they want to sell as fast as posdiblevwith the least effort involved. . . if they can.

Personally of my own opinion. . . I would get a 60 inch for my needs because it's 6 feet wide with the chute and we have lots of slope changes and knolls which would mean scalping. My neighbor has a handsome j. d. X728 4wd riding mower with a 60 inch deck and he told me he wishes he had narrower because his slopes scalp if he doesn't raise the deck each time and he has limited pathways he can use in cutting around his obstacles.

But I'm sure on flat lawn the 54 regular or either of the 60 inchers cuts nicely.

As to taking 2 months to get a mulcher, it took me 8 days and someone else I know just got one in less than 2 weeks because he was waiting on it coming on a regular shipment.

Jmho

 

[AxleHub]

Diesel,

I think you are focused way too much on speed. If you are cutting step slopes, you'll have to lighten up on the foot pedal on any deck choice because you take more power to go up steep slopes. . . . Not to mention you were talking about 6 inch tall grass. But that would be no different with any normal lawn tractor or Zero turn.

Next, if you have "nice lawn" you should be cutting it when it's 5 inches or less (technically 4.5 inches to leave 3 inches). Which is why I gave you two quite different examples.

Next, we use absolutely no fertilizer. The lawn was designed for it, and so is my time. I mulch because it's good for the lawn and allows worms to live much close to the surface which is good for the lawn. I use some herbicides but zero fertilizer. This means I cut about every 6 days where many have to cut every3 because of fertilizer. I irrigate less often than my neighbors also.

Lastly, I have steep sidehills for my liking but I don't cut full speed on those either because I'm not in a race to get hurt.

Yes, on my less quality flat yard I can cut in either low or high gear but in high gear I don't go at full speed accelerator because it's washboard so I go in high but only mid accelerator.

I'm guessing someone is encouraging you to either get a standard deck that they have in-stock or a zero turn mower because you combine 6 inch height with "how fast". That's fine. But there is no way I can render opinions on your lawn density or quality because I can't see I and I don't know the growing conditions you establish for it.

What I can tell you is I have lots of small knolls and I don't have problems with scalping because my deck has 4 outside wheels plus a front roller and 3 hiiden rear rollers.

By the way, when I bought my mulcher I cost less than the standard 60 inch deck (they didn't have the drive on then).

In 3 years, I've sharpened the blades once at the end of each year and as a result I've never needed more blades (neither 3 or all 6 blades).