Advice on deck cleaning and blade changing

[erda]

Yard and lane take about 4 hours to mow and is far from smooth or level. There are some significant side slopes as well.

I know that mowing while the yard is damp isn't the best, but at times I don't have much choice.

Currently have a Husqvarna GTH52XLS that I have to pull the deck in order to clean and change blades. This wasn't too much of a problem in the past, but due to injuries I now have limited mobility.

I've been considering a ZT or a front mount with a 'flip up deck' to make the job easier.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jpilk99]

I don't have any advise, per se, but only to agree that I wish I had an easier way to clean my deck after mowings, (especially when damp), as I know that having the underside clogged up with trimmings is not good, for a variety of reasons. My Husqvarna LGT24K54 has a quick-connect hose attachment on top of the deck, but, event 45-60seconds of water pumping in with the blades spinning does not clean it out that well. Seems the only reasonably way to prep for my next mowing is to take off the deck each time and clean it properly.

Good luck!!!

 

[pmsmechanic]

The cleanest I ever got the deck on my F-935 was to mow down a bunch of willows that were about 2 feet tall and had been burnt the previous fall. The burnt willows were dried out and when I went through with the mower they cleaned off all of the stuck on grass.

Has anybody had success with spraying under the deck with say WD40 or Pam to keep the grass from sticking?

 

[Gem99ultra]

Yes pmsmechanic, I've not only tried WD40, but also silicone, painting with aluminum base paint, and just about every other suggestion that I've read about. None seemed to work well, but then, I do have a habit of cutting grass when its wet or damp. Not a good thing.
The thing that I know for me that works well is a putty blade and some elbow grease. Power sprayer also does a good job, but that means that I have to lift the mower up high enough with my cherry picker to clean it good without getting a bath myself.

 

[CobyRupert]

I've never worried too much about a clean deck.
With few exceptions, I only clean it when I take it off for winter or when I sharpen blades.
I figure most caked on grass gets "sand blasted" by other dry grass, twigs, sand, dirt etc... sooner or later as long as I don't repeat mowing wet grass too much.
There have been exceptions when there was just too much built up. Often just idling down or start/stopping mower deck will introduce enough vibration to rid a lot of it.

OP should look into using a mower lift to raise front of his mower to clean it. Looks like prices range from ~$60 to $200
mower lift - Google Search

 

[Diggin It]

Hoisting a machine makes for easier cleaning of decks and undersides, but I would be concerned about oil and gas going places they aren't supposed to.

 

[dalola]

Yard and lane take about 4 hours to mow and is far from smooth or level. There are some significant side slopes as well.

I know that mowing while the yard is damp isn't the best, but at times I don't have much choice.

Currently have a Husqvarna GTH52XLS that I have to pull the deck in order to clean and change blades. This wasn't too much of a problem in the past, but due to injuries I now have limited mobility.

I've been considering a ZT or a front mount with a 'flip up deck' to make the job easier.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

A ZTR or front deck rig will certainly speed up your process, if you have the funds. If money is not an issue, I don't know what you're waiting for.

Another thought, if your B has a FEL, they make great mower lifts for deck maintenance. Just remember to also add a mechanical lock while underneath. I've never found any spray or coating to be effective against wet grass sticking to a deck. As mentioned before, a scraping device & some elbow grease works best. I use a small off-set tile trowel to scrape mine, while my BX FEL is used as a "jack" to get it up in the air.

 

[cdaigle430]

I have the 48 (YTH2448 ) nch deck, I tried repainting, spraying with Teflon coating, wd40, oil over the years since 2006. I added a nozzle for hose cleaning even created a ramp to crawl underneath to clean my deck-nothing really worked for very long. My yard is similar to yours but half the size. IMO the only way to do this with relative ease is to buy a mower lift, when the mower clogs up pull up to the tire racks on the lift and lift as high as it will go. Then I grab a broom handle and tape a scraper to the end and clean the deck without getting on my knees or crawling under anything (takes about a minute). My lawn is pretty wet and I will have to do this a couple of times but works well. Also have to tie up the deflector on the chute exit to help keep exit portal clean.

 

[sklunk]

It can get a little pricey but coat your deck with this. It's a rust preventative but it gets really hard and smooth. I have gotten GREAT results:
POR-15 Rust Preventive Coating - Stop Rust & Corrosion Permanently

You can also buy spray cans of SlipPlate that work pretty well but it needs to be re-applied every couple of weeks:
Lawn & Golf maintenance | SLIP Plate

 

[Industrial Toys]

I too only clean my decks at end of season or if I have the deck off and up in the air for a blade issue. And then only a cursory cleaning.

 

[oosik]

Some of you guys might be able to clean the snot from under your mower decks the way I do. Every spring I chip a LOT of small pines. I have GREAT piles of pine chips all over the property. I drive my JD G100 mmm up and on top of a pile of chips. Fire up the blades - lower the deck.

The first time I did this - WOW - what a wild sound. Wood chips flying everywhere. About five minuets of this - the underside is clean a a whistle. The pine chips do no damage to the blades.

Change the blades - long handle rat**** wrench and a whole lot of grunt.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a chipper. That is worth considering. Pretty big chips and chunks though.

 

[cdaigle430]

Yard and lane take about 4 hours to mow and is far from smooth or level. There are some significant side slopes as well.

I know that mowing while the yard is damp isn't the best, but at times I don't have much choice.

Currently have a Husqvarna GTH52XLS that I have to pull the deck in order to clean and change blades. This wasn't too much of a problem in the past, but due to injuries I now have limited mobility.

I've been considering a ZT or a front mount with a 'flip up deck' to make the job easier.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah as for changing the blades the only way to go is impact wrench and a 2x4 to hold the blade.

 

[CobyRupert]

I too only clean my decks at end of season or if I have the deck off and up in the air for a blade issue. And then only a cursory cleaning.

I think mine are usually "cursory" cleanings too. Usually I'm standing there cursing "Why did the wife mow the g*d d*mm wet grass, then leave the mower caked with 3" of sh#t for me to clean when all she had to do was wait 2 ing hours ?!"

 

[Gem99ultra]

Many thank oosik, for the 'pine chip' cleaning mention. I had been wasting my time in the past with a scraper, cleaning the under-deck of my GTH26V54LS, and all the time I had little piles of wood chips laying around.

Earlier this week I had to mow wet grass. Deck was caked up something horrible. In less than 3 minutes, letting the mower run while on top of one of the wood chip piles, it was as clean as a whistle! Your suggestion is right on, and a major time saver. THANK YOU, again.

PS A nice side benefit is that the wood chip pile quickly gets turned into very fine chips; better for flower bed covering.

 

[Graybeard315]

Erda, the "entry level" commerecial ZTRs will make your life so much easier. I was mowing 4 1/2 acres with a JD3320/72" belly mower and am now mowing in 1/2 the time, trim around trees and with a cleaner cut. My choice was a Ferris ISX800Z ZTR 52" deck which mows a 3" cut in 5" or so grass at 8mph. Cleaning the blades or changing them I just pull the FEL up, add car jacks for safety. Using an impact wrench and 2x4 sounds like a good idea I will have to try. Good Luck

 

[4570Man]

Hustler makes a flip deck ZTR but I wasn’t a big fan of the idea. Apparently most others weren’t either because the local dealer stopped carrying them. If that feature was important I’d have a Kubota F series or a Grasshopper front deck. I have a ZTR mid mount mower and it’s not hard to deal with. I use a floor jack or a loader and lift the front and put a jack stand under it. Spinning the blades off with a cordless impact takes about 30 seconds. The deck hardly ever needs cleaned. I usually hit it with a pressure washer a couple times a year.

 

[morris lipham]

I use a mower/ATV lift you can get from Harbor Freight for about $75. Also use a cheap air impact wrench to remove blades.

 

[atsah]

I put a chain on it to my loader and lift it almost vertical..

 

[SPYDERLK]

The cleanest I ever got the deck on my F-935 was to mow down a bunch of willows that were about 2 feet tall and had been burnt the previous fall. The burnt willows were dried out and when I went through with the mower they cleaned off all of the stuck on grass.

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Yeah ... seriously --- You can pile up a bunch of small tree trimmings and mulch them. Win win ... Rather than work hard in lieu of smart.​