Zd1211 blades

[gonnasellit]

The cost savings on blades should pay for the parts in a short period of time. I just ordered 12 blades (top of the line, Oregon Gator G6, 396-814) from a vendor on ebay for $14.17 ea including shipping. I mow a lot of sandy ground and the mulching blades last much longer than a standard blade. The older style blades are much cheaper due to their widespread use. Oregon alone offers at least 5 different choices of 72" blades with the 1-1/8 hole vs none for a 72" with a 1-5/16 hole. I like it!

 

[lostcreekranch]

The cost savings on blades should pay for the parts in a short period of time. I just ordered 12 blades (top of the line, Oregon Gator G6, 396-814) from a vendor on ebay for $14.17 ea including shipping. I mow a lot of sandy ground and the mulching blades last much longer than a standard blade. The older style blades are much cheaper due to their widespread use. Oregon alone offers at least 5 different choices of 72" blades with the 1-1/8 hole vs none for a 72" with a 1-5/16 hole. I like it!

Care to share a link to eBay vendor with $14.17 blades? Or PM me?

My ZD1211 with 72" rear discharge deck doesn't require the modification. I've used the Oregon 396-814 blades since removing the OEM crap blades.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Thank you, I will look into this. Bet if you had a bunch of these made up, everyone with an acs deck would buy them.

It's only the 72" side discharge deck that's an issue. The 72" rear discharge deck uses the Oregon 396-814 blade w/o modification.

 

[turbo246]

I emailed Oregon, seems as if at this time they have no intent of producing blades for the side discharge 72

 

[gonnasellit]

I emailed Oregon, seems as if at this time they have no intent of producing blades for the side discharge 72

I'm surprised Oregon doesn't want that market. There has to be quite a number of ZD1211 and ZD1511 machines out there. How much could it cost for a manufacturer to tool up to punch a 1-5/16 hole instead of a 1-1/8 hole?

That being said, the modification definitely seems to be worthwhile.

I see absolutely no down side to the modification. Common sense will tell you some of the high lift blades will load the engine more heavily than the ACS blades, although lack of power on the ZD1211 hasn't been an issue for me. Believe me, Bahia grass can be tough. I like having the option of trying many different blades to determine what works best for me. Even though Oregon makes a blade for the 60" ZD1211, the choices are very limited with the 1-5/16 hole. Doing the mod on the 60" would also give one the option of using many different blade types.

 

[gonnasellit]

I find when shopping on the internet I have better luck using part numbers rather than descriptions.
These are the 72" blades with 1-1/8 holes I found on various websites:

Oregon:

Stens:
330-801 Standard 24 1/2 1-1/8 2.5" .250
302-837 Toothed 24 1/2 1-18 2.5" .250

BTW, I have no affiliation with Oregon, Stens or anyone else who makes or sells blades. I'm just sharing what I spent many hours researching!

Buddy

 

[arto98607]

I find when shopping on the internet I have better luck using part numbers rather than descriptions.
These are the 72" blades with 1-1/8 holes I found on various websites:

Oregon:
View attachment 598764

Stens:
330-801 Standard 24 1/2 1-1/8 2.5" .250
302-837 Toothed 24 1/2 1-18 2.5" .250

BTW, I have no affiliation with Oregon, Stens or anyone else who makes or sells blades. I'm just sharing what I spent many hours researching!

Buddy

Thank you, this is very good information!
My F3060 has a 72 inch rear discharge deck and the blade center hole is supposed to be .90 inches (It actually measures 7/8 inches).

I just ordered two sets of Oregon 91-493 blades and set of three I.D. 7/8 x O.D. 1 1/8 x 1/4 inch washers from eBay vendor.

It looks like any of the above blades you listed would also be usable in F3060 rear discharge with these washers in place.

 

[Buckeyebutch]

I’m going to machine some of the hub mounts to fit the 1 1/8 blade hole.

 

[gonnasellit]

I知 going to machine some of the hub mounts to fit the 1 1/8 blade hole.

It worked for me. It's been over a year and 100hrs of mowing since doing mine with no problems. Blowout from underneath the deck is still bad with the Oregon mulching blades but still much better than the originals.

 

[Brown Dog]

Does the Gator G6 blades throw heavy grass clippings out a SD Deck good after you guys have modded the blade holders to accept the RD blades with smaller center hole ?

 

[gonnasellit]

Does the Gator G6 blades throw heavy grass clippings out a SD Deck good after you guys have modded the blade holders to accept the RD blades with smaller center hole ?

The clipping discharge in the heavy stuff seems to be as good or slightly better than the original blades. May be my imagination but mower seems to have more power with the mulching blades.

 

[Brown Dog]

Good Info :thumbsup:

I really like these blades on my RD deck.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Good Info :thumbsup:

I really like these blades on my RD deck.

Me too!

 

[Brown Dog]

... Mod essentially consists of reducing the diameter of the end of the boss which protrudes through the 2 washers into the blade from 1-5/16 down to 1-1/8. The small end of the boss is machined down to 1.120" for a distance of .205" from the end. The rest of the boss is left at 1-5/16 in order to still fit the original washers. .

Would 1-1/8 Rear Discharge (or older SD) Blade holder bosses fit these Newer ACS Side Discharge Gearbox Spindles ?

 

[gonnasellit]

Would 1-1/8 Rear Discharge (or older SD) Blade holder bosses fit these Newer ACS Side Discharge Gearbox Spindles ?

No. The new side discharge decks have blade bosses with a hex shaped hole in them rather than the splined hole of the older decks.

 

[Brown Dog]

That’s right, now I remember my RD deck having splined blade holders when I replaced blades.

 

[turbo246]

So I did the blade boss mod to run 1 1/8” center blades. Threw on a set of Kubota non acs blades from dealer and within 4 hours of easy flat mowing they were flexing and bent slightly.
Only noticed because I check deck level every spring and my measurements were way off, Took the blade off and looked down them and they were all slightly tweaked in one way or another and not true anymore All 3 of them, no i didn’t hit anything and mow at around 4” height in perfect weed free grass in this instance to try them out.

The blade width is much narrower than the original oem 1211 s/d blade In a vice you can flex them by hand where the originals you cannot.


What 1 1/8 center blades are you guys running because the Kubota non acs ones i have aren’t heavy duty enough
72” side discharge 1211

 

[Brown Dog]

That’s exactly why I went with the 1/4” thick 3” wide Oregon 396-814 G6 Gator Blades.
Their Strong & more flat than the curved, thin cheesy Kubota OEM blades

 

[turbo246]

That’s exactly why I went with the 1/4” thick 3” wide Oregon 396-814 G6 Gator Blades.
Their Strong & more flat than the curved, thin cheesy Kubota OEM blades

Thank you very much I will try them!

 

[Brown Dog]

YW.
The Oregon 92-116 blades are 1/4” thick 2.5” wide & has hi lift wings.
I’ve got a set of those ordered to try