BX mower blade replacement (double check)

[buckeyepost]

I've been poking around on here looking for the right Gator blade replacement for my BX2670 with a RCK60B23BX mower. Judging from this link it should be PN 96-612:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/126103-bx-high-lift-mower-blades.html

BUT that shows a length of 20 9/16" and when I took a quick measurement of my blades (still on the mower) I got 20 5/16". Before I go buying something that won't work I thought I'd ask y'all first. Thanks!

 

[KennyV]

Get under the deck.... turn the blades so you can measure the Exact clearance between the blades at their Closest... I will bet you have a LOT more than the quarter inch... KennyV

 

[TMGT]

How did you measure the old blade? Should be from corner to corner across. Also if it's been sharpened enough the measurement will decrease.

 

[buckeyepost]

How did you measure the old blade? Should be from corner to corner across. Also if it's been sharpened enough the measurement will decrease.

Someone else just told me that they are measured diagonally, I never knew that... seems kinda stupid really.

 

[davesl708]

You have to think of the blade moving in a circle. The cutting tips will be outside the diameter of the blades measured directly across the blade.

 

[TMGT]

Someone else just told me that they are measured diagonally, I never knew that... seems kinda stupid really.

Not really, if you think about how the blade travels then it makes sense as the corner of the blade is going to travel at a larger radius then the center of the squared off end. The diagonal measurement represents the active cutting length of the blade.

I have comercial mowers that have have 2 blade options, one is 2.5in wide, the other is 3in (HD version). In order to maintain the correct cutting width the length straight across the blade must be decreased.