Mowing Cleaning mower deck

[thatguy]

I am in the process of cleaning off the underside of my mowing deck today.. I should have done it in the fall, but it never got done..

Any suggestions to make cleaning easier (ie chemicals)? I have used the pressure washer and it take a lot of the stuff off.. But there are areas that really need scraping (i use a gasket scraper).. but even with the scraper it is really stuck on there..

BTW - I have coated the deck several times with Slip Plate - but there are areas that will not hold it.. They are back down to bare metal again.. Has anyone been able to keep the underside of the deck totally coated w/ slip plate or similar?

thanks

Brian

 

[kebo]

Try a wire brush wheel in a cordless drill, or side grinder.

 

[gwdixon]

A 4000 psi power washer will strip just about anything. Failing that, let the dried gunk soak up some water. It will loosen itself as it expands then hit it with whatever power washer you have. Turning the mower upside down to act as a bowl will allow it to soak overnight. Maybe a bit of dishwashing detergent would be helpful with the soak. If you don't like suds then the soap for an automatic dishwasher would work.

I'm guessing that you are suspending the mower from the FEL so it can be easily accessed. That way the power washer's nozzle can be held an inch from the gunk and the full power is available.

For the coating, there are those that swear by Fluid Film. It is a wax-like substance that is easy to apply by paint brush or by using their specially designed air-powered sprayer.

 

[Red Beast]

be careful with using a power washer around greased 'joints', best to regrease after the clean of course.

 

[Thomas]

I use side grinder w/wire brush plus 1" putty knife,than soapy wash down dry spray WD40 end of mowing season.

 

[PA hayseed]

I use one of those handheld garden shovel things for getting the caked on stuff off. 3 years and almost none of the original paint is left on there. I will repaint this year.

 

[dboacres]

I find that using it to grind up 1 inch and smaller branches works pretty good at taking out the old grass. Branches need to be very dry. It doesn't seen to hurt the blade. 6 foot mower, 38 horse tractor. Just make sure no one or the dog is near by.

 

[thatguy]

be careful with using a power washer around greased 'joints', best to regrease after the clean of course.

Thanks for the tip, but I figured that out yesterday by accident.. After I stopped washing I went ahead and greased it.. I was shocked when there was water coming out of the bottom of the spindles (where the blade mount).. I pumped extra grease in there to make sure it pushed all the water out then wiped off the extra grease..

brian

 

[thatguy]

thanks for the other tips.. I think one of my problems is that my pressure washer does not have enough pressure (residential type unit)..

Ill keep plugging away at it and try your tips

thanks

b

 

[timswi]

I use a 2" plastic putty knife to clean mine off with the MMM mounted. Works nice and doesn't rip the paint off.

 

[RedHawkRidge]

I found it impossible to keep the mower deck underside coated with anything. When mowing, the blades pick up and propel rocks, sand, branches, you-name-it against the surface directly above them. Under the onslaught of regular mowings, I don't think anything can hold up for very long. Unfortunately, the surface that gets pounded is where the grass clippings, dirt, and wetness build up and harden to a cement-like consistency. So, I think we're fated to scrap, blast, chop, hack, spray, soak, and scour our beloved mower -- ****, we can't just let it get all crusty, can we?
jim

 

[thatguy]

After recoating the underside several times I am thinking the same thing - at least in a DIY coating..

I wonder if anyone has used a ceramic type coating?

Brian

I found it impossible to keep the mower deck underside coated with anything. When mowing, the blades pick up and propel rocks, sand, branches, you-name-it against the surface directly above them. Under the onslaught of regular mowings, I don't think anything can hold up for very long. Unfortunately, the surface that gets pounded is where the grass clippings, dirt, and wetness build up and harden to a cement-like consistency. So, I think we're fated to scrap, blast, chop, hack, spray, soak, and scour our beloved mower -- ****, we can't just let it get all crusty, can we?
jim

 

[prosperity]

I don't want to sound like a smart-*****...but...

Having a regular deck cleaning routine will avoid all this.

I am a little over-the-top with stuff like this, but I will never put my machines away leaving any wet grass under the deck.

If I mow when the grass is wet (usually quite often as I have an area always in the shade), I will clean the underside of the deck before I put it away. If you do it right away, it all comes off very easily.

If done right away - I have a set of ramps nearby - drive the tractor up on the ramps, and just a water hose will wash everything off.

If I happen to let it go a bit, then a plastic paint scraper and/or pressure wash will easily take care of it.

Leaving the underside with caked on wet grass is just inviting rust in my opinion - I certainly don't want to let my $2500 deck rust out.

 

[thatguy]

Point well taken.. I had cleaned (and recoated it with slip plate) late in the summer, but I had used it before I put it away and just never got around to cleaning it..

Since I dont take the deck of during mowing season, I will try the ramp trick to see if that will help keep it from getting totally caked on

Brian

I don't want to sound like a smart-*****...but...

Having a regular deck cleaning routine will avoid all this.

I am a little over-the-top with stuff like this, but I will never put my machines away leaving any wet grass under the deck.

If I mow when the grass is wet (usually quite often as I have an area always in the shade), I will clean the underside of the deck before I put it away. If you do it right away, it all comes off very easily.

If done right away - I have a set of ramps nearby - drive the tractor up on the ramps, and just a water hose will wash everything off.

If I happen to let it go a bit, then a plastic paint scraper and/or pressure wash will easily take care of it.

Leaving the underside with caked on wet grass is just inviting rust in my opinion - I certainly don't want to let my $2500 deck rust out.

 

[Water Boy]

I find that a good coat of car wax on the underside of the deck makes it easier to clean. I do it for the FEL and shovels for snow removal as well.

WB

 

[Yankee]

The flat end of a 3' pry bar, used like a scraper, takes off anything caked on like it's barely there.

 

[Whitey]

I had our JD 425 mower deck repainted a few years back......blasted, primed and painted JD yellow, the underside, undercoated with Rhino coat without the aggregate, smooth rubber underside, only have to clean it once a month instead of every time.......and wet grass....no problem.

 

[camaromitch]

I was just wondering about doing an undercoating for the bed of a pickup on the bottom of my mower. I might stand my mower up this spring and sand down the underside real good and brush on some undercoating and see how it does. There's no way I'm putting paint back under this thing. How does your Rhino hold up to the mowing?

 

[beenthere]

I don't go to extra effort to clean the underside of the deck. It stays quite clean with small sticks and hickory nut shucks . But not mowing when the grass is wet helps the best.
Have never heard of any product that will work to keep it clean...where it takes the place of regular cleaning before putting it away.

When putting mine away, I first blow the tractor and deck off with air, and avoid washing it down with water except on a rare "wash day". And store the tractor/mower inside to avoid rust.

 

[thatguy]

I went back out today to finish cleaning the deck.. After hitting it with a wire brush on a drill I realized that 90% of the deck was still covered with Slip Plate.. I thought the silver i was seeing was bare metal, but it was the slip plate..

There are a few places that dont seem to hold the slip plate... I am going to recoat it this weekend to see if I can get a better coverage..

I need to make a better effort of cleaning it off more regularly though..

Brian