Mowing cleaning underside of BX2200 mower deck

Anonymous Poster · Jun 22, 2003

Just wanted your opinion about the necessity of cleaning the underside of the mower deck after cutting ,especially with all of the moisture lately...I don't. Will this lead to premature rusting of the deck ?? I never see the "pros" cleaning their equipment after cutting. What do you guys do??...just curious. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Chief · Jun 22, 2003

Periodicly when you have the mower removed inconjuction with other maintenance and at the end of the season it is a good practice to pressure wash the underside of the mower to clean the build up off and touch up the paint finish with some paint or other protective coating such as a rust converter, etc.

Charliebrn · Jun 22, 2003

I do a quick hose-down after every cutting, and then every couple months I remove the deck, power wash it, and change the blades out. (I have a few sets of blades, and sharpen them at my leisure).

BubbaJr · Jun 22, 2003

I've had to clean my deck twice this year due to having to cut wet grass. The built up grass will start to turn moldy, that in turn stinks up the barn. I'm pretty sensitive to mold, so I have to get rid of it in order to be able to work in the barn.

If you have a place where you have gouged the paint or a rock has chipped the paint down to bare metal, and then you get wet grass built up on top of that bare spot, that's a sure recipe for rust.

TresCrows · Jun 22, 2003

I spray the bottom with PAM. Actually I have a few bare spots but have not found rust to be a problem but certainly something to be on guard for. J

Will_C · Jun 22, 2003

Tres, does the PAM prevent grass sticking? I have heard of people doing this, but never knew any one that had actually done it.
Will

TresCrows · Jun 22, 2003

Yes, it helps some, mostly it helps clean it up next time. There is some stuff in a spray bottle you can get at stores to spray on the bottom of the deck that works a bit better. J

UncleAl · Jun 22, 2003

Rosey,
I presently mow using a 30+ year old MMM. We had to redeck the mower after about the first 10-12 years because the original had rusted thru (Cleaned it off maybe once a year.) The "new" deck is doing very well as far as rust goes. I don't clean it off every time I mow, just every month or so and at end of season.

I just bought a BX22 + MMM. I'll be more careful with it. Where my PowerKing deck had mostly flat plate steel and was relatively easy to rebuild, the BX has a stamped deck with lots of curves, etc. I'm afraid if I let the maintenance go and lose the deck to rust in 10 years or so, it will not be easy to rebuild it. A replacement deck might not be readily available for a 10 year old tractor.... At that point, I know I could always get a RFM, but I'd rather keep the MMM around if possible. To me, it's one of those "ounce of prevention..." things.

UncleAl