Deck Clog on Z Force

[mcarson]

Need ideas on how to maintain deck clean & free of grass clippings/caked on dirt.
How do you keep the deck clean and clear of grass & dirt collecting on the underside? I sometimes have to stop and clean it 2 or 3 times while mowing. I mower about 3 acres. I wish I could invent something that would prevent grass and dirt from sticking to bottom side of deck - maybe I would be a millionaire. Any advise or ideas would be appreciated.

 

[OldMachinist]

I mow about 10 acres every week and nothing really works to keep some of the clippings from sticking. I remove and clean my Z-Force 50 deck a couple times during the mowing season and pressure wash it. Then I repaint it with Rust-Oleum Hard Hat Industrial spray paint from mscdirect.com. Tractor Supply sells a spray called Modeck that is suppose to keep the clippings from sticking but you have to spray it on regularly.

I try to cut the roughest areas last so that the leaves and small sticks help clean it out a little. By this time of the year the grass is pretty dry and doesn't stick as much but in the early spring its a pain.

 

[JTKub]

..I try to cut the roughest areas last so that the leaves and small sticks help clean it out a little..

That's exactly what I do. It's amazing how dry leaves will 'sand-blast' the underside of the deck clean, especially with the mulch plug in. Nothing will keep wet grass clipping from building up. Fabbed commercial style decks have HUGE discharge openings to keep that from plugging, but the rest of the deck will still build-up. I do a quick & dirty scraping on my 44" with a paint stirring stick (or the likes) after each mowing and drop the deck a few times a season. My mowing is mostly closely cropped weeds anyway. As long as it's green I like it!

Joel