Deere 709 Rotary Cutter

[Walter63]

I own two Bush Hog 307 rotary cutters that I use to mow fields and brush and I am very pleased with the quality of their cut. I recently purchased a John Deere 709 rotary cutter because I thought the balloon tires would be good on soils that might be a little wet. I cannot get a good cut with the Deere 709. It came with a factory stump pan on the shaft and I put on brand new blades. It doesn't seem to lift the grass very well and knocks the grass down as much as it cuts it. It also seems like at it's lowest setting, with the housing almost touching the ground, that the cut isn't very short.
I've looked at the JD parts breakdown for the 709. There are several different configurations. Some feature dual blades stacked on top of each other, one of the blades is called a suction blade. But there is only one style with a stump pan and is only compatible with single blades. Maybe they offer the suction option because the standard set-up works so poorly. I don't know.
I've looked up the tip speed on both machines and the Deere actually seems higher. I am at a loss. The cut is so bad that I thought the blades may be installed backwards, but that is not the case. The machine is nearly new. Does anyone have experience getting a good cut with the Deere 709?

 

[Piston]

I don't have experience with the 709, but does it have rubber front and rear guards or chains? Chains can actually make a difference in the amount of "uplift" and give a better cut, due to the way the rubber guards block much more airflow than chains do. Obviously, this effect is multiplied when the cutter is at its lowest setting, when the only air that can get up under the mower is through the front and rear openings.

If your cutter has chain guards then none of this will pertain to you.

 

[Walter63]

Thanks. I have chain guards. I saw in a brochure that Deere offers the 709 with single blades, suction blades, or dual blades. I'm beginning to suspect that the poor cut may be a problem that they have tried to deal with by changing the blade design. I'm hoping to hear from anybody who has a 709 about the quality of cut.

 

[dusty3030]

I had suction blades. Cut on grass was ok, it didn't push it over though, it would lift and cut.

Blades are thick and blunt new, good for big stuff, not so much grass.

 

[Walter63]

I tried the suction blades, but maybe I should grind a sharp edge on them and try again. I definitely not getting a lift and cut. Were yours single blades or the dual blade system? Thanks.

 

[dusty3030]

Single, sharpening will work. What kind of guards you got? Solid or chains?

 

[Walter63]

Thanks. Chains. Do the suction blades work a lot better than the regular blades? Is it worth my changing over? I was under the impression that only the straight blades could be used with the stump pan.

PS I take that back. On the 709 the guard is solid, I believe.