Rear Finish Mower RFM - Where do you store it?

[FormulaPro]

Greetings tractor owners!

I am new to this site - not new to my 'bota BX23. I just moved to the mid-atlantic area and built a house on 3 acres. I am about to pull the trigger on a LandPride 60" RFM after reading everything I could find on this site about RFMs.

My question - do any of you guys store your mower deck outside? I have a two car garage with the kubota taking up one space. The deck will occupy a fair amount of garage realestate... until I get my detached built.

Great site... lots of great information!

 

[MarkLeininger]

I've bought 3 enclosures similar to this one only I bought them at Menards and they were about $279. We keep hay in two of them and my tractor and implements in the other. We plan to build a barn in a few years, but these have held up great now for 3 years and for that price it beats leaving things sit outside.

 

[radioman]

My father keeps his RFM stored outside, he covers it for winter season only. If I were in your shoes and if there are NO winds in your area, perhaps the portable canvas shed is an option until your detached built ? I tried the portable shed where I live but in a windy area and one day the storm blew it away and destroyed it. Sometimes I wish I went with a simple tarp until I finally built my garage addition.

 

[greg_g]

A decent machine shed would cost more than the combined sum paid for all my ag implements. Except for a PTO spreader, the rest (13 altogether) get parked in the pasture - uncovered - year 'round. That includes two rotary cutters and a RFM. Everything's been out there for years, little worse for the exposure other than the expected paint fade.

//greg//

 

[Oldmax]

Mine sets outside year around just make sure to keep painted & oiled to keep rust down.

 

[Charlton John]

If a barn is in the near future and this is the only implement you are keeping outside might just consider buying a tarp w/ an elastic bottom to keep it covered and then you will have the tarp for future use once you work out your storage situation. This is what I do w/ my landscape rake.

 

[henerythe8th]

You'd be surprised at how well one of the 'tarp carports' will hold up, in BIG WIND, if the wind is considered when it's installed.

Several people have told me that they'll just blow away, but I've had some up for more than four years.

I have used several of them, purchased from Costco. I drove 18" long pieces of electrical conduit that slip fit inside the leg tubes, cross-drilled and pinned in place with the stock pins.
Once the tarp is trashed, they can also be covered with roofing metal (delta rib, corrugated, or ?). I currently have a short shed made for my tractor and another 10x20x10 (peak height) that I added some horizontal 2x4s to the inside of the legs and added corrugated metal to for a wood shed.
It's not the most beautiful, but very functional-bought the corrugated second hand and caulked the nail holes in the roof.
A very good short term/low cost storage solution.

 

[greg_g]

consider buying a tarp w/ an elastic bottom to keep it covered .

Strongly disagree. Tarps promote condensation, condensation breeds rust. Let the implements open to the elements - wind and sun will soon evaporate what rain and snow leaves behind

//greg//

 

[Charlton John]

Strongly disagree. Tarps promote condensation, condensation breeds rust. Let the implements open to the elements - wind and sun will soon evaporate what rain and snow leaves behind

//greg//

I agree about the rust but my tarp that I use in this fashion has breath holes throughout. I have covered my rake this way for 2 1/2 years now when I am not using (mainly in winter months) and have no rust on my rake.

 

[Richard]

Strongly disagree. Tarps promote condensation, condensation breeds rust. Let the implements open to the elements - wind and sun will soon evaporate what rain and snow leaves behind

I agree (does that mean I agree with Greg or disagree with OP?)

We built a log home. We had the logs under a cover. I was later told by an engineer that this was the absolutely WORST thing we could have done since the tarp actually held the moisture in.

He said we would have been better off letting the logs get rained on and simply air dry.

I leave my mower outdoors without a tarp.

I'd put it in a barn if we had one

 

[Charlton John]

I agree (does that mean I agree with Greg or disagree with OP?)

We built a log home. We had the logs under a cover. I was later told by an engineer that this was the absolutely WORST thing we could have done since the tarp actually held the moisture in.

He said we would have been better off letting the logs get rained on and simply air dry.

I leave my mower outdoors without a tarp.

I'd put it in a barn if we had one

If your first sentence is directed towards me?? Than yes I agree w/ Greg about the possible rust but as I mentioned my tarp has breath holes througout so I dont have this rust problem. Also as I mentioned I do this only in winter months where in my neck of the woods we get a ton of snow each year.

 

[Stargazer]

Why not get one of the mid deck mowers think for bx-23 they come 54 and 60. That would cut your storage problem down. If you read you can mower with fel/bh just pin the booms and conect the hase as if bh is off. I know the rear might be cheaper but??? YMMV

Pat

 

[swampvol]

I keep a few implements outside, uncovered, but I rest them on wooden blocks to keep them out of contact with the ground.

 

[WH401]

My tractor and the implements are all covered with tarps. This has been done for 20+ years on other equipment around here and I've never had a problem with rust forming. IMO, you encounter more problems with leaving something uncovered. Exposure to the elements is the worst thing for machinery. This summer I plan to have everything under a roof so I don't have to worry about tarps. There a pain to deal with when you want to use your equipment.

 

[greenmule]

I keep a tarp over my tiller and hog when they are not going to be used for long time[winter],not cause of my fear of rust,just my concern of getting water in gear boxes,[and I ain't really that worried about that],just do it.

But if I had a motor cycle parked out or lawnmower,would have a tarp over them for sure,same reason.

Back blade or plow or disks,are just steel,and by the time rusts gets them to thin to use,I sure won't be worrying about it none.

 

[Midsouth]

The only thing i keep covered is the tractor ,everything else is setting outside. Was raised on a farm and that was the way it was done then. The only time a implement was covered was when it was hooked up and the tractor was in the shed.

 

[Chuck4310]

My equipment is kept on pallets in a three sided shed that is open in the front.
That way I can move everything around easily with the forks.

The shed has a shelf inside along the back that is also used for equipment on pallets.

The only problem with an open shed is the leaves blowing in during the fall.

 

[Turbys_1700]

My RFM stays attached to my tractor in the mowing season. Both units are stored under a tractor shed out of the elements. Plenty of air for circulation.

The cheapest shed you can buy around here are the metal car sheds. I have one for my car and truck and it has worked fine. I believe it is 20'x20' and cost around $1K I think. It does on occasion get condensate under the top of the roof but the protection from the sun and rain is very advantageous.

 

[Builder]

If you're going to use a tarp, use it UNDER the implement as well as over it.

I've seen countless pieces of equipment rusted underneath because it wicks-up moisture from the ground itself. Truck frames rust when parked for long periods because of this. A mower deck will rust terribly since it has little ventilation underneath and trapped grass particulate will pull moisture from the ground.

Wrap your implement, don't cover it. Then as said previously, allow air to vent from the tarp using holes or an opening in the tarp.

Wood pallets help because they allow air flow underneath.

 

[Runner]

Mine stays on the tractor which is stored in my main shop building during mowing season. In the off season, it hybrinates in the pole barn located farther back on my property.

I try to keep all my stuff in a building, either my shop, pole barn or the house garage. However, my King Kutter rake looked so bad right from the start, I didn't bother keeping it inside since I knew I'd be repainting it anyway.