Undercoating mower decks?

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I heard or read somewhere that undercoating a new mower deck before it's first use could prolong the life of the mower deck against rust. I'm thinking I heard that using something like the 'do it yourself' truck bed lining material was the way to go.

Has anyone else heard of this or done it? Any opinions on this idea? What are things of which I might need to be cautious or aware if I do this? Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm thinking I heard that using something like the 'do it yourself' truck bed lining material was the way to go. )</font>

I haven't known of that being done, but it sure sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[kofronj]

Gary,

I used EZ-Slide, a graphite paint, on the bottom of my mower deck (a 60" Kubota MMM for BX-2200). This stuff has been pretty durable for the first couple months of cutting, but obviously isn't a permanent solution. I didn't notice any rust at all on the underside of my deck when prepping for the EZ-Slide (granted, it was just 1 year old).

My concern with some type of liner material is that you would have the opportunity to trap moisture under it, in the event that you poked a hole in it. That's probably not an unlikely situation with a mower deck. If you get a small hole or crack that does trap moisture---you'll rot the deck out much more quickly than if it was uncoated.

I would suggest that you not go this route...

 

[Chief]

If you cleaned the bottom up REAL good, bet you could talk the local Rhino Liner or Linex guy into spraying it. Might cost a few buck for that but would last a life time.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Gary,

I can only share my experience of no underside treatment. JD 755 with 60"MMM. Parked outside all the time. Mower deck removed usually once or twice during the mowing season (April to October) for scraping of the deck and sharpening of the blades. Mowing time is 1 hr average once per week and an additional 2 hours, 3 times a season for the pasture. Mower deck is stored under cover in the winter. Mower has gone through 15 years of this treatment.

There is only mild surface rust on the underside of the deck. Nothing I would be concerned about in terms of damaging. All of the rust that really affected the deck occurred on the top of the deck. The top side was heavily pitted with rust in the low areas around the spindles where grass and water tended to collect. The higher or vertical surfaces on the top side were dirt and grease stained but showed little evidence of rust. This past spring I stripped the deck of parts and had it sand blasted and repainted. I spent about an hour and a half chipping rust scale before sand blasting. I told the body shop not to even bother with the underside as it wasn't worth the time or money. That is how little the underside was affected by rust and I knew the paint would be worn off eventually anyway.

Coat the underside with something? Might help but it is going wear off and need reapplication frequently. I would be concerned about adding something thick or rubbery. It may affect the airflow and dispersion of clippings.

Jeff

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I would think the texture of the bed liner stuff would cause extra build up under the deck. Now if you wanted to sandblast it and treat it with POR15 of something like that it would work well. That stuff is slick and hard.

 

[thcri]

My deck I have pretty much lost all of the paint on the underside. I got me one of them good pressure washers and this week-end I am going to pressure wash it and then paint it with De-Rusto, and then I have this graphite stuff I will spray on after two coats of De-rusto Primer.

The graphite stuff that was recomended to me is called Slip Plate. You can buy it in a 12oz can from Grainger for about $7.00. Not sure on the price and the Grainer number in the can is 6Y648. Hope that helps me keep the paint on. As soon as I start taking the build up of grass off it takes the paint too.

It says right on the can for the underside of mowers.

Murph

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Well, I'm not sure I'm not more confused than I was when I posted the question. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

The logic of protecting the underside just seems like a good idea to me. The idea that it could chip and hold water seems unlikely given the abuse I've seen this material withstand in truck beds. While the logic of the rougher lining causing more buidup made a bit of sense at first blush, I'd think once the first bit of grass or debris attaches itself to the smooth, unprotected underside, you've got a rough surface anyhow. Some bedliner coatings are 'rubbery' so loads won't shift. I think I'd like just the opposite if it were available.

I'd like to think I wouldn't have to do it, but even if I do this and then use the graphite spray I'd still never have any paint worries underneath. As to the idea that the lining material would wear off, with a lifetime warranty on it, I don't know that I'd be all that concerned.

I found a nationally known vendor today who offered to do a 5' rotary cutter and a 6' finish mower for $100 each. I negotiated a price of $150 for the pair of mowers. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif For that price they will remove the blades, mask the spindles and topside, sandblast the underside to roughen it for better coating adhesion, apply the coating, remove the masking, clean any overspray, reattach the blades and guarantee the coating for life. I have to say at that money it sounds like a deal to me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

To be fair, the vendor told me he's done this for people before and that some have raved about it while others have been disappointed that they still had to clean the mower underside. I'm not expecting this to cause every bit of dirt and grass to fall off. I'm just of the opinion that I won't have to worry about cleaning it as thoroughly as I might otherwise. Not liking to spend a whole lot of time bent over cleaning things like this, I'm sure leaning toward spending $75 per mower for this and taking my chances that I'll be happy.

I'm still open to the 'con' arguments against this idea, but at this point I'm leaning toward the 'pro' side. I'd still love to hear from someone who's done it.

 

[RobS]

Gary, it sounds like you have the makings of some TBN research in the works. My experience is similar to 755in NY in that my Craftsman deck has received minimal care in 12+ years and is still going strong with only light rust underneath. Your approach sounds reasonable and the vendor seems to be doing it right. If you go for it, take pictures and give us all periodic updates /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Rob,

I'm not sure what I could offer in the way of true 'research' without having a control group (an uncoated mower) subjected to exactly the same use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I would, however, be more than happy to take some pictures of the decks before and after the coating is applied and again after some use if I go ahead and do this. I'm still undecided on that right now.

Besides the potential for simply wasting $150 (about a third the cost of a new post hole digger with 9" auger, by the way), the one 'con' argument I can't seem to shake or even argue is the idea that effectively changing the underside configuration (essentially shrinking it by up to 1/4" at every surface) might have a negative effect on the way grass is discharged.

On the one hand, it's difficult for me to think the air flow patterns are so tightly engineered in the design of these mowers that a coating like this would matter. On the other, I simply don't know and lack the background to even hazard a guess. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Reading that the person who brought up that point (755inNY) is an engineer didn't help, either. AAARGHHH! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif