# first lawn tractor, any tips?



## maverick06 (Aug 13, 2013)

Well i bought my first lawn tractor, yep, a cheap one from lowes. Its a troy bilt pony, 17.5hp. After a 10% coupon and military discount the price was just a little higher than a used one on craigslist. For my 1/2 acre yard, it should be good, its what the neighbors all seem to use.

Anyways, its my first tractor, and I am looking for whatever mowing tips you have? Specifically slopes. The front yard is pretty steep, within the 15deg hill limit, but not by much, I measured the driveway at 11-12deg at the worst spot.  So mow up and down, no big deal, the very not-busy street is at the bottom and driving onto and off of that isnt a big deal as there is nearly no curb. Took it for a spin today, sure felt a bit strange being on the lawn on it. Will take a while to get used to I think.

attached are 2 pictures, one is the front yard and the other is the back. The back is flat, but there is a small transition piece (far side) to get up top. I suspect I will have to get out the shovel and flatten it out a bit to get up to the top, not sure. The other is a picture (christmas obviously) its the best angle of the front of the house i found quickly. There is a big slope between the driveway and the lawn (you can only get the tractor onto the lawn (moving perpendicular to the slope) below the light post. But that levels out fast (2 passes with the push mower), then the lawn is just sloped front to back.

Any other tips or things I should consider? (Please omit the "you should have bought a XXXX " this was what fit the bill at this point in my life. it is what it is. If its wrong i will write back complaining in a few years. haha)

Thanks!

Rick


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## BrotherBart (Aug 13, 2013)

1. Cut across the slope right to left and lean left in the seat.

2. Beer in the cup holder sloshes and goes flat.


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## semipro (Aug 13, 2013)

Rear tire chains as discussed in a recent thread.


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## fbelec (Aug 13, 2013)

agree with brotherbart  that is how i do my front slope. you'll get used to leaning if 1: you have been on a motorcycle. 2: you try to turn up the hill and the machine stops.(rear tire towards top of the hill spinning) you lean toward the high side of the slope and you continue.


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## velvetfoot (Aug 14, 2013)

The FIRST day I got mine I got it stuck at a corner on the slope of the back yard.  Never since, but I put windshield washer fluid in the tires and rear wheel weights.  I still haven't got an "ideal" pattern set in my head.  I've been trying for concentric passes, discharging outwards so that it doesn't pile up in the middle, after a couple passes on the outside so too much grass doesn't wind up on the driveway.  Of course, my lawns are irregularly shaped.


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## gzecc (Aug 14, 2013)

Good luck with your troybuilt. I was given one by a customer of mine. He was fed up with it. He wasn't mechanically inclined and didn't have a way of getting it to a repair facility. He gave up and got a lawn service. When I got it, I needed to adjust the valves, fix a flat tire and replace bad gas. Just stay after it from a maintenance standpoint, read up on how to adjust the valves (its not hard), and don't abuse it. It will work well for cutting grass.
It was the newest lawn tractor I ever owned. I got it for free, fixed it up and sold it.


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## coaly (Aug 14, 2013)

1. Get a trailer to haul wood

2. Get a Huskee 22 ton splitter at Tractor Supply

3. Install hitch to move splitter


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## bmblank (Aug 14, 2013)

Mow once going one direction, then the next time you mow go 90° to that. And continue alternating.


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## Freakingstang (Aug 14, 2013)

bmblank said:


> Mow once going one direction, then the next time you mow go 90° to that. And continue alternating.


 
why do you say that? I live out in the country and don't need a golf course looking pattern....


as others have said, I have a helluva ditch.  I use chains all year round as well as proplelyne  glycol in the rear tires.  Winshield washer fluid has alcohol in it and will rot the tires.


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## velvetfoot (Aug 14, 2013)

Freakingstang said:


> Winshield washer fluid has alcohol in it and will rot the tires.


Ooops.  There I go again.


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## Ashful (Aug 14, 2013)

bmblank said:


> Mow once going one direction, then the next time you mow go 90° to that. And continue alternating.


 
Yep. I have a pentagonal shaped property, and mow parallel to a different property line each time. It keeps the lawn from getting rutted, from using the same pattern week after week, year after year. It also makes the lawn look real nice, with criss-crossing stripes, but that's more a zero-turn thing than a lawn tractor thing. With a lawn tractor, it's tough to make sequential striped passes, so the best options are box pattern or interlaced stripes (think TV scan pattern). The interlaced stripes is preferred, gives you the striping effect of a zero turn, still allows you to alternate patterns (moves the ruts / turn damage around), and so that's how I'd go with a lawn tractor.

In either case, do your first two passes around the perimeter of the property, with the chute pointed into the center of the property (to keep clippings off the street and your neighbor's lawn). Then either start your interlaced stripes, or work your box pattern outside to inside with the chut pointed outward. Just skip any areas too slopey for the tractor, and get them later with the push mower.

Filling the tires is one way to deal with the slope, but will make them feel and ride harder, as there's less air volume in the tire to compress. A better option for most is cast iron wheel weights. They also sell concrete wheel weights, but they're usually too light to be useful for much (think 35 lb. concrete vs. 50 lb. each for iron). The point either way is to lower your center of gravity / reduce likelihood of rollover. Anyone with a new machine always feels like they're going to roll it at first, but you'll quickly get used to exactly where the tipping point lies. Lawn tractors are pretty darn stable, compared to other tractors.

I second getting a trailer to pull behind it. My current favorite is this little job: link.

_edit: If you do fill your tires with liquid, RimGuard is the preferred non-corrosive antifreeze solution for tubeless tires. Again, not the best option on a dedicated lawn machine. Wheel weights will do a better job on most lawn tractors._


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## Freakingstang (Aug 14, 2013)

velvetfoot said:


> Ooops. There I go again.


 
It won't for a few years.. lawn tractor tires are relatively cheap anyways. Those stupid 35lb composite wheel weights they sell are a joke anyways.

I built a rear receiver for my Kubota G1900 (real lawn mower/garden tractor, no pto or three point).  I use it to move trailers and also have a weight box I slid into the rear when I put the plow on the front.


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## bmblank (Aug 14, 2013)

It just keeps the repetition down. Helps prevent running tire tracks into the ground, blowing city grass in the same spot over and over. Plus if you have a tenancy to miss anything this is a good way to make sure it's got. Plus it breaks up some of the monotony.


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## Ashful (Aug 14, 2013)

Interesting to see a new way to abuse the rear end of that little Kubota G1900, but I'm not sure what any of that has to do with owning or mowing a lawn with a Troy Bilt Pony.  My only question is, with that nice old compact parked behind it (I spy a cat.1 three-point hitch?), why bother putting all that gear on the Kubota?

I would NOT recommend doing any of that with a Troy Bilt Pony.


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## Freakingstang (Aug 14, 2013)

Joful said:


> Interesting to see a new way to abuse the rear end of that little Kubota G1900, but I'm not sure what any of that has to do with owning or mowing a lawn with a Troy Bilt Pony. My only question is, with that nice old compact parked behind it (I spy a cat.1 three-point hitch?), why bother putting all that gear on the Kubota?
> 
> I would NOT recommend doing any of that with a Troy Bilt Pony.


 
Abuse? hardly. Because I had the Kubota long before I got my mini tractor. BTW, the G1900 is not abused. you could get one with a 3 point hitch (1K option). you could put a direct drive tiller on it, as well as plenty of other factory Kubota attachments. They even made a rear weight bar that is the same thing I have, but uses suit case weights. counterweights (within reason) are not going to break the tractor in half...

I suppose a loader on a small tractor is abuse too?

100-200 lbs of weight on the ass with my 160lb butt is not different than a 300 lb man mowing his lawn


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## Highbeam (Aug 14, 2013)

If you mow the same way every time for years, then try and mow it backwards one day. Weird stuff happens. The grass will have been trained to lay a certain way and going against the grain might not give you a nice look.

I have a riding lawn mower. Tractors are not cheap from lowes. Mine is a craftsman from sears, pretty bottom of the line, and has been a very dependable machine for mowing an acre. I bag every bit of it.


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## begreen (Aug 14, 2013)

Our property is largely sloped, some of it fairly steeply. In springtime, fresh grass and lots of rain makes it like mowing on a greased sheet. I put chains on the ole Craftsman and have not slipped once since. The ride is a bit lumpier, but the traction is great.


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## PapaDave (Aug 14, 2013)

Yep, tire chains year round. I alternate based on where I start mowing. Once it grows back, you can't tell anyway.
Well, here that is.
Water cup in the holder sloshes everywhere, but doesn't go flat.
Put a top on it, so grass and bugs don't get in.....they will get in if you don't.
I put a spinner on the steering wheel.
I must be quite a sight while mowing the ditch.......leaning the opposite way, ready to jump and hoping the tractor doesn't grab me when it flips.
The roadside of the ditch is too steep so gets weed whacked, push mowed, or just left to grow to it's full glory (where it's at now).
If you store it outside under a lean-to, or in a shed where mice get in......arm yourself. The little bastages got under the motor cowling and chewed the coil wires.......twice.
They fried (literally) once I got it running.
Same thing just happened on the push mower, but no chewed wires yet.


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## Sprinter (Aug 14, 2013)

Joful said:


> I second getting a trailer to pull behind it. My current favorite is this little job: link.


I have this same trailer as well and I like it a lot.  Be careful not to pull more weight than your mower allows.  Hydrostatic transmissions can be damaged with too much stress.


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## begreen (Aug 14, 2013)

So can people!


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## Sprinter (Aug 14, 2013)

For a half acre, your mower will do fine.  I had a bottom of the line Craftsman for two acres in the 90's and it lasted for about 7 years of rough use, although I did have to weld on it a few times.  If the turf is rough, go slow or it will beat the thing to death.  You'll know.


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## fbelec (Aug 15, 2013)

good luck with your machine. they are great tools. i pull my 4 x 8 trailer with it with at least a half cord of green wood on it and it doesn't even sweat. also i have a drop spreader for it and a dethatcher and airater. the machine will cut your time down doing lawn work in a big way.


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## pyroholic (Aug 15, 2013)

Got this the other day at TSC.  Bolts into the hitch pin hole and provides a ball up top (for the splitter), a hole for the yard trailer, and two cleats for a rope or chain(not sure how much is use that on my little cub, but maybe on a bigger ride).  Seems well made... So far.


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## pyroholic (Aug 15, 2013)

Here is the package for anyone looking for one.  In the mower section, not the trailer/towing section at Tsc.


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## Ashful (Aug 15, 2013)

fbelec said:


> good luck with your machine. they are great tools. i pull my 4 x 8 trailer with it with at least a half cord of green wood on it and it doesn't even sweat. also i have a drop spreader for it and a dethatcher and airater. the machine will cut your time down doing lawn work in a big way.


 
Careful, there... you can definitely pull a little utility trailer around with a lawn tractor.  Not much sweat, there.  But an aerator is a whole other ball of wax.  Lawn tractors are not designed to pull aerators, and you can easily overheat a hydro unit (or worse) on a typical lawn tractor, doing so.


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## Highbeam (Aug 15, 2013)

I suppose it depends on the aerator. Some are so easy to pull that you forget they are back there. Gear trannies seem to not overheat. My last JD mower was a hydro and I am happy to have a 6 speed now.


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## Ashful (Aug 15, 2013)

Assuming the typical 40" - 48" plug aerator. If you're using a spike aerator, save yourself the time / don't bother!

I've owned plenty of gear and hydro tractors, and while the geared garden tractors are handy for pulling a spreader at a constant speed, that's about the only advantage they have.  I would not want to plow, mow, operate a front-end loader, or anything else without hydro!


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## Sprinter (Aug 15, 2013)

Highbeam said:


> I suppose it depends on the aerator. Some are so easy to pull that you forget they are back there. Gear trannies seem to not overheat. My last JD mower was a hydro and I am happy to have a 6 speed now.


I guess the only reason they even use hydrostatics on tractor mowers is to provide a variable speed feature if they just steer from the front. But if you don't take care of them, they can fail. My current mower is a big ZTR, but if I had another tractor mower, I also would prefer conventional gearing. Just old school, I guess.

Edit:  I'm thinking a simple lawn tractor here.  A real garden tractor with implements may be a different story.  I've never used one.


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## begreen (Aug 15, 2013)

Our Craftsman with a Kohler 18hp motor, manual trans is on year 7. All I do is change the oil, oil filter, and air filters once a year. I suppose I should invest in new belts and a spark plug for next season, but this thing has been rock solid. The only repair was a spindle replacement when I hit a hidden rock in a dug up area. That area has now been leveled and turned into our main garden.

We have a lot of mega blackberries with spikes the size of small nails. They're razor sharp and can puncture tires easily. I put a brush guard on the front and added Green Slime to the tires. The slime is almost a necessity out here. We have the large Craftsman dump cart which does come in handy for moving brush and storm fall to the burn pile. For moving wood I use my truck, mostly because it has so much more capacity which equals a lot less trips to load the wood shed.
.


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## Sprinter (Aug 15, 2013)

begreen said:


> I suppose I should invest in new belts and a spark plug for next season,


I had to replace the belt on my old Craftsman after three years, so I'd think you're due. One thing I had to do on mine every year was to remove the heads and scrape carbon off or else it would diesel.



begreen said:


> We have a lot of mega blackberries with spikes the size of small nails


Glad you mentioned that. I hadn't really given any thought to blackberry thorns as a tire hazard, so maybe I'll put slime in my tires also.


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## Highbeam (Aug 15, 2013)

Sprinter said:


> I had to replace the belt on my old Craftsman after three years, so I'd think you're due. One thing I had to do on mine every year was to remove the heads and scrape carbon off or else it would diesel.
> 
> Glad you mentioned that. I hadn't really given any thought to blackberry thorns as a tire hazard, so maybe I'll put slime in my tires also.


 
The newer craftsmans, like my 3 YO model, have a fuel shutoff solenoid on the carb to stop dieseling. It must have been a problem.

These days, with overhead valves, you don't want to pull the head off. You would have to remove the intake system and exhaust system plus deal with whatever pushes on the valves to open. The last thing I am worried about is the engine. I see the deck being the first point of failure due to rust.


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## begreen (Aug 15, 2013)

I had to do the same on my previous Craftsman. It was a base-model with a lighter deck. After a few years the belt pulley tension system broke a weld. It took me a year of replacing the belts before I finally found the problem. I got it welded and all was fine again. The new, heavier deck seems much more solid as is the Kohler engine. So far there never has been any dieseling. Are they running the newer units leaner?


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## Sprinter (Aug 15, 2013)

Highbeam said:


> The newer craftsmans, like my 3 YO model, have a fuel shutoff solenoid on the carb to stop dieseling. It must have been a problem.
> 
> These days, with overhead valves, you don't want to pull the head off. You would have to remove the intake system and exhaust system plus deal with whatever pushes on the valves to open. The last thing I am worried about is the engine. I see the deck being the first point of failure due to rust.


Yeah, I don't know why that happened then. It was a model from about '92. I'm sure it's not a problem these days. Removing a head was so easy to do on that engine, I didn't even mind.

One thing I'm really careful about is keeping the deck clean and the mower under cover.  In this climate, sometimes you just have to mow wet and that requires cleaning right after.  At over 5 grand, I really want this ZTR to be my last mower.

That brings up another point for the OP.  Keep the deck clean, top and bottom, but don't use a power washer. The spindles can get ruined if water gets in.


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## Ashful (Aug 15, 2013)

I usually run around with the hand-held leaf blower, blowing grass off walkways, porch, and patio, after each mowing.  It only takes an extra few seconds to blow off the top and bottom of the deck, around engine cowlings, etc.  Helps the mower stay dry, clean, and rust-free.


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## brobrandonb (Aug 15, 2013)

If you are going to leave it sit unused for any period of time, drain the fuel and run it dry. The ethanol in fuel these days is killer on engines. Enjoy it!


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## Highbeam (Aug 15, 2013)

brobrandonb said:


> If you are going to leave it sit unused for any period of time, drain the fuel and run it dry. The ethanol in fuel these days is killer on engines. Enjoy it!


 
I find this to be a myth. I do use regular red sta-bil but I don't bother running engines dry or draining tanks for many months at a time.


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## PapaDave (Aug 15, 2013)

I keep Stabil in the gas can over winter (it gets used faster in summer, so I don't use it then), and it gets put in the tractor all winter.
I just leave whatever gas is in the push mower all winter. Starts right up the following spring.
Same for the splitter, whether it gets used much or not.


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## Ashful (Aug 15, 2013)

PapaDave said:


> I keep Stabil in the gas can over winter (it gets used faster in summer, so I don't use it then), and it gets put in the tractor all winter.
> I just leave whatever gas is in the push mower all winter. Starts right up the following spring.
> Same for the splitter, whether it gets used much or not.


+1 on all that


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## Sprinter (Aug 15, 2013)

Highbeam said:


> I find this to be a myth. I do use regular red sta-bil but I don't bother running engines dry or draining tanks for many months at a time.


Okay, I was going to leave this one alone, but I'll put in my 2c. All modern engines are designed with 10% ethanol in mind. Only if the fuel is exposed to excessive water, like in a marine environment is it a real problem.

As for the oxidation problem, it should last at least 6 months without treatment. It helps a lot to keep the tank full to keep oxygen from getting to it and as cool as possible. With Stabil it should last a year.

If you are going to store an engine for more than a year, even with Stabil, then draining the carb and fuel lines is a good idea. Essential, even.


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## lukem (Aug 15, 2013)

Change the oil after the first 10-20 hours.


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## fbelec (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> Careful, there... you can definitely pull a little utility trailer around with a lawn tractor. Not much sweat, there. But an aerator is a whole other ball of wax. Lawn tractors are not designed to pull aerators, and you can easily overheat a hydro unit (or worse) on a typical lawn tractor, doing so.


 

sorry i guess i just didn't know what to call it. it's a spiker that is under the spreader. and it's a old murray 5 speed with a 16.5 hp motor. does more than i expect from it.


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## MasterMech (Aug 16, 2013)

Highbeam said:


> Gear trannies seem to not overheat.​


 
If you can find a gear tranny in entry level machines these days, it's crap, I'd rather the hydro.  They've gotten to the point of omitting any kind of bearing/bushing, even on the input shafts!


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## maverick06 (Aug 16, 2013)

Thanks for all the feedback! I really appreciate it! I had not thought of the chains, but likely will do that. In the spring the soil stays quite wet as there is a lot of clay in it. They would certainly help.

I mowed the backyard 2 days ago, it worked great, a few challanges with the hill in the backyard. it took a few tries to get it up the slope, but have that figured out. I did realize that i want to get mulching blades on it, it just throws a lot of grass around. i have always mulched it and prefer that. I also found that even on the highest setting, the grass is cut a bit shorter than i would have liked. however thats ok. its shorter than I would like, but not too short. Mulching will be nice


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## Ashful (Aug 16, 2013)

Definitely go with a mulching deck, if it's an option. The previous owner of my machine got them to remove the mulching deck and swap a standard deck onto the machine at time of purchase (they refunded him the $1700 difference in price between the decks, according to the sales receipt), and it's a major bummer for me. I'm forever having trouble with heavy windrow clippings laying on my lawn, which seems to be growing about a foot per week, right now.

I've never seen how a mulching blade works on a standard deck.  Anyone got any real experience with them?


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## gzecc (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> Definitely go with a mulching deck, if it's an option. The previous owner of my machine got them to remove the mulching deck and swap a standard deck onto the machine at time of purchase (they refunded him the $1700 difference in price between the decks, according to the sales receipt), and it's a major bummer for me. I'm forever having trouble with heavy windrow clippings laying on my lawn, which seems to be growing about a foot per week, right now.
> 
> I've never seen how a mulching blade works on a standard deck. Anyone got any real experience with them?


Wow, $1700 for a mulching deck is hywy robbery. Try partially closing the exhaust shoot of your existing deck. Theoretically it will force the blades to re cut the first cuttings again. You need to have enough hp to drive the blades harder. Make sure the grass is very dry.


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## MasterMech (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> Definitely go with a mulching deck, if it's an option. The previous owner of my machine got them to remove the mulching deck and swap a standard deck onto the machine at time of purchase (they refunded him the $1700 difference in price between the decks, according to the sales receipt), and it's a major bummer for me. I'm forever having trouble with heavy windrow clippings laying on my lawn, which seems to be growing about a foot per week, right now.
> 
> I've never seen how a mulching blade works on a standard deck. Anyone got any real experience with them?


 

So Joful, you originally had a 757 with the MOD option? (Mulch On Demand) They were a nifty concept (pull a lever and switch between mulching/discharge) that was a disaster in the field apparently.  Lots of moving baffles and hinged push/pull mechanisms.



gzecc said:


> Wow, $1700 for a mulching deck is hywy robbery. Try partially closing the exhaust shoot of your existing deck. Theoretically it will force the blades to re cut the first cuttings again. You need to have enough hp to drive the blades harder. Make sure the grass is very dry.


 
Not your everyday mulching deck, see above.  Turns out you were better off using either a dedicated mulch kit or an OCD (Operator Controlled Discharge, basically a flap that would cover the discharge when you needed to, like when mowing near an inground pool, garden bed, cars, etc.) device.  Either option was a lot cheaper than the MOD deck.


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## Ashful (Aug 16, 2013)

MasterMech... I thought ALL those 7-iron decks were MOD. I did not know they even made a dedicated mulcher for that chassis.

gzecc... we're talking about a different class of mower, here. This is a $10k commercial mower, typically configured. The previous owner of mine had it stripped down to $7600'ish by dropping a few of the options the dealer had ordered with it.


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## MasterMech (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> I've never seen how a mulching blade works on a standard deck. Anyone got any real experience with them?


 
I'm currently enamored with toothed sail high-lift blades.  They retain the lift needed for excellent quality of cut but still shred clippings better than regular high-lift blades, which pretty much cut once and throw.  Mulch blades without all the extra baffling a mulch kit provides will also give much finer clippings but you sacrifice the lift. Note that if you're getting heavy layers of clippings, no blade will make them disappear but making the clippings finer will help them break down much faster so you are not re-processing last weeks clippings this week.

Something like these:


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## MasterMech (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> MasterMech... I thought ALL those 7-iron decks were MOD


 
They're Mulch compatible (with the proper kit) but the actual MOD deck is a rare bird.

 

Looks like Deere has been doing some homework, this design is much improved from the prototype decks I saw in FL several years ago.  From a mechanical standpoint, much better/simpler.  Cutting performance will vary by region and conditions of course.


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## Ashful (Aug 16, 2013)

Hmmm... I've been thinking of picking up a spare set of blades for that deck (not cheap!). Maybe I should consider those? Will have to check availability / pricing.

My issue is just growth rate, given how much I fertilize. Normally, it's just an issue in the spring, but with the damage done by my spreader malfunction this summer, I hit it with some high-N fertilizer last month. Now I'm seeing an inch per day! I mow every 5th day, weather permitting.  With a growth rate around 1 inch per day, it's like bailing hay, if I let it go longer than that.


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## MasterMech (Aug 16, 2013)

Joful said:


> Hmmm... I've been thinking of picking up a spare set of blades for that deck (not cheap!). Maybe I should consider those? Will have to check availability / pricing.


 
I would help you out (I have a Stens account, just like _eveybody_ else in this business!) but I'm afraid that after shipping, I wouldn't be much help. 

List price on a set of 3 of those blades is $75.  Guys that regularly stock Stens parts may be able to help you out.  Internet isn't turning up much as that is a brand new part # for them.  They have been expanding the Silver Streak blade lineup rapidly the last couple of months.




Joful said:


> With a growth rate around 1 inch per day, it's like bailing hay, if I let it go longer than that.


 
You just need a different approach.


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## Ashful (Aug 16, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> List price on a set of 3 of those blades is $75.


At that price... no problem! I had heard a price (second-hand) from Deere that was more like 3x that amount for the OEM blades.



MasterMech said:


> You just need a different approach.


There's a guy up the street selling a 3-point finish mower for a few hundred, although quite a bit smaller than that, and not real type. I'll stick with my Zero Turn for zooming around the yard, thank you very much!

I do have a 72" belly mower for the Deere 855, but was planning on selling it.  I don't see myself using it enough to warrant the storage space it consumes.


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