Since downsizing and moving to town with a fenced yard, I've started using my C85 WH to mow with and parked my Gravely with the 50 inch cut. The 36 inch WH deck fits through my walk gates and it fits in my compact pickup so I can haul it over to my old chiropractors place to mow. He's 87 and can barely walk - often falling with a moderate case of Parkinson's - so since he helped me so much, without charge, when the city destroyed my back, I offered to mow his yard for free now that he can't.
Well, the WH rear discharge deck has the most chitty cut you could imagine! Looking at the yard afterwards, you'd swear I installed the center blade upside down. It is not! With 3 blades, the outside 2 cut pretty good. The center blade just mangles the grass and globs up the cuttings, letting them out in big clumps after they have been pulverized into a mush that sticks to the bottom side of the deck. Been really wet lately but with only 5 minutes of mowing I have to stop and clear out the buildup. The blades really whirr when the buildup gets bad so I know when to clean out the mess. I don't want to convert to side discharge as then a 36 incher won't fit in my small pickup and the full size pickup sets too high. Also the side discharge won't fit through my walk gates - although I do have a drive through gate.
Took pictures of the under side. The side blades are 12" length each and the center blade is 14" long.
Look at the gap [3 fingers] at the front of the deck and only 1 thumb gap around the sides. A longer blade would offer faster blade tip speed at the same RPM but can't install a longer blade or it'll hit at the sides. I believe the real problem is air flow. Would welding a baffle in the front section help with air flow and therefore blow the cuttings out better while standing the grass up better to be cut evenly? More throw to the blades? Less throw to the blades?
With the front of the center section so open it MAY be dropping globs of wet, cut grass out the front therefore holding the uncut grass down so its not cut evenly. I can't sit in the seat mowing and watch for this.
I have adjusted the governor to where the Kohler really percolates and that helped quality of cut some - but it still sux.
I absolutely love then tractor, but its almost useless with this deck. I don't wanna hafta get a rear engine rider or zero-turn with a one blade, deck, but that looks like where I'm headed if I can't make this thing mow decent.
When they built this deck, it looks like they mounted the center spindle too far back so the baffling is not working for it.
All opinions welcomed.
Well, the WH rear discharge deck has the most chitty cut you could imagine! Looking at the yard afterwards, you'd swear I installed the center blade upside down. It is not! With 3 blades, the outside 2 cut pretty good. The center blade just mangles the grass and globs up the cuttings, letting them out in big clumps after they have been pulverized into a mush that sticks to the bottom side of the deck. Been really wet lately but with only 5 minutes of mowing I have to stop and clear out the buildup. The blades really whirr when the buildup gets bad so I know when to clean out the mess. I don't want to convert to side discharge as then a 36 incher won't fit in my small pickup and the full size pickup sets too high. Also the side discharge won't fit through my walk gates - although I do have a drive through gate.
Took pictures of the under side. The side blades are 12" length each and the center blade is 14" long.
Look at the gap [3 fingers] at the front of the deck and only 1 thumb gap around the sides. A longer blade would offer faster blade tip speed at the same RPM but can't install a longer blade or it'll hit at the sides. I believe the real problem is air flow. Would welding a baffle in the front section help with air flow and therefore blow the cuttings out better while standing the grass up better to be cut evenly? More throw to the blades? Less throw to the blades?
With the front of the center section so open it MAY be dropping globs of wet, cut grass out the front therefore holding the uncut grass down so its not cut evenly. I can't sit in the seat mowing and watch for this.
I have adjusted the governor to where the Kohler really percolates and that helped quality of cut some - but it still sux.
I absolutely love then tractor, but its almost useless with this deck. I don't wanna hafta get a rear engine rider or zero-turn with a one blade, deck, but that looks like where I'm headed if I can't make this thing mow decent.
When they built this deck, it looks like they mounted the center spindle too far back so the baffling is not working for it.
All opinions welcomed.
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