DON’T WASH YOUR MOWER DECK (waste of time)
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- #aritterbitwilldo #keepontractoring #messicks
Don't waste you time washing your mower deck every time. All you need is a leaf blower.
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Leaf blower works if you dry only very dry grass, no clover, etc. If you mulch, as I tend to do, the moisture in even "dry" grass is enough to turn the underside of your deck to a swamp. No leaf blower in the world can blow that off. But the wash port can do a decent job.
I kept some of the used oil from car and truck changes. After scraping or spraying it with a pressure washer. I’d “paint a coat of oil under the deck. Did it help I don’t know. Did it hurt doubtful. I just can’t think of another piece of equipment that gets more abuse than a mower. By the time you’re done cutting. You just usually just put it back in the shed till the next time. Then expect it to start. Same thing all over again. That foaming engine cleaner is pretty good stuff. I use it for a lot of things. Either wipe it off the engine by hand. After it sat for a few hours.Or spray it off the white wall tires. Funny thing is I never thought about agitating it with a brush. Just spray and rinse and go.
Useing water to clean you mower deck will not rust out your deck if you get all the grass off.
Where I live, you will have to mow occasionally when the grass is damp/wet. And grass accumulates underneath. So scraping and washing is a must. Cut quality suffers with all the buildup .
I agree
Having a deck wash system makes a huge difference...for riding mowers without a deck wash attachment, I would imagine you could DIY your own wash port by drilling an appropriate-sized hole in the top of the deck (opposite side of where the grass discharge chute is located) and attaching something that would allow you to quickly connect a garden hose at the top. Once the garden hose is attached, lower the deck all the way down (preferably over a hard, smooth surface like concrete or blacktop), turn on the water, and fire up the mower, then engage the deck. I use the deck wash on my Cub after EVERY mow and it 100% prevents grass clippings from caking up on the underside of the deck. I removed my Cub's mower deck recently to do a blade replacement after a year of use, and the entire underside of the deck was immaculately clean. Not one grass clipping or spot of rust inside the mower deck. Avoid getting water on the top side of the deck unless it's completely removed and can fully dry afterward. Use a leaf blower to clear grass clippings off the top of the deck after each mow.
Your method has worked well and the key is to clean it after every use. With that said the bearings are sealed bearings they are not much affected by water. The deck wash port is made to be used the same way after every use. The deck has to be all the way down on the lowest setting and the blades have to be on to be used properly. If you have never used the deck wash port and grass is already caked up underneath you will need to preform a cleaning like you have and then start using your wash port after every cut. The port does work if used properly.
Attaching the mulching cap helps the deck wash more effectively too.
Not sure how he mows grass that doesn't have moisture (water in it).
Used a water hose to remove the bulk of the grass (clumps). Or putty knife if dried on. I saw a video of the deck washer being used. (If I had been able to use the system when the deck was brand new, it probably would done even better.) A couple of years later (had access to water). I scraped out the bulk of the grass and tried the system. (Works best if you have a solid surface to sit deck down over (Don't have a mulching cover). It actually cleaned it more.
I would recommend using compressed air to blow off top of deck. (Not because of the bearings)
It's hard to get wet grass off effectively with a garden hose.
Even a preasure washer (if the deck is on the tractor) just blows it from one side to the other. Just saying..
Wrong sealed bearings from China go bad water or not they have to be properly greased i have changed a bunch of them
Can't believe you had the whole deck off and did all that work but didn't remove and sharpen those blades! The close up shots of them showed the edges to be all nicked up!
My last JD mower rusted 100 through the deck in places without using the wash port. My newest mower has not rusted, and I use the wash port.
Also pick up the mower lift at Harbor Freight. I am not sure how I ever lived without it.
Jon, I was a commercial lawn man for many years (part time). As long as grass is green, it has moisture in it. You're in a part of the country where the percentage of moisture in grass is lower than where I am (Delaware) I do the same as you with the leaf blower till I have to cut really wet grass. Then I run the mower up on the trailer ramp and get out the scraper. I would take the deck off the BX when I used it, and later I had a jack for the zero turn. And I'd pressure wash the heck out of them. I have tried the Graphite paint, a so called teflon paint and they weren't any better than Krylon. Best paint I ever tried is when I had some teflon bottom paint left over from my boat and I used a brush to get it all over the bottom. I can honestly say it held up, but check the price of Valspar. My son has my old BX now and the Bad Boy zero turn, I've moved into town on a postage stamp sized property and don't need them.
I washed my Kubota G2160 deck after every mow. BAD IDEA! Rusted like crazy. Derusted, rustoleumed, repainted 2 years ago. It's all peeling off and rusting again. I was thorough and didn't skimp on the paint! Wish I would have thought of compressed air years ago - especially since I have a 3-phase air compressor that's the size of the moon. Thanks for the tip!!!
Thanks, you actually convinced me that using the wash port is indeed worth the extra couple of minutes. Leaving wet grass stuck to the deck all summer seems like a terrible idea.
Excellent advice, I have a BX2200, BX2660, JD1025r, GL5740HSDC and M8540HDC and use an air compressor when at the shop and keep a Stihl leaf blower in my truck. I use water only when necessary.
Like many others have said, use that wash port after every use to stop buildup of grass. If you live in the south, it's difficult to cut only dry grass bc overnight dew and humidity makes dry grass hard to find.
Using that port occasionally makes rust a likely outcome, you won't clean it completely and what's left will be soaked, perfect environment for rust
I agree. It’s different here in the south. Florida’s sandy soil and high humidity, overnight rains, and morning dew keeps that grass wet until the afternoon sun is in full force, and who wants to mow in 95+ degree humid weather? Yeah, it’s always wet over here.
Weird, I washed the mower deck off on my old garden tractor a couple times a month for 21 years, never had any rust issues or bearing failures...the engine finally gave up but the deck was still good. My current lawn tractor deck I use my leaf blower to clean it off, its not built nearly as well as that old garden tractor's deck. I think build quality of the deck is a key in whether or not you can or should wash the deck off.
With my old garden tractor I had 2 sets of mower blades for it. When the set on the deck was dull I had the 2nd set on the shelf sharpened and ready to go so I could just swap blades and put the other set by the grinder to sharpen for later. Might be something to consider if you don't already have a 2nd set of blades...it also allows you to more evenly wear a set of blades by splitting the life span between 2 sets of blades rather than only having 1 set....as an added bonus if you happen to damage a blade you have another on hand, and you can buy a replacement when its convenient.
I spray my deck with dawn dish soap let it soak for 20 minutes then wahs it off then use my leaf blower to dry is completely dry. I use a graphite spray under the deck and it repels the grass from sticking to the deck and makes it easy to clean under the deck.
Good video Jon! I agree, the only time I use water to clean the deck on my Ferris ZTR, is at the end of the season when I put it away for the winter. All mowing season, I just use the blower and scrape the deck about once a month to keep the grass from building up under the deck.
When you pressure wash the deck you took metal off with the paint. Pitting shows that. After I clean my deck with a scrapper and on of those battery operated thins they use for cutting wood close to your floor and mine has a 2 and 1/2 wide flat one that is sharp. Super fast way to clean hard dried on grass and dirt. Then I spray the bottom of the deck with Fluid Film for it to stop rust and helps the grass from sticking. I wait about a week till I use it again. On my year change blades and scrap the deck I apply Fluid Film. Best thing to stop rust. Use it under my cars once a year when I change the oil. You need to apply only once a year. My deck is shinny clean metal. You have dark which was rust till you pressure washed it off. But by seeing pitting it is rusting. Seach it on UA-cam. I use it on everything and it really helps a great deal. Nuts and bolts does a great job on that. It will collect dust which you wipe off and never had a bolt rust were you could not get it off. Is also a great lubricant.
I had my mower deck Rhino lined with bed liner when it was brand new never been washed with water when the clumps of grass get heavy they just fall off. Tractor and mower are 18 years old and I mow about 3 acres still have original blades! KUBOTA . I have a spare set so I just swap them out every year usually just touch them up a little with a file. I think you have a lot less hours mowing than you think . My tractor is basically just used for mowing and snow blowing and only has 400hrs in 18 yrs takes almost 2hrs to mow once. I think I average about 25hrs a year mowing in Massachusetts. Sometimes I don't mow the back 1.5 acres. Every other week.
I've heard of people getting the mower deck Rhino lined. That stuff is a really good product. Nice to know it works for you. Those Kubota blades are really good, I should get a spare set to swap out as well. I don't think I'm that far off on my hour estimation. I didn't mention I bought the deck used so with that and my use it's gotta be close to 500.
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon Adding that rhino lining coating is great, it also adds a lot of weight believe it or not that stuff is heavy....on a regular tractor you'd never know, but on a small home-owner box store lawn tractor it may not be such a good idea, however they do make coatings that are much lighter weight that seem to work, I've also heard of people using bar and chain oil and spraying their mower decks down with that too, yeah it washes off, but along with that you wash away the lawn clippings rather than having them stuck to the deck.
Depends on the grass your cutting. My grass is always sopping wet and caked on. If I don't clean it off it hardens like concrete and I pretty much need the angle grinder to get it off lol.
I agree. This deck hasn't been used to mow thick, healthy grass. My mower grows a layer in two or three cuttings that is two inches thick in places. That interferes with the mowing process and needs to be removed periodically.
I agree with not mowing wet grass. Mowers will last a lot longer. Consider cleaning the deck at the end of the mowing season so that the grass doesn't sit clumped on the bottom of the deck all winter. After completing your deck prep, spray with some WD40 or brush on a light coat oil. This will form a barrier to reply moisture and make it easier to remove stuck on grass.
I’m with you on that ! I blow off my tractor & mower deck after each use . Once a month during mowing season I drive the tractor up auto ramps & scrape off the bottom . Keep the spindles greased & change the gear oil every other season .
I had my mower deck sandblasted and Line-X applied. Never will have a problem rusting out. Cleaning the mower deck will not cause it to rust nearly as much as NOT cleaning it and allowing dirt, grass & debris to collect, which causes rust and corrosion much faster. I pressure wash mine after each use. Take care of your equipment, it'll last a very long time
The 60" deck on my LX2610 collects an insane amount of grass and there were spots of surface rust after only 50 hours of use. I added G6 blades to it this year and that seems to have made things even worse. I also never mow when the grass is wet but the grass here is pretty lush in the spring. I'm currently doing clean outs with a putty knife every 3 months and am going to try adding some cosmoline this time to see if that helps in the future. Great job maintaining your deck to keep it looking like new!
Dang friend 😕 that sucks. Hope you can fix that. Maybe call the company that made it.. ✌🏽 take care
Bonjour Monsieur le Professeur 😊🌞 Yes I do exactly like you do but with my air compressor hose and for the same reason that you had mention on your nice video 😊👍 However, I do need to repaint every year and resharpen them too since the great amount of small rocks that my blades are hitting and rock blasted my underground mower-deck pretty good 😒🥴😊 Yes mowing when is dry is the great way to go 👍😊 and I do grease my mower deck to prevent corrosion 👍 Great paint Job and have a great week to all you family Cheers 👍😊
Oh that's right you live where rocks were invented. :-) It must to hard on mower blades up where you're at. Happy Canada Day!
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon You get that one right Monsieur Le Professeur 👍😉Rocks are every were here even in my dreams 🤪🤣 Keep up the good family work Cheers 👍🌞
Good advice! I use the leaf blower and compressed air to clean off the deck (and blow out the radiator screen) My neighbor has a deck wash system on his Zero Turn and his spindles rotted out and bearings failed. BTW - I avoid using a pressure washer near any grease fittings, U-Joints, or bearings.
Those deck wash systems like I said are just a gimmick to sell mowers. People don't realize the damage water can do to bearings. Good to hear you use the same method I do.
Keep on tractoring!
Great video, I've always use leaf blower too. Fast and Easy. Spindle bearings run cooler , belts run cooler. Just plane PMCS.
Here’s a thought, how about clean the entire mower including underside of the deck after each use. I’ve been doing this with a compressor for everything apart from underside of the deck then jacking up the mower and pressure washing the underside of the deck and then washing the rest of it with the gernie as well for a complete clean then blow it all off again with the compressor. Cleaning all the clumping from the the underside of the deck drastically helps with how clean it mows and doesn’t drop big lumps of dried out grass randomly around the yard as a result of always being clean and grass buildup free. I have nearly 900 hours on my jd X324 and is 15 years old and all of those hours are extreme level hard use as i’m in North Queensland Australia and our mowing conditions here are 50 times as harsh as the majority of American counterparts.
If you do have rust, you can also use rustoleum for a first coat, and then paint the second coat.
They are called sealed bearings on the spindles of a lot of mowers. Garden hose pressure won't put water in those bearings. Live grass is moist. It's that moisture that is in that packed grass that rusts the bare metal under the deck. I tend to agree with you about not washing the top of the deck every time. The blade engagement mechanisms become bare metal with use and the constant washing will make them rust and not move smoothly. Best to just blow the top off each time, that way you won't wash away the grease between those pivoting and sliding parts each time you clean the top of the deck.
You’’re Smart to paint the areas to Save your deck. I would have gave the blades a mild sharpening since they were so accessible. Inspecting your grass blades after a cut is a Clear sign of how the blades are. 👍
I got lazy! That's really the only excuse I got! I did grease it really well however.
Keep on tractoring!
I agree with fully. I never wash my mower or mow when it is wet. I blow the dust off the mower deck and wax it to keep it slick.
for degreasing, you can use either some diesel first then washed off with Dunk original engine degreaser. then hit with the pressure washer. works great . and for under the deck, I've tried it all.. only thing I find stays is a spray oil that sets up. Rust check green was stuff I got a few yrs ago..works great.
Have you ever tried turtle wax? Just curious because I use the spray on stuff on my snowblower in the winter and it really works great! Try to FVP degreaser! It really works well.
Keep on tractoring!
I think the deck wash systems are good if you have no choice but to mow wet grass. Its better than letting the caked up wet grass just sit there. but you are absolutely right when you say its not a good idea to mow wet grass, it's really not, if you can help it. The only real silver bullet for preventing rusted decks is monthly maintenance during mowing season.
I never spray water under the deck immediately after cutting grass. The spindles get quite hot and water on them can get sucked into the spindle bearings. Let the mower cool completely before hosing down
That’s a great tip! I’ve never thought of that.
Keep on tractoring!
Sorry, here in FL you WILL wind up cutting wet grass, it rains almost every day during summer and the grass will just not dry out enough for a dry mow. I don't use a deck-wash, just a garden hose for a final rinse after I've reached under and pulled out any clumps, never wrecked a spindle yet.
Not sure where you live but not ever cutting damp grass is impossible in the northeast. It's the 1st of Sept, 86F, and lunchtime and the grass is still damp. A leaf blower would laugh at me. I use a putty knife because the grass cakes under the mower. Healthy blades of grass have water in them!
Blower will NOT remove caked-on grass on underside of mower. Need to use scraper.
Haha, I just bought a 60" Gravely ZT and I didn't even know you could detach the deck like this. I have much to learn. But I did use my leaf blower on the deck after my first mow. It just made more sense to me than using the hose.
What i found works best is to use a pump up garden sprayer for your degreaser, doesn't matter the brand of chemical, just dump it into your sprayer, dilute with water if you want and start spraying. A lot easier on your hand than a small spray bottle and faster.
That's good advice, I should get some of that stuff I can put into a spray bottle. Better bang for the buck I'm sure.
Keep on tractoring!
"Don't use water."
* Uses water!
I have 2 John Deere X380's with 48" decks. Both have the wash port. I used it once in a while three years ago, and pressure washed the underside twice during the season. Last year, I used it after every mow, deck down on the ground and using it for 5 minutes, when I pressure washed it mid season a ton of grass buildup came out. This year, I am using a leaf blower every time. I will see how that goes. I have a mulch kit installed on both decks so that might effect how the deck wash port works, but for me, it doesn't do enough to warrant the water use, and the time. I bought a mower jack so I don't remove the deck for any reason now. I pressure wash the underside with the cane shaped wand I use for the house gutters, saves a lot of bending and leaning down under the deck. I still use the straight wand in the pressure washer for finish cleaning. So far, I don't have rust under the deck (fingers crossed).
I leaf blow top of deck (entire mower actually including under hood) Underneath I pressure wash with gutter cleaning attachment while deck is fully raised (on lawn for free watering and no waste of water), Move to asphalt, Leaf blow top again to dry. run mower for a min to air dry underneath neath. Done in 10 min and Squeaky clean, trust me ive looked under and there is ZERO caked on grass, eating away at deck until next mow, no dragging mess, and bugs into my garage. Deep clean at end of season, blade sharpen, grease ports, treat belt with belt dressing, silicone spray entire deck, Good as new and ready for next season. oh, and scoop up blobs of grass from lawn.
Pressure wash at your own peril. I've known two people who pressure washed and had bearings go bad. I scrape my deck underside about once a month. I use my 60 gal air compressor to clean the top side.
It depends where you live. Where I live, in the spring time, it will rain for a week straight on and off and when it stops raining you have to cut the grass so you don’t have an option sometimes but to cut the grass when it’s a bit wet. You just take the deck off and spray it down and let it dry. Good luck trying to blow off wet grass with a leaf blower.
This spring alone, I had build up of 1” under the deck after cutting 2 acres of grass. No option but to take the deck off and spray it down unless you like that rusty/holey look on your deck. In most cases the cost of replacing the deck is like the price of a new mower. Take care of your deck to save money.
Good info. Make sure you grease your spindles after. Keep up the great work.
I should have mentioned how important that is, especially to get any water out of the bearing that may have seeped in. Of course I did that but should've got that part on video as well.
Keep on tractoring!
I clean my deck after every mowing. plastic scraper to remove the build up. I mow about 4.5 acres, cut to 1.75". ( got a 185 yard golf hole I set up to practice on ). I mow when dry, when I can. Sometimes it a bit moist. Living in western NY you can't avoid it. I never let grass accumulate under the deck for the simple reason that it affects the blades ability to "lift" the grass to cut it. The more build up you get the less the blades can function properly and you end up smashing the grass rather than cutting it. It also means the grass will grow back faster, as it is mashed down not properly cut. Sharpen your blades at least 4 times a season. You'll see a much better cut, and product. My mower is 20 years old and has zero rust on the under side of deck. I have never washed it with water. God I can't imagine how many hours I've spent scraping the under side of that deck. Each mowing, 20 years........ YIKES. Thanks for the video, keep them coming. Liked!
Mow Jack will be your best investment $100.00 drive on turn crank it lifts the front wheels at least two feet off the ground real good system
Get it clean do your prep and ceramic coat the under side of your deck and blades. Less friction so grass wont stick & blade's cut i tiny bit more crisp also easy clean up.
I agree keep the water away. I do my hay balers the same way, leaf blow them out and done. Water is awful to have around the acidic nature of grass on metal. But I am bad to mow when it’s wet sometimes, I mow when I’m ready and have time instead of waiting till the grass is ready. Haha. Have a good one!
Hay balers have a lot more moving parts. Good to keep all those bearing free from water. You're right about the acidic nature of wet grass.
Keep on tractoring!
I just bought my first lawn tractor. I wonder if there is a specific wash system process you're supposed to follow e.g. water on, run blades, drop deck, allow time to clean, turn water off, allow time for blade air turbulence to dry deck, done...thoughts?
I avoid water when possible. Depending on conditions most of the time using a leaf blower or air compressor to clean debris should be all you need. Occasionally scrape the underside of the deck to prevent grass build up. If you must pressure wash avoid the spindle bearings if you can and always apply grease immediately after. Your mower deck should last a long time.
Keep on tractoring!
I haven't watched any of these type of video's until this late fall when I decided to purchase my first zero turn mower ever made by Scag Liberty 48 inch cut with the 22hp Kolar engine and of course it comes with a slightly higher price range as well as maintenance cost now any one should know that when you purchase equipment like this you want to protect and maintenance it as called for in owners manual as for what you mentioned about using leaf blowers instead of water I was like cool now I feel even more justified using blower on mine I also use leaf blower to dry after washing mower and vehicles I did just watch a video about using a graphite type of paint under mower decks and that is proving to work great but from what I been seeing for the most part any type of rust prohibitor's will work just fine but I liked your tips and or suggestions keep m coming.
You remind me of someone I know. Lol I take my time too. Lol I wash both of mine. Push one and rideing one.🙏🦋👍
I have a 7 year old craftsman Zero turn in Hawaii. 2 years ago I replaced the rusted out deck. Before I installed it I I sprayed an automotive clear coat coat. I just rebuilt it two days ago and it’s in awesome shape. It’s very wet there, 130”+ of rain every year.
We have a lot of humidity and lush grass which packs on to the deck. Leaf blower won’t touch it because it packs in under the deck. Basically just never cleaned mine beyond blowing it off and using a scraper once a year when I sharpen the blades. After 25 years it rusted through the 10 gauge plate it is built from. I welded in new deflector plates and fixed a couple sections. It will likely last another 10 years or so. Not awful but I expect longevity from the best equipment I can buy.
Good advice 👍 I always clean the deck with long 3 foot air gun nozzle tube with 3” 45 degree bend flattened tip for cutting air stream on end too reach under deck . 80 psi pressure . I keep a big pile of wood chips on the property that you can drive the edge of deck into too blast the deck out clean when mowing heavy wet grass . Works really good 👍
Interesting, using wood chips to blast clean the grass. I bet that works really well. I haven't head of that method before. Great tip! I could use a similar air nozzle.
Keep on tractoring!
A RITTER BIT WILL DO Farmers friend of mine uses dry corn . Drives into pile . Cleans deck spotless . They use dry corn for blasting electrical sub stations also . Pine cones in a pile work really good also .
Stephen Rhodesian ridgeback 77 I’ve heard of walnut shells for blasting medium in sand blasters so the concept makes perfect sense.
A RITTER BIT WILL DO 👍👍
Grass is almost always wet here except for mabey at 3 pm before the afternoon rain hits .If you are mowing lots of lawns your going to be mowing wet grass and around here this grass that clumps up. Some lawns are a lot of sand and it just blast the paint off. I have to clean the deck after every day here .the grass clippings accumulate on top of the mower that also rust out the deck .
I run over sticks and pine cones to keep grass from collecting. Does a good job.
I have a John deer 🦌 riding mower and I don’t cut the grass when it rains so it is wet and I only cut it when it is dry and I use a blower to blow off my lawn mower outside and underneath the mower I am like 👍 you I don’t like to wash 🧼 out the mower deck you have a good day
deck washout ports work great,you have to lower the deck to it's lowest setting for it to work the best
I have a Cub Cadet. Never used the deck wash for the reasons you mentioned. Drive it up a set of car ramps after each mowing & knock off the big clumps of grass with a putty knife for 5 minutes. 200 ish hours on it. Still looks brand new!!
I use the deck wash. Little trick is when you engage the blades, lower the deck to the lowest point, you'll see a noticable difference..
Interesting. You sure have taken good care of it. I need to switch to a leaf blower
I'm surprise at how well it's held up. It's been a great mower deck. Leaf blower is the way to go.
Keep on tractoring!
Use an air compressor if you have access to one, they work better at getting the grass out of all the nooks around the spindles and engine. Lot less effort. If you do use the deck wash system, let the blades spin for a few mins after you finish to dry underneath the deck.
How's she goin'? I think the answer to keeping your mower deck from rusting is to get the old grass clippings off it as soon as you can. If you use water or a leaf blower, whatever works best for you, but get the grass off the deck right away. Nice job on the painting Jon. Looks like new now!!! Take care!!
It's always hard to get that caked on grass off with just a garden hose, you almost need to pressure wash it off while its upside down. Wet grass creates acidic moisture that eats away paint and metal. I say just dry it as quickly as possibly and prevent it from getting and staying wet.
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon Right on and the blower certainly helps with the drying out part. Take care!!
Good evening Jon. I never thought about it that way, but some good points to consider. Thanks for sharing - have a Happy 4th of July weekend with your family!
Thanks and Happy Canada Day!
Keep on tractoring!
Should clean it off after each use, and you won’t have to go through all this.
I use gator blades on my 54" deck. They work great. They chop the grass a little more.
Rick VB - do you have the Gator blade part number? Always ran gators on my old Wheel Horse but never could find gators the correct size for my 54'" deck (and haven't looked for them in a few years - kind'a gave up) Thanks in advance.
@@chdinct6792 RCK54 deck is Gator G6 396-812
@@rickvb2709 Supper. Txs a lot. Going to order 3 today.
I use the Gator blades on my 60". They'rrrrre GREAT!
btw i had a deck wash system on 1st deck used it every cut . they are a gimmick , i spray high pressure hose under deck with blades at all angles for 10 mins , then i lift up mower and wipe clean , most times still clumps of grass still on .
A thought for the end of season maintenance, would be to clean up any surface rust or pitting, retouch with paint ( if desired) then Use a one time application of a Spray on Bedliner, or send it out to be done.
Bed liner is not something you want to do unless it’s a virgin deck. If the rust can’t breathe it will eventually go all the way through. Using a rust stopper is a better option most times. Too bad they no longer do magnesium decks.
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@RhondaHill-mi7cw
0 seconds ago
I too have a Cub Cadet zero-turn 60 inch mower with a deck wash system that I cut 3 acres of grass with at a time and I can assure you that it removes all of the build up of dirt, mulched grass, and grass clippings since I get under the mower every couple of months to check and sharpen the blades and it is immaculately clean under it.
I also keep it greased as required.
Drying it properly is crucial and the process is to quick-connect a hose in each of the two sides, one after the other, and engage the mower blades and run for 10 minutes on each side and then after the wash is complete to run the mower blades for 10 minutes to dry.
My machine is 11 years old and there is not a speck of rust.
Ahh, interesting, gotta try that. Thanks
I'm the same - I clean off with the leaf blower after every mowing. Takes seconds and works well. My mower deck is pretty clean and when I sharpen my blades I give it a quick scrape with a plastic scraper and it all falls off. I also try to never mow when its wet.
When I got my setup I asked the mechanic who was giving me an overview his thoughts on the garden hose clean attachments. He said people love them and he knows people who do it after almost every mowing. I said I have concerns about it and he said I never said it was a good idea - it's easy repeat work for him!
I was a bit surprised how little surface rust I had after 5 years of doing absolute nothing to the underside of the deck. Using a leaf blower is a method that made sense to me and it seems to have proven to work well. I was actually considering getting a new mower deck if I needed it but after seeing how well it's holding up I'll be good for a long long time.
Keep on tractoring!
Primer or spray paint travels easily and could have easily gotten on your truck. 31 years ago a coworker was working on my 1979 Mustang Indy Pace Car and he painted a car in the next garage separated by a brick wall but with an opening the size of a large house brick. My Mustang got candy apple metallic overspray all over it and dried before he realized what happened. I was mad.
Been there done that when I painted my fence a couple summers ago. I got everything within 100 yards coated with white overspray. Had both Explorer and truck out in the driveway, tractor in the yard. I got everything! Since then I've paid attention to which way the wind was blowing. Boy I was mad myself. I even got the mailbox across the street. I was a mess, paid to have the Explorer detailed. Ugh!
Keep on tractoring!
I'm buying a new Kubota and I asked the dealer if they'd seen any problems in their workshop with the cast aluminium spindles. The dealer just said "don't wash the deck" because you'll eventually wash the lubricant out of the bushings and spindles. Blow it clean. I'll use a blower tip with the air compressor behind it like I do with my old mower.
Glad to hear dealers are giving the same advice.
Keep on tractoring!
I ALWAY USE MY LEAF BLOWER AFTER EACH USE AND TRY TO ONLY CUT THE GRASS WHEN DRY. I STILL GET A BUILD UP BECAUSE GRASS ALWAYS HAS A MOISTURE CONTENT TO IT EVEN WHEN DRY. THE HIGH SPEED OF THE BLADES SMASHING IT INTO THE DECK MAKES IT STICK. ALSO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE GRASS LOOKS DRY BUT IS STILL SLIGHTLY WET. THE BLOWER IS BETTER THAN WASHING IT. IF THEY WOULD TEFLON COAT THE DECK THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING. I DOUBT THAT WILL EVER HAPPEN.
Funny, I use my blower to clean my deck too. I thought I was the only one to do this.
It's the best way. 👍
Keep on tractoring!
You should wash it every 3 years to help slow down rusting
Those blades look like they are completely beat up
They still cut
Keep on tractoring!
Nice video Jon. Makes great sense to me. Take care and enjoy your week.
Why don’t the mower companies make a stainless steel deck. I know I would buy one!
Great job and good information.
Looks good John
nice weather , but even when i cut DRY GRASS ,very dry , underneath i have compacted wet clumps , i wash and leave to air dry.
Good video I will do that from now on I own a Kubota as well
How long did the paint job hold up?
I did that to my Deere and after the second cut, it was pretty much back to where I started.
P.s. I use a plastic putty knife to scrape the grass off of my deck after every other cutting (or so)
It held up for an entire season of mowing and I just sharpened the blades this spring and it’s still in good shape.
Keep on tractoring!
Gallon of Zep concentrate 1 gallon mixed in a 1-gallon sprayer works good.
its a proven fact that water is a bearings worst enemy followed by dirt. i never power wash a mower deck. i use an air compressor to blow off the deck. i used a power washer for a few years and i was constantly replacing idler pulleys and spindle bearings. once i quit washing it the problems disappeared. i also hand pack my spindle bearings using kabota polyurea grease. its a severe duty grease that won't break down like regular grease. those spindle bearing have plastic covers and greasing a spindle fitting is a total waste of time. so is removing the inner covers. the grease gun will force the outer covers to blow out leaving the bearings open to water and dirt. i also totally clean under the deck. sand it, and apply 2 good coats of easy slide. works great at repelling water and grass. i just do it once a season. a gallon goes a long way on a 46 in deck. probably get at least 7-10 coatings. either brush it or roll it and its good. the only other thing that would protect the deck is to rubber coat it. just like a bead blaster cabinet. rubber is not affected by blasting silicate beads. so if there is a way I'd do it. maybe line x would work well. if those manufacturers put a bonded smooth rubber coating approx 1/8 thick on these decks there wouldn't be any need for coatings of any kind just a periodic cleaning. everything would bounce right off. try sand blasting a rubber tire. it doesn't affect it.
I clean my mower deck,with pressure washer,let it dry then use a brush and lput old motor oil on it,just on bottom or deck,then put it away for winter
I agree with Scott Morgan! My Cub Cadet is 10 years old with no build up. You need to use the washout after every mowing just as described by Scott. After a good five min. of washing, I turn off the water and run the mower an additional five min. to air dry the deck!
Keep your blade spindles greased and you should have no problems.
Blow my deck off after each use with my air hose. Thanks for sharing! People using a hose to rise their mower makes me cringe. Wish those rattle cans of kubota orange were about half the cost 😬
I get rattle cans of Kubota orange at Fleet Farm for $5 a can. I think the brand is OLD 55. They match perfectly!
Keep on tractoring!
A RITTER BIT WILL DO Pheasant Lane Farm on UA-cam did a video comparing 4 or 5 different Kubota orange paints. It’s a good video and a newer channel that features an L series Kubota.
I always wash the underside of my mower. After i'm done, I'll run the mower to try and get it dry underneath.
Really like ur channel It’s very clean and to the point
Disagree with using a leaf blower to clean the underside of your mower deck. If you cut wet grass, then let the mower sit for a week or two, the grass will dry out and stick to it like glue, no blower will blow that off!! I usually have to use paint scraper blades and metal wire brushes to get that grass off.
Good morning just a thought but would that degreaser affect the serpentine belts at all? I would highly consider removing the belts before putting any of these products on as it may deteriorate the belt.
I operate a 32’ walk behind from A company that has been out of business for about eight years called Better Outdoor Products.
Great Mower!!! Parts are becoming difficult to locate.
I love the comments from people that say don’t mow wet grass.
They obviously do not live in the Northeast.
I am in the southern part of New Jersey and the springtime is the absolute worst.
Even if I cut the grass in the late afternoon or early evening when all of the moisture has been dried off by the wind or the sun the moisture content inside the grass is so high that it clumps up and sticks to the underside of my deck to the point where I have to stop every 5 to 10 minutes and scrape it out with a putty knife otherwise I leave huge clumps behind as it falls off.
I didn't think of the degreaser effecting the belt and rubber is pretty resistant to just about everything. I haven't noticed any issues.
Yes, you're right about wet grass. You can't avoid it. Especially in the spring because of the high moisture content in the grass.
Thanks for watching!
Keep on tractoring!
In the beginning of your presentation, you said that you have never sharpened your blades, and towards the end you said you sharpened your blades every year!! And you want me to believe your story about the leaf blower 😂😂😂
I read to spray WD-40 under the deck to prevent rust.
WD-40 is a very poor rust preventative, and even poorer lubricant. WD stands for water displacement. It useful for removing tar from the paint on your car. Clean the deck with scraper and wire brush thoroughly. Then use Fuid Film or Blaster Surface Shield on it. That will help prevent rust and grass from sticking.
You should not pressure wash your deck or tractor or motor on
a zero turn. I use foam degresser then just water from a garden hose. with a pressure washer were water should not be forced into. Electric connector are not water proof and a lot of wires from the engine. When your done let it run part throttle and put in sun and use a leaf blower to get the water off asap.
My mower deck is old it's like my tractor 1999 Kubota B2400 bst HST ,never wash it presher washer .Im old stild che the blade 3 times cause of rocks .
IF YOU DO CLEAN YOUR DECK AFTER REMOVED, USE A BED LIKER TO PREVENT RUST.
The quick connect for the deck wash isn't effective that much compared to removing the deck, cleaning the grass off, and repainting it.
How do you come up with the 70-80% of the paint still on? I'm seeing about 50%. Paint it, then coat it with a non-stick slick product so grass doesn't stick. Oh, keep those blades sharp! Those blades look quite bad. You will totally see a difference in the cut. Now for cleaning... you've never run over wet grass? Or tall grass with plenty of moisture in it? The bearings are sealed. That and don't point the hose directly at the bearings. Those deck wash things are made to be used each time you mow. That way it doesn't build up and can't be washed off as easily. I power wash my deck all the time, both sides. Sharpen the blades about every 5-10 hours. (got 6+ acres) My deck looks better than yours... with many more hours than yours.
You are right. Those deck wash systems don't work very good. What I do is use a scraper tool and clean all you can with it and then finish up pressure wash the rest then spray the under deck with WD40.
Even if you do the deck port washer like recommended it still don't clean it completely. My problem is getting the left port washer to work. I can get off the mower and push and hold the adapter in and it will work but if I'm on the tractor it will not release the water under the deck. Something is defective on that attachment with the check valve on it.
Off topic but what year is your Ford and how many miles does it have? Love the older trucks.
It’s a 99 with 65,000 miles. I love it too but wish it was set up for towing a little more than 7990 pounds. With the price of a new one these days I don’t think I’ll be upgrading anytime soon.
Keep on tractoring!
@@ritterjon Wow very low miles for the year.
@@TheShowtime85 I don’t drive it much at all but I need it at times mainly to haul my tractor and whatever else I put in a trailer. It there when I need it and it’s never let me down. I certainly can’t replace it for what I paid for it.
Great video. Informative. Other comments are great too.