Blade height vs deck height

[Midniteoyl]

Hey guys.. thought I had a membership here from years ago, but guess not.

Anyways, I was wondering what the normal blade height to deck height should be. I have a Gizmow ZTR (Hi @FarmerCharlie ) and while servicing the deck and looking at the blades, I noticed they were shimmed to be dead even with the bottom of the deck. Having never actually taken notice before, I started wondering if this was the best/normal way? It's a fabricated, 7ga, non-mulching deck.

Thanks

 

[bertsmobile1]

It all depnds upon the flow characterists of the deck.
Some decks will allow you to vary the height of the blade via spacers that can go either under or over the blades.
Cub 2000 series and Great Danes come to mind instantly.
This basically converts the decks from throw to bad to mulch depending upon the blade height.

 

[Carscw]

All my snappers ru this set up.
I run my blades at the bottom of the deck.
Gives the best cut even when mulching or bagging.
If your yard is sandy or very dry then lift the blades up around a inch from the bottom. So you don't suk the sand up and blast the blades.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Funny that you mention Great Dane as this thing uses their spindle housings, modified with a hollow shaft (ala Scag). It does have three 3/16" spacers currently on top of the blades. Are you saying that leaving them shimmed this way (even to the bottom of the deck) provides better throw?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Try it yourself.
Running all the spacers at bottom gives the widest throw, even better if you lift the flap.
Running in the middle with Gators gives a really good mulch, even better with the discharge chute blocked off but it will eat blades
Running at the top throws strong & strait so suits bagging.
This is what the customers I have with Danes tell me .
It is a PIA as I service 9 of them now and every one has the blades set to a different height.
The 14 customers with 2000 series Cubs are the same although most like them at the bottom because they like to cut the grass really short but at the bottom they scalp like you would not believe so it is new deck rollers every couple of years.
The farmers with big street frontages like them really high so they don't break all of the beer bottles the filthy morons toss out of their cars.
I do around 2 miles of verge and usually collect 4 to 6 dozen beer bottles every mow.

However the airflow under your deck will determine exactly how yours works so experiment.
It is only a matter of 3 or 4 bolts.
Let us know what you find out.

 

[Midniteoyl]

All my snappers ru this set up.
I run my blades at the bottom of the deck.
Gives the best cut even when mulching or bagging.
If your yard is sandy or very dry then lift the blades up around a inch from the bottom. So you don't suk the sand up and blast the blades.

Definitely sand. Soft, get your truck buried sand in some parts...


@bertsmobile1 - Thanks, will experiment.