Discharge Cover Evaluation

[RustyBoy]

For those thinking about the optional Gravely discharge cover, I bought one and installed it. You remove the discharge chute and a small baffle held by two screws to install the discharge cover. I tried it and like it for the most part, especially because it reduces the width of the deck since the chute is removed. Where I have lush green grass, the clippings pretty much stay where they are cut. But for drier grass and areas that have sparse grass, it creates a lot of clippings and dust flying about on me and the mower. So I decided to remove the discharge cover and return to the chute. May consider a mulching kit if I read positive feedback about it.

 

[djdicetn]

For those thinking about the optional Gravely discharge cover, I bought one and installed it. You remove the discharge chute and a small baffle held by two screws to install the discharge cover. I tried it and like it for the most part, especially because it reduces the width of the deck since the chute is removed. Where I have lush green grass, the clippings pretty much stay where they are cut. But for drier grass and areas that have sparse grass, it creates a lot of clippings and dust flying about on me and the mower. So I decided to remove the discharge cover and return to the chute. May consider a mulching kit if I read positive feedback about it.

I wondered about how well just putting a plug on the chute opening would work(without the other baffles and mulch blades). I installed the Gravely mulch kit on my Pro-Turn 152 and I love it!!! There may be a small amount of airborne clippings and/or dust but I don't think it is any more than when I was using the factory discharge cover. The main benefit I have noticed is the complete absence of grass clippings when I am done mowing(and absolutely no windrows like when I side-discharged. It also seems to collect less clippings, etc. underneath the deck and cleans up easier and quicker when I'm done mowing than before. Personally, I highly recommend the Gravely mulch kit.

 

[RustyBoy]

Well the discharge cover works like a plug and the clippings are strewn about under the deck. But the mulch kit you mentioned may be the way to go. I'll have to try a couple more mows before making the decision. Did you install your mulch kit? If so, is there much work to do so? Received my mower jack from Harbor Freight this afternoon but haven't assembled it yet.

 

[djdicetn]

Well the discharge cover works like a plug and the clippings are strewn about under the deck. But the mulch kit you mentioned may be the way to go. I'll have to try a couple more mows before making the decision. Did you install your mulch kit? If so, is there much work to do so? Received my mower jack from Harbor Freight this afternoon but haven't assembled it yet.

I installed it in a couple of hours(a lot of that time was scraping and power washing the deck belly before the actual installation. Used my MoJack and it was not a very difficult installation. When I bought it at the end of last summer the MSRP was $187 and my dealer sold it to me at the 2012 price($156). He's been real good to me since I bought my ZTR(sells me anything I want/need at his commercial customer prices) as I also purchased the bimini sunshade and the hex striper kit. I have only mowed a couple of times since installing the striper kit but so far I'm impressed.

 

[RustyBoy]

Are the blades different for the mulching unit? I've seen mention of a striper kit but what is it for?

 

[djdicetn]

Are the blades different for the mulching unit? I've seen mention of a striper kit but what is it for?

Yes, the mulching kit comes with the baffles for enclosing each of the three blades and Gravely mulch blades. A striper kit is designed to get that effect you see on baseball fields, etc. where it appears to have alternating dark/light stripes in the lawn when you are finished mowing. That is achieved by having a roller at the rear of the mower(or rubber flap mounted across the rear of the deck that is 1"-2" lower than where the blades cut the grass). That "bends" the remaining grass blades in one direction, then the next pass in the other direction. It's the science of how the sunlight reflects on the grass blades that make them appear dark or light depending on whether they are bent towards you or away from you. If you go to the Landscaping forums you will find some threads(one is called "Striping....gotta love it") where users have posted some pictures. You can get a "mild" striping effect without a striping kit by doing something called "heeling the deck". It explains this in my Pro-Turn 152 owner's manual. When leveling the deck, you adjust the outside blade tips where they are exactly the same distance from the ground with the blade tips pointed East/West(towards the sides of the deck) and then you make an adjustment with the blade tips pointing North/South(towards the front and rear of the deck). Most manufacturers will recommend having the front blade tips approx. 1/4" lower than the rear blade tips. This is the normal setting anfd provides a balance of quality cut and requires less engine power. When "heeling" the deck, you do just the opposite(you set the front blade tips 1/4" HIGHER than the rear blade tips). This allows the cutting edge of the blades to slightly bend the grass blades. It will be a nicer looking quality cut, but will require more engine power. Most ZTR's nowadays have the power to spare.

 

[RustyBoy]

Thanks for the explanation. I was thinking the striping kit was something that spread a white stripe of powder or something at the outer edge of the deck.