Ideas on cleaning under deck

[Mad Mackie]

In the 70s when I was a power equipment and outboard mech, they had a steam cleaner and for a while used it on mower decks. Although it did a good job cleaning mower decks a lot of water got into the spindle housings and caused problems so the yard crew only used it on boat bottoms. I prefer to not use water on mower decks but this is just my opinion.
I just changed the blades on my Tiger Cub and there was a lot of sand abrasion due to the dry conditions here in CT. One of my Ingersoll GTs had abrasion holes in several parts of the deck and the blower housing, lot of hours mowing rocky, rooty, stumpy, and sandy yards!!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:biggrin::smile::laughing:

 

[Rivets]

In the 70's the bearings and jackshafts were not sealed like they are today. We tell customers to pressure wash all their decks, even 72" kubota's and have not had any problems. The mixture of today's fertilizer, chopped up grass and just scraping is worse that cleaning with water. No matter how you clean it the deck MUST be maintained properly (greased and lubed) or it will not last as long as it should.

 

[Mad Mackie]

No doubt there have been improvements over the years. Fabricated decks with flat plate are nasty enough to clean by hand, the stamped decks with the curves are nastier by hand so I can surely understand pressure washing them. I replaced the bearings in my Ingersoll decks at 500 hour intervals when using them commercially. Very easy deck to remove and service. I installed grease fittings in the spindle housings and Ingersoll eventually put them in their cast iron replacement spindle housings. A friend commercially mowed with two 80s Simplicity GTs and I replaced two decks for him on two of his machines. He did fertilizer which I don't do normally and the fertilizer contributed to the corrosion of the decks. He got very sick from spreading fertilizer for his customers and got out of the business. He never wore a dust mask while spreading fertilizer, not a good thing to do. I wear a dust mask all the time especially with a new customer!!!!
Mad Mackie in dusty CT!!!!

 

[dnewton3]

Unfortunately, I've found that the only way to clean any mower deck decently is the good ol' fassioned way of scraping.

I've done the fluid film coatings and such similar stuff and not had much luck.

I have the ability to raise the front of my Scag with a hoist in the barn, so it's easy for me to lift and clean.

 

[redfish9]

Washing the deck top and bottom is a standard daily norm in my shop.I use water and let it dry in the sun before i put them away

 

[Mad Mackie]

Today was a play day for Mad Mackie and I ran into an old frend who winters in Florida and just got back to CT. He had owned a lawn care business with 15-20 employees and sold it about 10 years back and we got chatting about stuff. The topic of mowers and maintenance came up but we didn't discuss deck underside cleaning. Next week we have a lunch date and I will get his opinion on deck cleaning. He's not happy with the cold weather here and may go back to FL for another month or so!!!
Mad Mackie in CT

 

[chessman7]

I have a 61 inch turf tiger and I use a paint/scraper to clean underneath the deck. I am mainly concerned with getting the big clumps off the deck and I do not worry about being clean. Really only gets clumped up on bottom if I have been cutting wet grass which I do not do often.

 

[Coyote Machine]

I just started using Mo-Deck and it is supposed to turn the underside into a smooth as glass non- stick surface as well as blower impellers, etc. Supposedly it gets better with multiple coatings. I don't have any prior experience with it but I'm throwing it into the ring for people to try, after thoroughly cleaning the deck by hand, with a large scraper or a nail pull flatbar with the curved end.
I too don't like to use a pressure washer if I don't have to because of paint removal and possible other damage to bearings, etc. But, allowing grass, especially wet grass to clog up the deck/ baffles and blower chutes/ impellers is hardly satisfactory either.:confused2:
I don't like to cut wet grass, but here in New England is there anything but either tall wet grass or dry as a bone conditions? I like to say we go from Monsoon season, now, to desert without the oasis!:thumbdown:
I will post back my results once I retrieve my machine from the embankment it decided to make a sharp right turn on this afternoon and gradually, as I tried to recover the controls, slipped down and went nose first against a tree and boulder! YIKES! I did have time to stop the blades on the descent, and was NOT able to wear my seat-belt because earlier when I tried to put it on before mowing this section it would not release more than a few inches from the holder. I tried to engage it numerous times and gave up; putting it on my brain's side burner while I continued to mow. I knew the embankment because its tried to get me before so I was being careful, but the mower just suddenly decided to take a sharp right, and it was so steep I could not even attempt to stop.
I could barely walk up the slope it was so steep. I left it with the key in the ignition. I will go back tomorrow, remove the bags, release the hydraulic motors and attempt to pull it backwards up the hill with my Kioti tractor's logging winch. I'm really hoping not to do any damage to the lawn near the bank, but the situation will dictate the outcome. With a 8,000lb pull strength with the clamshell snatch-block attached to a nearby cherry tree trunk I should be able to get her out without too much trouble. having said that we'll see what happens.

Wish me luck!:thumbsup::wink:

 

[Mad Mackie]

I've come close to getting stuck several times. Having mowed with high end GTs commercially for years I had a tough time getting accustomed to my ZTR and lost control several times. With no steering control of the front wheels I find that I cannot trim as close as I did with GTs and slipped off the edge several times.
I have learned to stay away from the areas where I can get my ZTR stuck. I bring a push mower in my trailer and use it in the nasty areas where I don't go with the ZTR.
I may install the deck and collection system on my Ingersoll 4018 and use it this summer, but not until I have hauled all the cut/split wood out of several customers back woods areas, gotta come up a nasty hill. Customers are next to each other.
As for cleaning the deck, I do it dry with thick SnapOn scrapers with wood handles. The friend that I mentioned in an earlier post went back to FL and won't be back until it gets warmer and stays warmer here in CT!!!!
I tried the Mo-Deck spray and was not impressed and the fumes WOW!!!!!!

 

[mcasey]

I feel the same. Washing it regularly will be good. However, i do not have much idea to explore. Therefore, cleaning the deck with this typical idea.

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