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Buying a new deck for my Toro Timecutter 4235 and they are not cheap. I did my best efforts to keep it clean and grass free, and never cut wet grass, but alas, 5 years later, the deck is literally rusting apart. So whats the general consensus on pretreatment before I install the new one. I'm thinking automotive undercoating or even truck bed liner paint. What to y'all think?

tackleberry said:

Buying a new deck for my Toro Timecutter 4235 and they are not cheap. I did my best efforts to keep it clean and grass free, and never cut wet grass, but alas, 5 years later, the deck is literally rusting apart. So whats the general consensus on pretreatment before I install the new one. I'm thinking automotive undercoating or even truck bed liner paint. What to y'all think?

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Moisture will get between the undercoating or bed liner and make it rust faster.
Blow the outside of the mower off after each mowing. Compressed air or a leaf blower works well.
Frequently scrape the debris from the under side of the deck. I scrape the underside of my deck about every 12 hours of use. I put on sharp blades at the same time. You could apply used motor oil, Fluid Film, or a graphite spray to the under side of the deck. These coatings won’t last long because, the grass and sand will remove them pretty quick.

My 2014 Toro 4260 still had like new look under the deck in 2021, when I sold it..

I sprayed it with (cheap)Cooking oil, now I use Fluid Film. But they never let it rust.

99% of corrosion is caused by moisture, so I would find the cause of your problem before doing anything with a new deck. With only a 5 year life you definitely have a problem. I’ve got a 20 year old Toro tractor and don’t have one sign of any rust. First question I have; is it rusting from the top down or bottom up?

Rivets said:

99% of corrosion is caused by moisture, so I would find the cause of your problem before doing anything with a new deck. With only a 5 year life you definitely have a problem. I’ve got a 20 year old Toro tractor and don’t have one sign of any rust. First question I have; is it rusting from the top down or bottom up?

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Well i have to store it outside in very humid florida weather..i keep it covered and keep the top clean but in my experience decks do not last long here no matter what you do. The Deck is 2015 DECK so its actually 8 years old....i've only had it five years myself.

Well I think you answered your own question. I keep it covered in a humid climate. If you feel you need it covered, try to NOT enclose the deck so air can easily circulate over the deck. If there are areas on the top of the deck which collect water, try drilling a small hole in those ares so the water can drain, and keep those areas free of debris.

tackleberry said:

Well i have to store it outside in very humid florida weather..i keep it covered and keep the top clean but in my experience decks do not last long here no matter what you do. The Deck is 2015 DECK so its actually 8 years old....i've only had it five years myself.

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paint bubbling up...cheap paint and thin decks.....I have seen a john deer a couple of years old losing their paint, garaged or not. MTD products (Troy-bilt) not much better

using fluid film on this deck....now...

I have been tempted to use an automotive ceramic "wax" under the deck of mowers to keep grass from sticking. Don't know how long the coating would last under abrasive conditions.

When I bought a plastic EGo mower I used a Turtle Wax plastic treatment I have used on my motorcycle. It held up pretty good. All I have to do is wash the deck out and spray again. Water activates this stuff.

park it uncovered where the sun can hit it daily. I have a 1980 Case and the deck is still as solid as the day I bought it ..... . .

tackleberry said:

using fluid film on this deck....now...

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Me too, But also have good sucess using non-stick cooking oil spray.. (cheaper too)...

GrumpyCat said:

I have been tempted to use an automotive ceramic "wax" under the deck of mowers to keep grass from sticking. Don't know how long the coating would last under abrasive conditions.

When I bought a plastic EGo mower I used a Turtle Wax plastic treatment I have used on my motorcycle. It held up pretty good. All I have to do is wash the deck out and spray again. Water activates this stuff.

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I happened to be at Harbot Freight the other day and caught a sale on Maguires ceramic wax after seeing your post. I have tried most of the other suggestions like fluid film and none impressed me but the ceramic wax actually did work......that is there was very little build up, very little scraping. Im sure it will ned to be reapplied every month but it's easier than scraping.