Stamped Versus Fabricated Decks

[SCMCG]

In the old days this would be a Ford v. Chevy argument...:laughing:

I work for a Ford dealership, but drive a Chevy pickup LOL!

 

[Ric]

I see that most folks here recommend fabricated decks. I see that they are generally thicker and stronger, but what other benefits do they have? Do they actually give a better cut? I have only had stamped decks on the only two lawn tractors that I have ever owned. They both have been fine except for loading up with cut grass pretty easily.
Thanks,
Bruce

Are the Fab decks better, do they actually give a better cut? That is a debatable subject. To find out the first thing you need to do is run a comparison of the two on the same type mower if possible because you can't compare the cut from a deck off a lawn tractor with that of a ZTR. There is no comparison of those two. I never seen a lawn tractor that wouldn't plug with grass and become built up over time with a stamped or fab deck and the biggest reason for it is most likely the blade tip speed of somewhere around 13 to 15000 so trying to compare that BTS to a ZTR with an 18 to 19000 BTS is going to be hard to do. I can say that probably there is not enough difference between a stamped deck cut and a fab deck cut to even really notice. I ran two Cub Cadet Z Force ZTR's one 44"(stamped) and one 48"( Fab ) and you couldn't tell which yard was mowed by what mower, both were excellent cuts and neither one ever plug but at the same time I ran the CC LT 1045 with a 46" stamped deck and it had a fair cut for a LT but plugging up the deck and build up was a continual problem, all because it didn't have the ability to cut and throw grass as efficiently as a ZTR and they all ran a 20 or 22 hp engines.

Now the fabricated decks are generally thicker, stronger, and generally heavier than the stamped decks but because of the thicker, stronger and heavier cost more money and can cost a little more to operate. The benefits to a fab deck is that they will take more abuse than a stamped deck that's the reason most Commercial operators opt for the fab because they abuse the crap out of deck when it's used six days a week. My suggestion to you if you're a homeowner and buying a mower for a once a week deal or cut is I wouldn't worry about the stamped deck, if you take care of it like you should take care of your mower it will last you for years of cutting.

 

[Old Goat]

I'm guessing you don't think I was telling the truth in post 5?

 

[djdicetn]

Are the Fab decks better, do they actually give a better cut? That is a debatable subject. To find out the first thing you need to do is run a comparison of the two on the same type mower if possible because you can't compare the cut from a deck off a lawn tractor with that of a ZTR. There is no comparison of those two. I never seen a lawn tractor that wouldn't plug with grass and become built up over time with a stamped or fab deck and the biggest reason for it is most likely the blade tip speed of somewhere around 13 to 15000 so trying to compare that BTS to a ZTR with an 18 to 19000 BTS is going to be hard to do. I can say that probably there is not enough difference between a stamped deck cut and a fab deck cut to even really notice. I ran two Cub Cadet Z Force ZTR's one 44"(stamped) and one 48"( Fab ) and you couldn't tell which yard was mowed by what mower, both were excellent cuts and neither one ever plug but at the same time I ran the CC LT 1045 with a 46" stamped deck and it had a fair cut for a LT but plugging up the deck and build up was a continual problem, all because it didn't have the ability to cut and throw grass as efficiently as a ZTR and they all ran a 20 or 22 hp engines.

Now the fabricated decks are generally thicker, stronger, and generally heavier than the stamped decks but because of the thicker, stronger and heavier cost more money and can cost a little more to operate. The benefits to a fab deck is that they will take more abuse than a stamped deck that's the reason most Commercial operators opt for the fab because they abuse the crap out of deck when it's used six days a week. My suggestion to you if you're a homeowner and buying a mower for a once a week deal or cut is I wouldn't worry about the stamped deck, if you take care of it like you should take care of your mower it will last you for years of cutting.

Ric,
I would love for a Husqvarna dealer to let me have a YTH48K48(stamped deck) and a YT48XLS(fab deck) lawn tractor to mow side by side with!!! Even though they are lawn tractors....wouldn't that be the comparison you are eluding to???

 

[midnite rider]

In the old days this would be a Ford v. Chevy argument...:laughing:

More like Pontiac vs Cadillac. It's a "Discussion", or "fact finding mission". :thumbsup:

More like a Ranchero

vs F-350

or more like a El Camino

vs an Apache

or Light duty vs Heavy duty.​

 

[Ric]

I'm guessing you don't think I was telling the truth in post 5?

Truth has nothing to do with it, if you're referring to me. You are running the Big Dog 754 The diablo I believe and you are trying to compare it to a Toro ss5000, you are comparing a commercial mower to a residential mower, if it doesn't have a better cut I'd take the piece of junk back to the dealer. Run your comparison as I said before on the same type or classification of mower, one with a stamped deck, one with a fab and you'll find very little difference. Your 754 is a commercial mower if you want the Comparison try putting it up against the Toro Z master and find out who has the best cut. That's the type comparison you need to run.

 

[djdicetn]

Truth has nothing to do with it, if you're referring to me. You are running the Big Dog 754 The diablo I believe and you are trying to compare it to a Toro ss5000, you are comparing a commercial mower to a residential mower, if it doesn't have a better cut I'd take the piece of junk back to the dealer. Run your comparison as I said before on the same type or classification of mower, one with a stamped deck, one with a fab and you'll find very little difference. Your 754 is a commercial mower if you want the Comparison try putting it up against the Toro Z master and find out who has the best cut. That's the type comparison you need to run.

Ric,

Actually, all things considered, I would view the Big Dog R-Series ZTR as a high-end Residential ZTR comparable to a Gravely ZT HD or a Toro Titan MX. The Big Dog might hold it's own when compared to the new 2013 Gravely Pro-Turn "entry level" Commercial(between the ZT HD Residential and my Pro-Turn XDZ100 Commercial-entry level last year) or the Toro Z-Master 2000 series entry level Commercial but it would be tough for it to outweigh those two's overall specs. By all means I agree with you that a comparison of the Big Dog R754 to a SS5000 Timecutter would be apples and oranges and user Old Goat may have needed to think through that comparison a little more before posting it.

 

[Old Goat]

I did. The original question was as to cut quality.

I had a stamped deck mower for 13 years and was always aggravated with the cut.

The cut quality and the absence of cleaning a fabbed deck leaves me in awe.

And although Toro does not even state what the blade tip speed is, one would assume that a ZTR with the same engine as the one I have would be somewhere in the ballpark of being the same.

 

[Brucebotti]

Are the Fab decks better, do they actually give a better cut? That is a debatable subject. To find out the first thing you need to do is run a comparison of the two on the same type mower if possible because you can't compare the cut from a deck off a lawn tractor with that of a ZTR. There is no comparison of those two. I never seen a lawn tractor that wouldn't plug with grass and become built up over time with a stamped or fab deck and the biggest reason for it is most likely the blade tip speed of somewhere around 13 to 15000 so trying to compare that BTS to a ZTR with an 18 to 19000 BTS is going to be hard to do. I can say that probably there is not enough difference between a stamped deck cut and a fab deck cut to even really notice. I ran two Cub Cadet Z Force ZTR's one 44"(stamped) and one 48"( Fab ) and you couldn't tell which yard was mowed by what mower, both were excellent cuts and neither one ever plug but at the same time I ran the CC LT 1045 with a 46" stamped deck and it had a fair cut for a LT but plugging up the deck and build up was a continual problem, all because it didn't have the ability to cut and throw grass as efficiently as a ZTR and they all ran a 20 or 22 hp engines.

Now the fabricated decks are generally thicker, stronger, and generally heavier than the stamped decks but because of the thicker, stronger and heavier cost more money and can cost a little more to operate. The benefits to a fab deck is that they will take more abuse than a stamped deck that's the reason most Commercial operators opt for the fab because they abuse the crap out of deck when it's used six days a week. My suggestion to you if you're a homeowner and buying a mower for a once a week deal or cut is I wouldn't worry about the stamped deck, if you take care of it like you should take care of your mower it will last you for years of cutting.

Ric,
Thanks for the great answer. It was very well explained and even I can understand it now....:laughing:

Couldn't you improve the cut on a lawn tractor by increasing the tip speed using different pullies? Of course I realize that there may be other issues to take into consideration.

Thanks again for the explanation!
Bruce

 

[djdicetn]

I did. The original question was as to cut quality.

I had a stamped deck mower for 13 years and was always aggravated with the cut.

The cut quality and the absence of cleaning a fabbed deck leaves me in awe.

And although Toro does not even state what the blade tip speed is, one would assume that a ZTR with the same engine as the one I have would be somewhere in the ballpark of being the same.

Old Goat,
Cut quality.....good point in that a lot of people will think they will get the same cut quality spending $3,000 on a ZTR that those who spent $6,000 get. And as far as longevity for those two categories of ZTR's.....two $3,000 ZTR's do NOT = 1 $6,000 ZTR(in the time that 2 $3k's last end-to-end versus the time that 1 $6k lasts either).