Lawnmower Blades

["J"]

Maybe I am thinking wrong but the only reason I didn't get mulching blades yet is because I use mine as a brush hog often, especially down on the farm. Getting clogs in the chute with all the tall grass and bogging down the mower was my concern. Don't care about leaving long cut grass trails behind, that doesn't concern me. Around the house I would definitely like a mulching set, maybe next summer after Allen is in college LOL! He's my tall grass rake for now!

I put a blocking plate on my chute and use the high lift gator blades. No issue and i run over lots of stuff that I probably shouldn’t…. Blades last a season, and I mow a 3/4 mile long driveway with2 passes on each side average. Not counting the acre at the house.

 

[Big_Holla]

Well here is the update in changing out the blades on the mower. Looks like I found the culprits for the reason I was getting tall grass stripes as I mowed LOL!

I’d say they got a little thin and perhaps a touch out of balance LOL!

here they are all mounted and ready to go. Boy did they cut nice! Guess I should have gotten new ones a year or two ago LOL!

 

["J"]

There’s getting your monies worth then there’s this

check them at the end of season, they’ll at least need sharpened if not changed out again….

 

[Big_Holla]

There’s getting your monies worth then there’s this

check them at the end of season, they’ll at least need sharpened if not changed out again….

I used to swap the 2 sets of 3 each year, sometimes mid summer. Got well over 20 years on those 2 sets and they always balanced when I put them back on. Yeah they kinda looked like sickle's after I got them sharpened each time the last few years though and certainly pushed them beyond their intended limits.

 

[giles]

Gonna be hitting shit with all the extra metal.

 

["J"]

Gonna be hitting shit with all the extra metal.

Or maybe switch too a brush hog

 

[Big_Holla]

Gonna be hitting shit with all the extra metal.

Gotta go BEASTMODE on the brush soon!!

Or maybe switch too a brush hog

Hmm, someone should invent something like that?!?!

 

[Hedgelj]

So I want a spare set for my bad boy maverick. Is OEM or secondary better? Brick and mortar or online?

I don't need mulching ones.

 

[bowhunter1023]

These bad boys showed up yesterday. Should make a huge difference given the current set came from the factory a good 7-8 years ago. Hoping to swap them out this weekend and we'll see how they perform.

 

[ThatBuckeyeGuy]

So I want a spare set for my bad boy maverick. Is OEM or secondary better? Brick and mortar or online?

I don't need mulching ones.

I commented on the other thread but oem from where you bought it in my opinion at least for badboy stuff

 

["J"]

These bad boys showed up yesterday. Should make a huge difference given the current set came from the factory a good 7-8 years ago. Hoping to swap them out this weekend and we'll see how they perform.

View attachment 152311

That’s what I use. Haven’t been disappointed yet.

 

[hickslawns]

@Hedgelj I am not afraid to run blades which are not OEM. Done it for years. Check thickness of blade. Sometimes they are cheaper but it is because they are thinner and therefore easier to bend one. I've run Oregon and a few others. Seems Oregon or Stens brands are pretty common aftermarket blades which hold up. Copperhead is the brand I just ordered. Too soon to know.

If you guys change up the blades, take notice of rpm. Some blades suck a bit of horsepower. If you are 22-25-30hp you might not notice. If you have a 10-15hp mower it might be more noticeable. I'd be curious to hear if anyone notices a power difference with the gator blades or hi-lift.

 

[giles]

I'm all for local.

 

[Big_Holla]

There isn't much around us that is what I'd consider local that would have the stuff I need. Perhaps by work I could pick things up if needed and they had in stock. I resort to on-line when I am in a pinch and don't have the time to monkey around, driving around or don't want to pay the extra mark-up for the same item. On-line research on qualities and reviews is priceless though.

 

[Big_Holla]

If you guys change up the blades, take notice of rpm. Some blades suck a bit of horsepower. If you are 22-25-30hp you might not notice. If you have a 10-15hp mower it might be more noticeable. I'd be curious to hear if anyone notices a power difference with the gator blades or hi-lift.

So the last few years I haven't had to run our mower much myself but I swear it used to rev up when I engaged the mower blades. It doesn't now and to me (even before the new blades) it sounds like it isn't mowing with the power it used to. Is there often some sort of contraption (don't really know what to call it?) that when the blades are engaged on some mowers it increases the HP output??

 

["J"]

So the last few years I haven't had to run our mower much myself but I swear it used to rev up when I engaged the mower blades. It doesn't now and to me (even before the new blades) it sounds like it isn't mowing with the power it used to. Is there often some sort of contraption (don't really know what to call it?) that when the blades are engaged on some mowers it increases the HP output??

When was the last tune up? Fuel filter, air filter and spark plug(s)?

 

[Big_Holla]

When was the last tune up? Fuel filter, air filter and spark plug(s)?

Last summer. Was like that then too after, just got to thinking more about it now that I've spent more time on the mower this year than my lil helper Allen.

 

[Big_Holla]

Actually replaced plug wires too then.

 

[hickslawns]

New deck belt? Is your idler pulley moving freely?

 

[Big_Holla]

New deck belt? Is your idler pulley moving freely?

No, the deck belt is older. Not sure on the idler pulley, will pull the covers off and take a look this weekend. I still swear you actually heard the engine increase in speed when you turned the deck on though...maybe I'm just mistaken. Guess it could be just a worn belt but don't hear any friction or squealing.