Mulch Kit Cost - Yikes!

[TractorLarry]

While I was on the phone ordering some parts yesterday, I inquired about the cost of the Mulch Kit for the GT-48" Deck the Cub has.

Yikes!

The insert for the bottom of the deck alone was $140! Plus blades, plus plug!

The kit isn't available any longer, so they have to sell it piece by piece.

Not ready for that

He said I could basically just toss a set of Gator-Blades on it and forget about the rest and I'd be fine.

Anyone here done that? What were the results?

Also, a guy at sears told me that since mulching blades are built stronger than standard blades, if you hit a root or something bad enough it can snap the camshaft in the engine.

At first I thought that was a load of huey, but the more I think about it the more I can see the possiblilty. Any thoughts?

-Larry

[Rudi]

Larry:

Also, a guy at sears told me that since mulching blades are built stronger than standard blades, if you hit a root or something bad enough it can snap the camshaft in the engine.

Well, ifn you hit a root hard enough to stop them blades and then transmit enough torque up through the spindles and enough to say bend the pulleys far enough to stretch the belt which in turn may be enough to actually bend the pulley and crankshaft on the engine.. I would say either you are trying to use you deck as a scarifier or you are trying to make mulch out of a standing tree.....

I do not see how hitting a root on a riding mower can bend a crankshaft. On a push mower, that might be in the realm of possibility and almost a certainty ifn you hit a really big mean rock... but not on a ride-on. The belt is gonna snap first. The worst you can do is destroy as spindle..


DON"T ASK HOW I KNOW THAT

This guy sounds like a typical salesman.. knows enough to be dangerous and too little to be helpful.... but that is just my opinion.. I didn't talk to him...

[gitractorman]

Larry,
I previously owned a landscaping company, in the 1980s/1990s, when the mulching hype really started. Here is what I learned:

Mulching is great if you plan to keep the lawn mowed such that you only cut off about 1-inch at a time, only mow in very dry conditions, and take your time mowing. This is typically (no offense to anyone) retired folks who don't mind mowing the lawn every other day.

If you plan to mow heavy grass, wet (or even damp) grass, or if you want to mow fast, forget it. You'll plug up a mower deck every time you mow, then you'll start leaving big clumps of grass that are building up under the deck.

I have found that you can work in heavier grass and even damp grass if you mow in alternating directions, re-cutting the clippings from your previous pass. This is what commercial guys do and it essentially does the same thing as mulching, without all of the fancy blades and mulching kits, and it will not plug up the mower deck. You can also mow quite quickly since your mower is blowing the grass out to the side, allowing the deck to stay cleared out.

Now, mulching does do a great job on leaves, but again, they need to be extremely dry, and they can not be too deep. If they are damp, or too thick, mulching will not work.

[wdeturck]

[quote=
Also, a guy at sears told me that since mulching blades are built stronger than standard blades, if you hit a root or something bad enough it can snap the camshaft in the engine.

At first I thought that was a load of huey, but the more I think about it the more I can see the possiblilty. Any thoughts?

-Larry

I think the guy just got promoted out of the push mower department where this is true and you don't need a mulching blade to do it.

[TractorLarry]

I thought so too, but thing is, he was talking me OUT of more expensive blades

-Larry

Larry:

Also, a guy at sears told me that since mulching blades are built stronger than standard blades, if you hit a root or something bad enough it can snap the camshaft in the engine.

Well, ifn you hit a root hard enough to stop them blades and then transmit enough torque up through the spindles and enough to say bend the pulleys far enough to stretch the belt which in turn may be enough to actually bend the pulley and crankshaft on the engine.. I would say either you are trying to use you deck as a scarifier or you are trying to make mulch out of a standing tree.....

I do not see how hitting a root on a riding mower can bend a crankshaft. On a push mower, that might be in the realm of possibility and almost a certainty ifn you hit a really big mean rock... but not on a ride-on. The belt is gonna snap first. The worst you can do is destroy as spindle..


DON"T ASK HOW I KNOW THAT

This guy sounds like a typical salesman.. knows enough to be dangerous and too little to be helpful.... but that is just my opinion.. I didn't talk to him...

[TractorLarry]

Thanks guys, sounds great to me!

-Larry