Mower deck protection.

john in la · May 30, 2015

How do you protect the under side of your mower deck from rust?

One guy at work suggested "Fluid Film" and another suggested "POR15".
Since this bare deck cost $1000 I need to stay adamant about keeping it rust free.
Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Nebraska Cowman · May 30, 2015

Never mow when the grass is wet? And clean it out every time you use it.

Anonymous-0 · May 30, 2015

With the deck clean and rust brushed or scraped off I take Bed Liner in the can and paint it good.
Let it dry a day or two and coat it all over with Fluid Film, keeps the grass from sticking and keeps the rust at bay.

JerryS · May 30, 2015

Never mow when grass is wet? In Louisiana? Sixteen inches at my house just this month.

Rkh · May 30, 2015

I use used motor oil on the underneath & mow when grass dry.

Two Dogs · May 30, 2015

I usually mow when it's wet. No dust or clippings blowing in my face. Then I raise my mower nearly straight up by the front axle with a hoist I rigged up using a boat winch. I hose it good all over and under and let it air dry before putting it away. About fifteen years later and no rust to speak of. Your mileage may vary. Sightly higher west of the Rockies. TDF

john in la · May 30, 2015

"Never mow when grass is wet? In Louisiana?"

So true. LOL

Texasmark1 · May 30, 2015

I have yet to have a hole rust through in a bush hog or lawnmower. Not mitigating your idea, but it may not be the snake in the grass you think it is. Course if you are in S. La. then the salt air could help it to be a problem.

Prawn Farmer · May 30, 2015

I take old paint brush and coat my Bush Hog bat-wing and wife's mower deck with easy slide graphite coating like used on grain equipment.

Bill in IL · May 30, 2015

I painted mine with POR-15 about a month ago. I was impressed with how it turned out. The first mowing after I though it mowed better. Time will tell.

OliverGuy · May 30, 2015

Paint with any oil based gloss you have laying around

jeffcat · May 30, 2015

If you want to get really crazy have the deck Powder coated. The paint stays kinda soft and is very tough. For that much bucks a little more can't hurt. I use a little hand held sand blaster from HF with drain oil in it. Just a little spray now and then and at the end of the season do a good clean down and then spry once more. Biggest thing in South Jersey is it is a giant cat box. All sand and with normal lift blades it act as a high power sand blaster. Eats the deck alive! Install what are called "sand" blades. Don't throw very far but it saves your deck.

Mike M · May 30, 2015

I wonder how the long term effects are from the deck wash kits ? As in bearing life and such.

I scrap off the large spots collected after every mowing. Works good long term. I have a front mount mower JD f725 and it raises up and I put a small jack stand under it.

Dave Sherburne, NY · May 30, 2015

I have a 1973 JD Mower, I just painted it again last winter with some John Deere graphite paint I bought several years ago. Second time I've painted it and the paint from the first time was still in pretty good shape. I think the paint is what is used to make the inside of gravity boxes slippery.

D beatty · May 30, 2015

I do nothing but keep them clean in summer and in fall clean them real good and spray them with oil.

showcrop · May 30, 2015

I have a whole lot of things to get crossed off my list before I am going to worry about keeping a mower deck from rusting. It helps that my ZTR has a heavy gauge welded deck, so it is not likely to rust before I get a bunch of projects out of my shop.

Geo-TH,In · May 30, 2015

I would paint it with rustoleum paint and not wash with water. I think water does more damage than leaving grass on it.

john in la · May 30, 2015

Texasmark1

Lets see I live about 5 miles from a 630 square mile salt water lake and the gulf is about 60 miles.
So yes I would say I have a tad bit of salt in my air.

K Effective · May 30, 2015

My Woods Mow-n-Machine by Grasshopper deck is still sound- I did lose the thinner metal shields that form circles around the blades last year. Rarely gets the proper clean-up or winterization. When the piece rusted off and I hit it with the mower, I cleaned the underside up to weld in new shields, the automotive undercoating I had laid on REAL heavy was still in 90% shape ten years after the application.

john in la · May 30, 2015

"I think water does more damage than leaving grass on it"

I am beginning to think the same thing George.
Deck is 5 years old and has a factory installed wash kit on it that I use to keep under side clean.
I also wash off the top of the deck with the hose.
While the greasable spindle bearings are still good the non greasable idler pulley bearing are shot or going bad. That's the reason I have the deck off to replace all these non greasable bearings. Has been one heck of a nightmare getting the correct bearings but that is a story for a different day.

Anyway the top of the deck paint is still good but I noticed the underside paint is all gone and the metal is starting to flake rust. I took a scraper and pressure washer to it and have it down to good metal; but wanted to treat and or paint it with something before I put the deck back on the mower.

ss55 · May 31, 2015

Ditto on the graphite paint under a mower deck! It may wear off too quickly on some "high wear" surfaces, but it reduces the amount of grass sticking to the top of the mower and on other "low velocity" areas. It also makes cleaning the mower easier.

Mower deck protection.

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