Mulching blades any good?

[aaubrey96 0]

I pulled my 42" deck off my 414 and decided to sharpen my blades and there were pretty rough. So I got online and ordered 3 mulching blades, I haven't got them on to try them yet I'll probably do that tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone else has tried them and if so what your thoughts were on them.

Edited August 21, 2014 by aaubrey96

[rmaynard 14,865]

I use mulching blades when I pick up leaves in the fall. It makes a lot less work for the Cyclone Rake. As far as grass, I don't get as clean of a cut as I do with a good sharp standard blade, but on my lawn, on a wooded lot, it doesn't make much difference what I use.

[Geno 1,928]

I have a 414 with a 48" deck.  All I've used are mulching blades for at least 15 years on it. 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

I have switched to mulching blades as well. Just like Bob, I have a wooded lot that the grass is far from being a putting green. Add to the mix the overabundance of leaves from the trees, it seems to clog the Cyclone Rake less.

[MalMac 1,328]

I can echo the same results as rmaynard, I use them for fall clean up. They chop the heck out of leaves. For mowing clean grass, I find they do not give as clean a cut as standard blades that are sharp and in good condition. I have a dedicated deck just for fall cleanup duties.

[JC 1965 1,528]

I use mulching blades when I pick up leaves in the fall. It makes a lot less work for the Cyclone Rake. As far as grass, I don't get as clean of a cut as I do with a good sharp standard blade, but on my lawn, on a wooded lot, it doesn't make much difference what I use.

 

I use a 42" side discharge deck and a Trac Vac to pick up leaves in the fall. The mower deck blows a lot of the leaves out of the path of the mower before I can run over them. Would mulching blades help with this problem ?  

[Geno 1,928]

I use a 42" side discharge deck and a Trac Vac to pick up leaves in the fall. The mower deck blows a lot of the leaves out of the path of the mower before I can run over them. Would mulching blades help with this problem ?  

I thought the vac was supposed to suck the leaves under the deck.     Do you have a Wheel Horse Trac Vac?  Do you have any pics of it?  

[JC 1965 1,528]

Forgot to add above.    Where do you find the mulching blades for a toro 42" side discharge mower deck ?

[JC 1965 1,528]

I thought the vac was supposed to suck the leaves under the deck.     Do you have a Wheel Horse Trac Vac?  Do you have any pics of it?  

 

Trac Vac is the brand name it has a 6.75 hp Briggs engine and a medal chute that attaches to the discharge of the mower deck and a 6" hose that vacuums the leaves and grass into a 44 gal. rubber maid container.  (no pics ) but you can find it at trac vac web site it's a model 462. The mower deck does have some suction but not enough. Air from the front of the mower blows some of the leaves out of the path of the mower. Hope this makes sense.     The vac sucks the leaves and grass from the discharge as they leave the mower deck.

Edited August 22, 2014 by jc1965

[Geno 1,928]

Thanks, I didn't know Trac Vac was a brand name.  I have 2 easy vac setups and a wheel horse setup that runs off of the belt like the tiller and mounts to the rear.  Do you know what Wheel Horse called theirs? 

[JC 1965 1,528]

Thanks, I didn't know Trac Vac was a brand name.  I have 2 easy vac setups and a wheel horse setup that runs off of the belt like the tiller and mounts to the rear.  Do you know what Wheel Horse called theirs? 

 

No, I really don't know what wheel horse called theirs.

[MalMac 1,328]

jc1965, the problem your having of the leaves blowing out in front of you is one your deck is probably set to high. It needs to be low so as to help create a vacuum. Wheel Horse offered a baffle that could be mounted on the front of a 42" to help create more of a vacuum. It provided about a 2 to 3 inch lip that went inward. I talked to a couple of people that had them and they said it did improve the blow out from the deck. I just never could see the price they wanted form them. I think it would be easy enough to make.

 

 

The leaf baffle kit is #85501

Edited August 22, 2014 by MalMac

[JC 1965 1,528]

I have a 414 with a 48" deck.  All I've used are mulching blades for at least 15 years on it. 

 

Geno, Where do you purchase your mulching blades ?

jc1965, the problem your having of the leaves blowing out in front of you is one your deck is probably set to high. It needs to be low so as to help create a vacuum. Wheel Horse offered a baffle that could be mounted on the front of a 42" to help create more of a vacuum. It provided about a 2 to 3 inch lip that went inward. I talked to a couple of people that had them and they said it did improve the blow out from the deck. I just never could see the price they wanted form them. I think it would be easy enough to make.

 

 

The leaf baffle kit is #85501

 

Never herd of the leaf baffle kit . I will check it out. Thanks for the info.

[Geno 1,928]

I think I got the last set on Amazon, I buy tons of stuff there.  I can get a lot of parts cheaper there than my dealers sell to me for even at their 30% off list. 

[holler1 4]

I have the same axperience as rmaynard and Malmac with mulching blades on a 36" RD deck. I made a baffle for the rear to keep grass from going out. I havent tried it on leaves yet but will this fall. I usually use a 2 wheel TORO self propelled mulcher and it works great to reduce leaf volume.