Best deck for mulching oak leaves

[HamptonT 33]

Is there a preferred or better deck for chopping up oak tree leaves? I've been using a 42" side. I was thinking that a rear discharge might work better. Any thoughts? Thanks

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,044]

Rear discharge decks don't mulch very good. The large opening on the rear just let leaves fly . The smaller side opening on the SD decks work better mulching leaves. If you back up on leaves with a rear discharge deck it mulches better.

[GlenPettit 1,714]

I'm a very strong believer in using Mulching Blades (called Gator, or Commercial), but with the original blades, so you have two blades on each spindle at 90º, giving you more than twice the cutting capacity (Gator blades have a high fin or deflector on their back which helps keep the clippings and leaves airborne for multiple cuts and finer, plus more blowing out force).  With a side discharge, leaves have to go through a second or third spinning blade and the smaller discharge gives more force to the throw;  using Gator blades with a rear discharge seems to be about equal. Gators cost about the same as regular blades and should be installed just above the original blades, same nut holds both.

Having a clean smooth underside also helps a lot with airflow and clippings flow, but mowing reasonably dry material may be most important to mulching.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2017 by GlenPettit

[squonk 38,920]

Recycler deck.

[oliver2-44 8,852]

9 hours ago, GlenPettit said:

I'm a very strong believer in using Mulching Blades (called Gator, or Commercial), but with the original blades, so you have two blades on each spindle at 90º, giving you more than twice the cutting capacity (Gator blades have a high fin or deflector on their back which helps keep the clippings and leaves airborne for multiple cuts and finer, plus more blowing out force).  With a side discharge, leaves have to go through a second or third spinning blade and the smaller discharge gives more force to the throw;  using Gator blades with a rear discharge seems to be about equal. Gators cost about the same as regular blades and should be installed just above the original blades, same nut holds both.

Having a clean smooth underside also helps a lot with airflow and clippings flow, but mowing reasonably dry material may be most important to mulching.

 

 

I have a JD LT150  with a side discharge deck that I use a set gator mulching blades, and I made a plug to bolt in the side discharge opening to make it somewhat of a recycler. the plug is curved on the inside to match the radius of the blades/blend into the deck baffles. Also the plug I about 1" shorter than the deck height to leave room for some material to come out under it. JD sells $$ a bolt on recycler kit that I copied this idea from.  I have a lot of Oak leaves and it works very good.

[pacer 3,159]

9 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

I made a plug to bolt in the side discharge opening to make it somewhat of a recycler.

 

This is also what I did on my 48" SD with standard blades ... took about 15-20 minutes to make and insta lwith a thinish  piece of sheet metal using 2 of the existing bolt holes. One of my oaks is a 'water' oak (I think?) with small, tough leathery leaves and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it shredded them - mind you it didnt get the all --- but still... other oaks with the larger leaves it did quite a good job.

[Aldon 4,826]

I doubled the blades on my 42 inch rear discharge deck and it mulches great. Only issue is if your using a hydro, you will want to add some deflector material to the back of the deck to reduce the mulch that would collect on the hydro.

 

Running the 6 blades seems to cause the material to eject more forcefully out the rear.