mower deck care

[userj8670 68]

What does every one put on the underside of decks to prevent them from rusting through?   I was thinking POR15??

 

Thoughts? 

[Eric C 109]

POR 15 is a great idea in theory. But doesn't hold up to the abuse going on while those blades are spinning. All the time and effort in prep, only to have most of it peel off after one moving season. Not worth the time effort and cost IMO. 

 

El cheapo option-Rub it down with used motor oil when ever you remove the deck for maintenance, blade sharpening etc. 

Edited May 2, 2017 by Eric C

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,021]

I think @squonk uses bed liner spray on his decks.

[Racinbob 10,256]

I would definitely recommend POR15  I used it on mine 3 years ago and it's holding up great even after 2 of Floridas extended mowing seasons. There are many other good coatings out there that I'm sure work great but remember that proper preparation is always the key with whatever you choose. Accumulated grass that is not removed is why the unprotected deck rusts through because it holds the moisture. It will ALWAYS accumulate on any coating but I found that it just rinses off the POR15 with no effort.

[oldlineman 1,450]

I had the same experience as Eric C with Pro 15. May be user not preping the surface well enough but did not hold up well for me. I also use old motor oil, gear oil is even better, just my experience. Bob

[userj8670 68]

Odd-  I thought POR 15 was about as strong as bedliner??

Edited May 2, 2017 by userj8670

[ohiofarmer 3,155]

http://www.agriguardcoatings.com/home.html

 

 

 Watch the video.

 

 I bought the rust coater for 29 bucks a quart and applied it over heavy rust that was tight to the metal. It cures in the presence of moisture and gets very hard and very glossy. Even spilled battery acid does not affect it. I decided to apply a second coat later and a wire brush in a drill hardly was able to dull the shine. The only metal prep I did was detergent wash it after wirebrushing to hard rust and not to bare metal.. i have no experience with POR 15, but this stuff mowed through last year and still looks great.

 

 I would like to try POR15 sometime to compare it to the Agri-guard I do know that battery acid does not affect it, which says a lot about how well it performs

 

 For ten dollars more you can buy agri-guard with u-v stabilizer for use in the sun.

[Cody 242]

I have tried many different products to save the underside of decks and the best thing I have found is a product called chip guard, I buy it at my local Napa auto parts but I'm sure many other stores sell it.  It holds up for several years in fact it's been on my one deck now for at least 4 years and only touched up once by the discharge shoot. 

[ohiofarmer 3,155]

3 minutes ago, Cody said:

I have tried many different products to save the underside of decks and the best thing I have found is a product called chip guard, I buy it at my local Napa auto parts but I'm sure many other stores sell it.  It holds up for several years in fact it's been on my one deck now for at least 4 years and only touched up once by the discharge shoot. 

 

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/TRS1/4313/N0798.oap?ck=Search_N0798_-1_-1&pt=N0798&ppt=C0171

 

 Is this the stuff?

[Cody 242]

Yes same stuff just a different can, I usually put it on a little heavier just for a smoother finish. But holds up like iron

[userj8670 68]

That AgriGard looks promising.  Is the underside of this desk clean enough to apply?  Or do I need to rough it up?  I assume I should take the spindles out

[andyk 78]

I've used Fluid film before, I think it works pretty good.

http://www.fluid-film.com/

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I've never used a paint on coating because I never thought anything would work.  I hope I'm wrong but hearing things like POR 15 is great, then that it flakes off, then that it's durable, then it falls off has left me a bit confused as well as discouraged...  I'm sure the reports are accurate but I don't want to go to ALL the trouble to confirm whatever it does or doesn't do or whatever other product so I just brush on used motor oil, let that set for a day or so and go over it all with thick grease.  It does work!  And I think if done annually would be quite adequate, but I often fail to return annually...

 

Fluid Film is good stuff!  But keep in mind that it's just lanolin, not that there's anything wrong with lanolin, but I'd want folks to know that it's not some mysterious miraculous chemical.  I know a Corvair restorer that uses it and swears that it's the best undercoating/rust preventative there is!  He might be right.  But my used motor oil is cheaper.

 

I'm going to follow along with the hopes of discovering that miraculous chemical but I'd have to think that if it does exist some deck maker would be using it, bragging about it and charging extra.  Heck, maybe one is already?

[ohiofarmer 3,155]

On 5/3/2017 at 10:00 AM, userj8670 said:

That AgriGard looks promising.  Is the underside of this desk clean enough to apply?  Or do I need to rough it up?  I assume I should take the spindles out

 Use both the wheel that fits a mini grinder and a brush [80 grit] for the close in work. Wash the deck with detergent and rinse and dry in the sun. Get a cheap chip brush because the brush cannot be cleaned. Really do the best you can on the cleaning to tight rust and wash off the dust Rough or smooth does not matter, but clean is more important than getting to bare metal.

If you get it on your hands it will take many days until it wears off, so use gloves. Here are the cleaning wheels that I recommend. The grit wheels[#60571] are faster, but the spoked brush  wheel [#60325] will not go to pieces if it hits a bolt or an edge.https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore%2Cf%2CEAFeatured+Weight%2Cf%2CSale+Rank%2Cf&q=abrasive+brush

 Painting Agriguard  on on high humidity can make small air bubbles, so try for a dry day with temps in the 70's if possible.

 The appearance of your deck looks similar to the one i did right before sealing it.

Edited May 19, 2017 by ohiofarmer