Questions About "Deck Pitch" On A Mower?

[Just Deere's]

I was doing some Google searches this morning about lawn striping, and read some information about "deck pitch".

It said to pitch the front of your deck 1/4'' lower than the rear.

Has anyone done that and if so, Can you explain the reasons why?

I have a JD 133 and a JD 110 riding mower.

Thanks:smile:

 

[Jetblast]

Do you see how this mower deck is designed to cut and move the discharge along the front edge to the discharge opening? Tilting the deck forward keeps the action where it should be, whereas having the deck perfectly level or tilted to the rear can foul up the discharge process and create more power-robbing drag on the blades. Deck tilt is one of the first things to check if you're not getting a satisfactory cut or discharge. Your deck probably came tilted toward the front, but if not it's easy enough to check and adjust.

 

[Just Deere's]

Do you see how this mower deck is designed to cut and move the discharge along the front edge to the discharge opening? Tilting the deck forward keeps the action where it should be, whereas having the deck perfectly level or tilted to the rear can foul up the discharge process and create more power-robbing drag on the blades. Deck tilt is one of the first things to check if you're not getting a satisfactory cut or discharge. Your deck probably came tilted toward the front, but if not it's easy enough to check and adjust.
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Thanks for the reply!

I don't believe my mowers are tilted forward, but I will check them out and make adjustments if needed.

Thanks!:smile:

 

[oldyellr]

I believe I read a suggestion somewhere on this forum, or another one, that tilting the deck BACKWARDS should mulch the clippings better because the grass would get cut twice. I take it that wouldn't work, eh?

 

[Jetblast]

I believe I read a suggestion somewhere on this forum, or another one, that tilting the deck BACKWARDS should mulch the clippings better because the grass would get cut twice. I take it that wouldn't work, eh?

I hate the idea of sending volume through the backside baffles, but that's just crazy enough to maybe, kinda, sorta work as long as your grass isn't too high or your forward speed excessive.

I know for sure that Gator blades do a great job of double-regurgitating clippings on my deck though, and with no apparent horsepower loss over a standard configuration. Additionally, I can keep the pedal down on ol' Bessie Lou and get a perfectly clean cut at 9 MPH. I'd hate to compromise that, and it seems a backward tilt would.

 

[Just Deere's]

I believe I read a suggestion somewhere on this forum, or another one, that tilting the deck BACKWARDS should mulch the clippings better because the grass would get cut twice. I take it that wouldn't work, eh?

I read that this morning too.

They say you can make lawn stripes with just the deck and you don't need a stripe kit. As long as the deck is pitched right.

Both of my mower decks wasn't tilted forward. I had to adjust both of them today.

 

[Jetblast]

I read that this morning too.

They say you can make lawn stripes with just the deck and you don't need a stripe kit. As long as the deck is pitched right.

Both of my mower decks wasn't tilted forward. I had to adjust both of them today.

You have corrected a great performance injustice. Lawn stripes are probably best done with trailing edge rollers or chains, or not at all. I have striping rollers on the back of my deck but I keep them up so they only serve as anti-scalp devices. When used as striping rollers, they make my deck buck over rough areas, beating everything to all heck. Besides, I don't want a perfectly striped lawn or my neighbors will think I have too much free time.

 

[Giles]

I believe I read a suggestion somewhere on this forum, or another one, that tilting the deck BACKWARDS should mulch the clippings better because the grass would get cut twice. I take it that wouldn't work, eh?

It's worked nearly 20 years for me:thumbsup:

 

[benski]

On a loosely related note, does anyone know how the pro's get those apparently arrow straight lines on the baseball fields? I can't for the life of me drive my mower that straight, even using a range.:ashamed::biggrin: