Cub Cadet Mulching kit for a 42 inch deck?

Rickcin

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Thinking of going with this accessory so I can lose the large chute, get closer to obstacles on that side of the deck and not shoot grass clippings to the one side.

Can anyone attest to the effectiveness of the mulching blades?
 

Darryl G

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No experience with the Cub mowers or mulching kits but with just mulching blades and a blocking chute (no baffles creating separate cutting chambers) you can generally expect a windrow and possible clumping on right side and blowout out the right front corner. You'll also have to make sure the grass doesn't get too tall, especially during periods of lush growth and to try to cut when the grass is dry. Mulching takes a degree of dedication to your cutting schedule and some patience to slow down when necessary.
 

cruzenmike

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I have a little bit of experience with mulching kits and 42" decks...... I had a Toro SS4225 with the recycler kit which is basically a new set of low lift/mulching blades (different in overall design and relatively flat sail) and baffles in the deck to push clippings down. The kit worked VERY WELL with few noticeable clippings. The secret to the mulching kit is to cut ONLY when the grass is dry, to never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blade length, always run at full throttle and drive at half of maximum ground speed. On my Toro, which had the smart speed system, I could only mulch in the middle setting which was about 5mph. So, to answer your question, they can be good if they are proper mulch kits. The issue with stamped decks is that the clippings will still move from one side of the deck to the other. A fabricated deck with almost always have metal pieces that separate each blade into its own chamber (these are the best kinds of decks for mulching).
 

Rickcin

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Two good responses to my thread and I certainly believe and understand what you two have mentioned. I was just hoping to lose the long chute as well as not having to cut in one direction only to blow the clippings away from the house, deck and planters.

All things considered, there is no clear cut decision!
 

Darryl G

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I have a little bit of experience with mulching kits and 42" decks...... I had a Toro SS4225 with the recycler kit which is basically a new set of low lift/mulching blades (different in overall design and relatively flat sail) and baffles in the deck to push clippings down. The kit worked VERY WELL with few noticeable clippings. The secret to the mulching kit is to cut ONLY when the grass is dry, to never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blade length, always run at full throttle and drive at half of maximum ground speed. On my Toro, which had the smart speed system, I could only mulch in the middle setting which was about 5mph. So, to answer your question, they can be good if they are proper mulch kits. The issue with stamped decks is that the clippings will still move from one side of the deck to the other. A fabricated deck with almost always have metal pieces that separate each blade into its own chamber (these are the best kinds of decks for mulching).
The Cub mulching kit doesn't appear to have any baffles. Just the blades and blocking chute. The problem is that you get clippings from both cutting chambers discharged to a small area on the right side of the deck. And if it's wet you get a pile of mush and a plugged deck that pukes when you turn it off. Results will of course vary with conditions, but I don't recommend a mulch kit without baffles. If you're going to go that route I think an OCDC (remote controlled blocking plate) and mulching blades is the way to go. You can keep clippings out of areas you don't want them and mulch when conditions are suitable but open the deck up when necessary. Don't know if anyone makes one to fit though.
 

cruzenmike

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The problem with an OCDC is that cub uses a top discharge deck and I haven't seen anything that will fit it. I think any one of thr conditions mentioned could factor heavily into each person's experience with mulching. It worked for me, but I probably cut way more often than I need to. The mulch kits for the Cubs are relatively inexpensive compared to the commercial mowers, so you could at the very least try it out and see if you like it.
 

Darryl G

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Yeah looks like an easy on/off mulch plug.
 

Rickcin

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Yeah looks like an easy on/off mulch plug.

Yeah for $60 I could give it a shot but if I don’t like it because it might leave a trail, I could switch back to the discharge chute but what effect would the mulching blades have?
 

cruzenmike

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You will need to change the blades back to the factory ones. The low lift mulching blades supplied in the kit will not discharge as well with the chute open. Since they generate less lift, it will not leave a uniform cut; at least not as uniform as the high lift blades would.
 

Darryl G

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The mulching blades direct the cuttings upwards to be re-cut into smaller pieces. Mulching blades are designed to throw a lot less air with much flatter sails since the discharge is blocked. They often have a wavy edge profile which makes them a bit more challenging to sharpen.

Most of the time I run Gator G5 high lift mulching blades on my bigger mowers and mostly discharge. Mulching and bagging are both a pain if you're doing it on a large scale. The clippings with the G5 blades are pretty fine and there isn't much clumping when cutting wet. Personally I think that's the best way to go for the best balance of cut quality and clippings management. Discharging with high lift mulching blades. Mind you that's in my area with my grasses.

Changing blades isn't going to help with throwing grass into beds or onto hard surfaces though. I get grass into places it doesn't belong all the time and just hit it with my backpack blower. I throttle the mower down if I have to mow a narrow grassy strip with beds on both sides. I always start mowing by doing a couple laps around the borders of the lawn, patios and the driveway etc going clockwise. Just doing that makes a big difference. And I pay attention to which way I'm throwing on turns.
 
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