Discharge problem.

D

Diamond$45

Forum Newbie
I bought a cheap Bad Boy zero turn with 42" cut and Kohler engine this spring. It seems to cut OK, but it doesn't side discharge. I thought it had mulching blades on it. The dealer assures me the grass is wet, too tall, and I'm mowing too fast. (None of which is true) At any rate I mow for 20 minutes, jack the mower up, clean out the deck, and finish nup my lawn with 10 or so more minutes of mowing. When I mow the next week, I start out with cleaning under the deck and repeat the process. The deck is so packed up that the top of the blades were shiny when I sharpened the blades. It's at the dealers now, and I bet when I get it back it still won't discharge. Any thoughts?
 
My guess is that the deck isn't leveled properly.
You are probably taking off too much grass in one pass. Cutting wet grass doesn't help.
Have the dealer check the engine RPMs. They should be 3,600 RPMs at wide open throttle with no load. That means without the PTO engaged.
Are you cutting at wide open throttle?
 
Diamond$45 said:
I bought a cheap Bad Boy zero turn with 42" cut and Kohler engine this spring. It seems to cut OK, but it doesn't side discharge. I thought it had mulching blades on it. The dealer assures me the grass is wet, too tall, and I'm mowing too fast. (None of which is true) At any rate I mow for 20 minutes, jack the mower up, clean out the deck, and finish nup my lawn with 10 or so more minutes of mowing. When I mow the next week, I start out with cleaning under the deck and repeat the process. The deck is so packed up that the top of the blades were shiny when I sharpened the blades. It's at the dealers now, and I bet when I get it back it still won't discharge. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Only mowing for 20 minutes tells me you don’t have a big lawn. If it has a mulch plate on where the side discharge opening should be, remove the mulch plate. Maybe the deck baffles needed to make mulching work properly are missing or damaged. You will never be happy with the cut quality mulching. Remove the mulch plate, remove the deck baffles, and install a side discharge chute. Raise the discharge chute 45 degrees as long as you are not around people, cars, and windows, in case a rock flies out. Cut if high and let it fly.
 
What do you mean "doesn't side discharge"? Are you saying the deck has no opening? Or that it does but the grass just isn't coming out properly? The possibilities are: side discharge open but not flowing well, side discharge blocked off with mulch plate, rear discharge. Knowing which type is needed to give much advice.
 
Diamond$45 said:
I bought a cheap Bad Boy zero turn with 42" cut and Kohler engine this spring. It seems to cut OK, but it doesn't side discharge. I thought it had mulching blades on it. The dealer assures me the grass is wet, too tall, and I'm mowing too fast. (None of which is true) At any rate I mow for 20 minutes, jack the mower up, clean out the deck, and finish nup my lawn with 10 or so more minutes of mowing. When I mow the next week, I start out with cleaning under the deck and repeat the process. The deck is so packed up that the top of the blades were shiny when I sharpened the blades. It's at the dealers now, and I bet when I get it back it still won't discharge. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
My first thought is for you to provide the model number and serial number.
 
So 30 minutes of mowing. 20 minutes in, you must pull over and scrape the deck out. Tells me the grass is wet, blades are incorrect for the deck and or worn smooth out. Dry grass doesn't pack up and collect under the deck like you describe. Again tells me your blades have zero lift and causing all the packing up of clippings.

The deck and blades are like a cake recipe. Try a set of OEM blades for YOUR mower and deck type.

Side slinging is better for the turf. Mulchers cut and recut the clippings slash WEEDS, leaving them smaller and easier to get into the soil level. Now you are spreading all the weeds you have throughout the yard. Side slinging leaves the clippings on top. Still can reach the soil though.
 
Sounds like a problem wet grass, cutting with cheap budget low lift blades and a chute restriction. Did you buy this from a box store or an actual Bad Boy dealer?
 
Auto Doc's said:
Sounds like a problem wet grass, cutting with cheap budget low lift blades and a chute restriction. Did you buy this from a box store or an actual Bad Boy dealer?
Click to expand...
He hasn't been back.
All we know is the supposed mower is a "cheap Bad Boy zero turn with 42" cut and Kohler engine."
 
probably falls on deaf ears since he has not been back, but discharging grass out a chute takes air coming in to carry it out. If the cut is too low or the grass too dense, and air isn't coming in then the cut grass isn't going out. Add to it heavy grass from either the density or moisture content, and the air passing thru won't carry it away. If the grass is sticking to the top of the deck, it is either too dense or too moist. Raising the deck to allow less dense grass, and more air flow helps with that. Might be a lawn area that will take multiple mowings until the proper height and density is established. Deck baffling, and level can also contribute to the problem. A 3/4" piece of dry grass is much easier to discharge than a 3" moist piece of grass. Unless one has a tornado, one sees clouds of dust when the wind blows, not 20 pound rocks. Same principle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top