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I bought a X304 in 2003 and it's running fine with 1200 hours on it. The x304 has a 42" deck. The way the 42" deck is made, grass is lifted, cut and thrown out the discharge at a pretty good rate. The cut is generally clean and I can generally get a good cut on one pass.
I just bought a used (but essentially new) X324 with the 3-blade 48" deck and it came with a mulch attachment. The 48" deck does not cut as well as the 42" deck. I removed the mulch attachment and the entire front of the bottom part of the deck is, open. There is no channeling, or anti-blow by structure to lift and direct flow in the 48" deck like there is in the 42" deck. The cut is poor as some of the taller grass just lays down or goes uncut. Very little grass is thrown from the discharge in the 48" deck.
The 42" deck is designed for lift and discharge, while the 48" deck does not appear to be designed for lift and discharge.
Is there something I can do to the 48" deck to get it to function better, or are these decks, well, crappy?

A few things you are going to have to do as possible solutions.
1. Are the blades sharp and in good shape?
2. What type of blade is installed and are they installed correctly?
3. Is the deck belt in good condition and blades turning at top speed?
4. Is the deck mounted correctly?
5. Is the deck leveled properly?
6. Are you cutting at full throttle?

Each and all of these things will contribute to a poor cutting job.

Just curious, what type lift are the blades ? Since you removed the mulch kit ?
Hi-lift blades will create more vacuum, & use more gas as a trade off tho.,.

My 48" cuts like a straight razor at the barber shop..

I once had a LA-135 -- 42" that didn't discharge as well as i would like so i modified the deck by removing un-necessary hardware which accomplished 2 things . It discharged better and made a world of difference to clean .

In the front ubderside of the deck there was a piece of metal i called a baffel . No clue what the real name is . Maybe put there for mulching or just to aggravate some of us . Removed it and benefitted by better discharge of clippings and one hellofah lot easier to clean .

Also when removing mulch kit components including the deck insert you need to add back the anti blow out kit and change the blades to high lift ones.

Basically the mulch kit was install to contain the clippings inside the deck housing so they are chop (grind) up very finely.

StarTech said:

Also when removing mulch kit components including the deck insert you need to add back the anti blow out kit and change the blades to high lift ones.

Basically the mulch kit was install to contain the clippings inside the deck housing so they are chop (grind) up very finely.

Click to expand...

I had no reason to add a anti blow out kit that didn't seem to have eone from the factory and hi-lift blades was considered , but I was never able to find hi-lift blades for the LA-135 mower .

The X-350 i now have doesn't have any mulch ready anything and came with hi- lift blades . I use it as a blower to accelerate burning of brush piles , grass or most anything that needs to burn faster .

My X-320 JD has a 48" deck, 22 HP. No mulch attachment. A completely different method of attaching the deck. It mows very level over uneven ground. It is properly leveled, at correct tire pressure. Lower at the front. I mow clippings into unmowed area and clean up what's left with a wide Brinley Sweeper. In very long grass/weeds, the deck pushes them down and keeps them flat so they avoid the cutting blades.

Rivets said:

A few things you are going to have to do as possible solutions.
1. Are the blades sharp and in good shape?
2. What type of blade is installed and are they installed correctly?
3. Is the deck belt in good condition and blades turning at top speed?
4. Is the deck mounted correctly?
5. Is the deck leveled properly?
6. Are you cutting at full throttle?

Each and all of these things will contribute to a poor cutting job.

Click to expand...

#1,3,4,5,6 - Yes. #2 - John Deere mulching blades with and without the mulch attachment, and John Deere straight blades for non-mulching.
As I've mentioned, my 42" deck is great. The 48" deck has very little lift and does a poor job of cutting.

StarTech said:

Also when removing mulch kit components including the deck insert you need to add back the anti blow out kit and change the blades to high lift ones.

Basically the mulch kit was install to contain the clippings inside the deck housing so they are chop (grind) up very finely.

Click to expand...

This may be the key. I'll contact JD about an anti-blow out kit and see what that entails. Thank you.

StarTech said:

Also when removing mulch kit components including the deck insert you need to add back the anti blow out kit and change the blades to high lift ones.

Basically the mulch kit was install to contain the clippings inside the deck housing so they are chop (grind) up very finely.

Click to expand...

Thank you. I'll go to my JD store and check into ordering a anti blowout kit.

Probably peeing into the wind with this, but are you sure the blades on the used deck are installed correctly? I know from what the older children told me that blades can be accidently installed upside down. (OK I admit it was me)!

wolfey01 said:

Probably peeing into the wind with this, but are you sure the blades on the used deck are installed correctly? I know from what the older children told me that blades can be accidently installed upside down. (OK I admit it was me)!

Click to expand...

This is a fair question. I know a guy once who came to work and said he couldn't get his chainsaw to cut anything. Those of us who knew about chainsaws suggested that he might have his chain on backwards. It was. Yes, the blades are installed correctly.
I've learned since my question that the newer decks have channels in them - the one I have does not. It cuts, but the cut is not clean.