[mdn14]

Good morning all!

I purchased a used X580 in the middle of April and had the dealer install a lever mulch control kit with the JD mulching blades. I have been trying to cut my lawn at 3 1/2" to give the grass a chance to battle it out with the weeds that are now being treated but have noticed the mulching blades with the door open or shut do not do a good job pulling the grass (and dandelion forest earlier this year) up into the blades to be cut. I also noticed last night that the strip of grass next to my driveway that my front wheel usually drive over is between 4-8" long and just laid over...

The only other thing left to try is setting my mowing height lower. The JD manual recommends 1.75-2.75" for finish cutting but that height seems low, especially with my very uneven and bumpy lawn. Swapping to something like gator blades and ditching the mulch kit altogether is my only other option. Thoughts? Some people swear by the mulch kit and some people hate it, I think mine is a love hate relationship currently...

 

[mdn14]

I do the same thing by following the edge of the last cut with my wheel so I'm not driving over uncut grass. I've noticed a lack of cut quality though compared to my old side discharge troy bilt. Perhaps with my lawn I just need to stick with hilift blades and stop using the mulching kit or try it again when the quality of grass is improved over the next year or 3.

 

[mdn14]

I dont think you read my posts quite closely as 90% of what you mentioned I do not have any issues with. Good info though.

I thought the gator blades were a high lift, side discharging, mulching blade. Not to be used with a mulch kit or mulch deck?

 

[mdn14]

I haven't measured the blade tip from the ground surface but I did check the tire pressures when I leveled the mower after I got it. I guess they could be a psi high now that it has warmed up a bit more.

 

[mdn14]

I jacked up my mower a few days ago to check that the blades didn't have any major nicks in them and to check that the decks wasn't coated in old clippings and the blades appeared to be the correct size.

Cant I just use a measuring tape at the discharge to verify blade height?

 

[mdn14]

Everything I have read about the gator blades says they are not supposed to be used with a mulch kit. Both the original gator blades website and Oregon's says they are high lift. They also say the serrations are not for cutting (some cutting may still occur with them though).

Through Oregon (see attachment) and gatorblades (I'm assuming the original website) The Gator Mulcher blade

 

[mdn14]

Mower speed is not an issue for me since my yard is quite rough I take it pretty slow already. I'm going to try lowering the deck height to 3" and then maybe give gators or the stock blades a try with the mulch door open.

 

[mdn14]

Glad it could be of help Herd! I also took it a little slower today and that seems like it may have helped a little. But I also mowed at 3” instead of 3 1/2”

I had a very small layer of grass in the under side of my deck but it’s <1/8” thick. I’ll be due for a cleaning before leaf season.

Oh, and I had some leaves to mulch after pulling some brush from a pile and burning some last night and it mulches leaves pretty well. Hoping to avoid a PF and bagger this year at the least.

 

[mdn14]

Let us know how you like them! With and without the mulching plug installed.

Are the G6 edges sharp or will they need touched up prior to installing them? Lots of people report they're a little dull straight from Oregon.

 

[mdn14]

That's a little disappointing. Did you have the mulch kit on? Doesnt look like it in your photo.

 

[mdn14]

Try taking the plug out when you mow next. The gators need to breathe to lift the grass up. Based on what I’ve read there should be no plug or kit installed.

 

[mdn14]

Not as an intake but as an exhaust. Oregon’s websites claims they’re high lift and for side discharge/bagging but mulch everything as they do so.