Treating Mower Decks

[Smokeless]

Planning to treat my G5200 mower deck with POR 15. Lots of surface rust and patches, but still serviceable. I tested some rusty area and that stuff dries hard. Thought I would check and see if anyone has a better idea. thanks

 

[GreensvilleJay]

bedliner material llike ' linex' ?

 

[Tire Biter]

I’ve used POR 15 before and it worked good. Held up for two summers. I also used something called Slip Plate which shed grass build up better. Good prep is key with both. I blasted my decks, but you have to strip everything off to the bare shell. You could probably get away with a good wire wheeling with a good stiff brush in an angle grinder.
these days, I never cut wet grass and pull the deck off and clean it out the next day and it keeps the rust away.

 

[lugbolt]

you can't make rust strong again. It's still rust.

that said, if it were me (and I've been down this road), I'd cut the rust out and make a patch for it, weld it in. That way the deck is now structurally sound. It depends too where the rust is, if it's near a spindle or a pulley mount, or even a hanger mount, you are going to certainly want to reinforce it as much as possible as there is a LOT of stress placed on those areas.

 

[Killingitcountry]

I would also love some ideas for fixing up my mower decks. They're not Kubota machines (they were on the property when I moved here - I wish they were Orange). Watch a couple seconds of this video and you'll see just how bad mine are. Hardly any paint to be seen. I undercoat a few times a year just to slow the rust but, like the OP, I would like to clean them up and maintain serviceability as long as possible. To the OP - I have seen some people experience success with a bed-liner product on the under side. Seems to hold up better than paint. I'll be watching for people's ideas on this thread for sure.

 

[PHPaul]

I have a 1995 John Deere LX179, so it's 26 years old. Still on the original deck and spindles.

Every fall, I pull the deck off, and thoroughly clean the underside with a cup wheel in an angle grinder. Then I give it a good coat of Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer (for the coverage, not because it's rusty beyond a little light surface rust), grease the spindles, sharpen the blades and put it back on the tractor before storing it for the Winter.

I don't fuss too much about mowing wet grass, tho I try to avoid it due to the clumping on discharge. I HATE raking. I blow it off once in a while but I don't wash it.

 

[mcmxi]

I like Ospho to treat all rusted surfaces followed by a good gloss paint. I've had my '98 Jeep TJ for over 20 years and it's in amazing condition despite spending most of it's life in Hawaii and the last seven years in Montana where the roads are salted during the winter. A mower deck is no challenge at all.

 

[Smokeless]

I like Ospho to treat all rusted surfaces followed by a good gloss paint. I've had my '98 Jeep TJ for over 20 years and it's in amazing condition despite spending most of it's life in Hawaii and the last seven years in Montana where the roads are salted during the winter. A mower deck is no challenge at all.

Ospho is a new one on me but I will check it out, thanks.

This is a 1984 or 85 deck. Inherited from my late father . The 3 cyl has about 3600 hrs but still runs strong. I believe I will use por 15 since i have this year then take off the deck, clean and eval. I already used an oval wire brush on a angle grinder to clean up, pretty sad shape in some areas. Ill take some creative patching or maybe I will stumble across another deck between now and then. Appreciate all the replies, some products never heard about and everything is in the running for the future. Much obliged.

 

[mcmxi]

Ospho converts typical surface rust to a more stable form of iron oxide that's very hard. "Simply" remove all loose rust, wash surface well, spray/roll/brush Ospho onto surface, let dry (rust will turn black) and then paint. I was a diver/welder for quite a few years in Hawaii (and other places) and we used Ospho a lot on various repairs. The benefit is that you don't need to get to clean metal and the new oxide formed is very stable.

The point about gloss paint is that smooth, shiny surfaces tend to be more corrosion resistant than rough, dull surfaces. You probably know all this but just putting it out there.

 

[je1279]

Saw this recently but have never used it.

 

[Chewman]

Has anyone used Bed Liner to treat the underside of their MMM to protect it? I have a new LX2610 with MMM and would like to protect the investment.

 

[Butch]

you can't make rust strong again. It's still rust.

that said, if it were me (and I've been down this road), I'd cut the rust out and make a patch for it, weld it in. That way the deck is now structurally sound. It depends too where the rust is, if it's near a spindle or a pulley mount, or even a hanger mount, you are going to certainly want to reinforce it as much as possible as there is a LOT of stress placed on those areas.

Amen!

 

[Nicksacco]

Has anyone used Bed Liner to treat the underside of their MMM to protect it? I have a new LX2610 with MMM and would like to protect the investment.

I used bed liner stuff in a spray can years ago on my mower deck and it lasted maybe a season. Not worth it in my opinion.
I guess way too much abrasion from grass and other stuff - esp small branches and such. Now I don't cut grass wet - it's a mess anyway. Ospho and other stuff like Corroseal will help "repair" surface rust so you can paint if you like. But nothing I know of using this kind of process is going to be permanent.

 

[Mowbizz]

I have a brandy new Kubota Z422 zero turn with a bright orange and pristine “under-deck” and I was admiring it in this condition while balancing and sharpening its new blades before I take it out to mow my grass ( new blades were NOT balanced BTW).
Mowing season is still a couple weeks away at least and I will go out and blow the debris (pine cones, sticks, etc.)
That said, my BX25D mid mount mower (now retired) was in surprisingly good shape when I serviced it to make ready to sell. Mowing my acreage since 2013 and not a spot of rust underneath and all original paint intact. Of course it is somewhat “stained” by years of work. I guess I won’t be undercoating the new mower deck with anything. As said above…any coating is only temporary.

 

[Henro]

you can't make rust strong again. It's still rust.

that said, if it were me (and I've been down this road), I'd cut the rust out and make a patch for it, weld it in. That way the deck is now structurally sound. It depends too where the rust is, if it's near a spindle or a pulley mount, or even a hanger mount, you are going to certainly want to reinforce it as much as possible as there is a LOT of stress placed on those areas.

No doubt this is true. But it depends on the rust. Surface rust, no problem.

Serious rust, follow Lugbolt's advice! LOL

 

[Pau7220]

I used bed liner stuff in a spray can years ago on my mower deck and it lasted maybe a season. Not worth it in my opinion.

I tried the same thing with the same results. The little residue that is left doesn’t allow a scraper to slide over it easily making scraping the grass out a pita. Lesson learned.

Toughest stuff by far is POR15, Chassis Saver, or KBS. Basically the same products, cures from moisture in the air. It absolutely requires sand (or slag) blasting before application to give it something to latch on to. If not it will peel off like a decal. Ask how I know.

 

[Killfast11]

Murriatic acid will remove the rust without taking additional material. Plus it etches the metal for the por15 or other sealer.

 

[Pau7220]

Murriatic acid will remove the rust without taking additional material. Plus it etches the metal for the por15 or other sealer.

I’ll stick with the directions… especially in the environment of the business side of a mower deck.
“When blasting, provide a medium to coarse profile for optimum adhesion.”

https://www.magnetpaints.com/MSDS-TECH/TDS_UCP99.pdf

Many of you know what this is and where it lives. Replaced it 8 years ago. Slag blasted and coated the new part with Chassis Saver. Pulled it apart (again) last week to replace the bearings. Very pleased with the way it held up.

 

[Nicksacco]

Never heard of Chassis Saver so I had to look it up!
That part looks great