Belly mower rock gaurd

[Dsmith]

I am interested in making some sort of rock guard for my belly mower. Obviously, I don't want to hit rocks or anything that could screw up the mower, but it happens and I want to avoid breaking any windows(already broke the one on the wife's van once). Anyway, I was thinking something with some sort of chain or something. Let me see what you guys have done or make some suggestions.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

First I've ever heard of one. All I can think of cheap is don't drive over rocks, or raise your cutting height up cause if your tossing rocks that bad your blades are hitting the ground.

With my landscaping business and mowing lawns the only rocks I really kick up and move are ones I toss with the weed eater.

 

[RBA50]

Isn't that what the deflector that came with the deck is for?

 

[Dsmith]

I realize you shouldn't run over them and I try not to. And if you raise the deck high enough to miss them, you won't be cutting the grass low enough. And the deflector that comes with it does pretty good but not fool proof. I just recently started cutting the medians that are at the entrance of our neighborhood cause the people that live by them aren't for some reason. I just want to make sure I don't hit a car or a house window while I'm doing voluntary work.

 

[skeets]

Well first off the plastic chute will deflect most everything down ward, however it there's a lot of gravel you might be spitting some out from under the deck edge. I have about 1400 feet of road frontage I have to cut cause the state, county, township, doesn't have the money to pay someone to cut along the road ways. One thing to remember is to watch oncoming traffic , stop and it they are close shut off the mower deck then after they pass proceed . Of course critters and kids are a problem so you need to watch them as well,, BUT KEEP THE CHUTE DEFLECTOR DOWN and think about maybe blowing the grass into it self and not out onto the road ways or sidewalks,,, Just remember that NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED,, Just MHO

 

[Dsmith]

Y'all are just stating the obvious. I know how to take every precaution to prevent it, but if I can make something to make it more foolproof, that would be great. I guess I'll just come up with something on my own.

 

[Russell King]

You may be able to get some chain and build a curtain to put over the chute.

Bicycle chain may be heavy enough to stop the rocks. You may need to space it out to get the grass to exhaust and the rocks to stop.

You could try other types of chains if that is too heavy or too light.

 

[skeets]

You remind me of a guy I knew at the mine,, anyway when you get something goin post some pictures of it, it might be just the ticket for someone else

 

[Dsmith]

You remind me of a guy I knew at the mine,, anyway when you get something goin post some pictures of it, it might be just the ticket for someone else

I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, so I guess I'll take it. LOL

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You can get chain kits for a brush hog mower so I don't see why cant you couldn't make a set for your deck mower!
Just use 3/8" twist link chain, that should do the job.

 

[Dsmith]

That's why I was thinking chains. I thought I had seen them on bush hogs.

 

[hodge]

You can get chain kits for a brush hog mower so I don't see why cant you couldn't make a set for your deck mower!
Just use 3/8" twist link chain, that should do the job.

You will have to be careful with that- you will have to mount them on the chute, or build a more solid extension than the chute (if it is plastic), so that the chains can't interact with the blade tip on that side. On my RM59, the blade tip is right at the edge of the discharge point. Anything swinging there will interfer.
Furthermore, if there were a simple solution, the government would have mandated that the manufacturers build guards to stop flying debris. Anything on the chute side that will more actively stop debris is going to also stop the flow of grass, causing clogs and frustration. And, it will (possibly) widen the mower- how many already get frustrated when the current chute is in the way when you mow?
A rear discharge deck is a good solution to your problem.
Getting frustrated at people who have posted common sense solutions isn't a good way to start the day. You want an idea or answer, and in this case, good, common sense is the best solution. Raise your deck, or weedeat that area where there are a lot of rocks. Pick the rocks up before you mow. Don't mow with the chute towards houses, people, vehicles, or the road (a pet peeve of mine- I've been hit in the face more than once when someone was mowing with the chute towards the road as I drove by).
There is not an invention or device that will take the place of caution and common sense.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Chains are a great idea yeah but as you adjust the height of the deck the chains will be too short if you set the deck up higher. Like I said before cheap and simple solution is to stop mowing the grass so low. All the lawns I mow are done at 3 inches.

But hey it is your tractor and your blades you are trashing when you keep mowing and hitting rocks all the time. So feel free to operate it however you want.

 

[skeets]

I been kickin this around and think maybe just a strip of rubber like floor mat run all the way around the deck it could be made wide enough to cover most any height you want to mow and if the blade hits it well just a hunk out of the rubber. Kicking stones is just something your going to have to contend with I fear, maybe that's why your neighbors stopped mowing it in the first place? And the guy you reminded me of, was Denny Smith, a good boss just a little impatient some times, caught him surfin through the supply yard standing on the front of a trip of flat cars being pushed by a yard motor,,I never said he was the brightest bulb in the string ,,,,They called him the Big Kahuna after that,,,lol