Discharging Clumps

[statman]

I use a Scag 52" Super Z, and am having a bad clumping problem this year. I cleaned under the deck and have even bought new blades, but still discharge clumps.

I am using Gator blades now (I usually use high lift), and the problem seems a little worse.

HELP, please!

[Mark]

statman i purchased a new 52" Scag SWZU walkbehind and i run doubles on it and it cuts like a dream. First of all how tall of grass are you cutting? If its 9/10" per week then any mower made will clump with single blades. Try using the standard marbain blades on bottom and mid=gators on top youll see a big difference, hope this helps out Marks Mowing Service

[bad_chad48]

yea, i am also having the same problems but I have a 61in turf tiger... any help would be great

[statman]

I'm only cutting 2-3 " off at a time. How do you run doubles? Do you just put two blades on each shaft? Do you criss-cross them? Do you put a spacer between the blades?

[stslawncare]

glad to see more interest in doubles for they are one of the best things invented (thanks to eric) and will be of great help to you. try doing a search, there are tons of threads on how to set them up, and even for each brand mower and blade etc etc etc. also check out eric elms website.

[General Grounds]

:blob3: to start get rid of the gators in high grass, esp wet the gator will tend to clump. you may want to cut a 1/2-1 high you may notice a hugh differecnce. also if your scag has any type of spacer under the blade you may want to try to put that spacer on top of the blade this will allow for more air flow and even a claener cut, you may also could be cutting at a speed to fast for high grass, try slowing down and maybe not use the entire width of the deck (8-10 inches ). tony

[P&J Lawncare]

We are all clumping up in northwest ohio it is because of all the moisture in the air and ground. I have found that by using high lift off-set blades it has helped out a lot, the only problem is scag doesn't make these blades for their mowers but bobcat does and the part number for these blades are bo-17a for your 52 mower and bo-21 for your 61 mower. These part numbers are from my j-thomas catalog and the number for j-thomas is 800-828-7980 (usually takes two days till you receive order). I use these on my tigers and I will never use any other type of blade again (i've tried them all doubles,gators,highlift and none come close to these) the only thing you have to worry about is these blades sit lower than normal blades so be sure to raise your decks one more notch to offset the difference.

[Esby]

I have never had good luck using gator blades. They seems to leave a poor cut, and always clump more than a high lift blade. Try the high lift blade and see how it works for you. Doubles are another great option to try. I am using a Lazer Z HP 52".

[SLS]

If the grass is the least bit moist...ditch the gators!...even on a "double" set-up.

Gators + moisture = BIG CLUMP PROBLEMS!

I learned this "the hard way". ;)

[perfection lawn care]

I can tell you people are not big fans of the gators!

That is all I have always used, and I am now realizing why I have problems with some of my cutting. Last week I went to the doubles, both high lifts, and seemed to do a better job. Today will tell all when I do the 10 lawns I have scheduled, to really see the difference.

If it works I am going to weld all my gators together and turn them into a boat anchor. My next test is the Mo-Deck treatment, no one likes scraping!

[SLS]

Oh no...I LOVE gators...especially in the fall when it's real dry and there are lots of crispy leaves and twigs to mulch up. Then I wouldn't trade 'em for anything.

Or in the DRY of summer and I pick up a new customer whose lawn is REAL tall...then I double 'em up with high-lifts and save a bunch of time.

Hang on to those gators!

Just don't let 'em get WET. :D

[Shady Brook]

In Indiana on my 52 Tiger it is clumpsville. I have tried every conceiveable configuration of blade made for the Tiger single and double, and it still clumps. I am going to try that suggestion of off set bobcat blade and see if it helps.

I think you will find that if you have that little piece that comes with a Tiger on there, the one to help clumping, it likely will help next to nothing, and makes for real bad bagging if you do any bagging.

My deck plugs instantly, I sure wish I knew if I would get better performance from an Exmark, Chopper, Hustler in the area I live under the same conditions. I am not sure if it is just this time of year, and the conditions, or if another mower would really make a big difference.

Oh well, your not alone in your clumping
Jay

[awm]

if doubles dont help with grass dispersal
it kinda makes me wonder about your blade speed.most belt driven blades on commercial z s approach 18000 bld .speed.is the scag a direct blade drive or belt.

[Tillman Lawn & Landscape]

I just bought a scag turf tiger from a customer of mine. its for sale due to clumping. The lasers dont clump like the scag does.If you look under a Lazer you will see the difference in the two decks. Demo a laser in the morning with dew on the grass,and see how long until the for sale sign goes on the scagg!!

[P&J Lawncare]

Shady brook the offset high lift blades make a world of difference on the turf tigers. I just bought a super z and it definately out cuts all my turf tigers hands down it is the better mower (the z comes standard with high lift offset blades but theirs are a thicker and heavier type).

[Runner]

Gators are an excellent blade. That is, when they are used for the right application. For grass, they are not all that great, for two reasons. First, is lack of lift. Second, like everyone else said, because of the clumping.

[statman]

I emailed Scag about my clumping problem and got a reply to try 2 gators and a hi-lift next to the discharge. i asked about running doubles and the guy said absolutely not. You'll burn up the electric clutch by putting an undo strain on the deck system.

Regardless, I started using them, but I still get clumps. I'm running hi-lifts on the bottom and the blades that came with the mower on top (low-lifts?).

What do the guys that use them thinK?

[P&J Lawncare]

I was the one that suggested the high lift on the chute side last year to my area scag distrubuter and he had never heard of running just one high lift on the chute side, I also posted this last year on this site so it looks like scag took my advice and they are recomending it to others now. Now the only problem is the high lift offset blades that I posted about earlier work even better then the high lift on the chute side so maybe next year (it usually takes a year for scag to reliaze what we all ready know) scag will be recomending offset high lift blades to everybody. I have been to he!! and back with my scags throwing clumps (new deck,doubles,making my own blades,different combo's of blades) and nothing would help I probably have 100 blades in my garage that I have experimented with to solve this problem and until this year I had no answer. At the begining of the year I ordered every blade made that was 21 inches long with a 5/8 inch hole (about 10 to 15 different sets) and nothing really helped until I put these on and it was like a new mower so I am trying to help every one with this information so that you don't have to do what I had to do, can you imagine changing your blades every swipe just so you can find the right blades for a mower. These blades might not help everyone (different grasses, different conditions) but its worth it if it helps as much as its helped me.

[Shady Brook]

P&J

Your a stud!

I really do think those bobcat blades have helped quite a bit. They are not magic, but they do seem to keep the clumping down much better then any other blade combo I have tried. It is hard to know how much as conditions change so much from week to week, but I was quite happy with them. I am planning on getting them for my walkbehinds. Have you heard how they have preformed on the walkbheinds yet?

Thanks again for your input.

Jay

[P&J Lawncare]

I am just glad that they are helping you as much as they helped me, as for using them on walk behinds I assume they will work even better then they do for the zero turn (smaller deck means less grass to discharge).

[ohiolawnguy]

and to think the we run exclusively bobcats. when we get a new bobcat, the first thing i do is take off the factory blades, and put them on a shelf to gather dust. these blades cut nice, but i think they clump like crazy.

oh well, everyone has their own opinions i suppose.

[marley]

wd 40 under the deck after pressuer washing it / raise the deck a bit a your second cut / winrow to an area where the clumps won't be seen if possible / this last tip might not be something you would want do at a nicer account. If my 48 exmark hydro viking w/b starts clogging and clumping I pick an out of the way spot, make a slow left turn, push down on the handle bars so the deck lifts then i slam the deck back down. this cleans out most of the grass that is trapped under the deck and i am good to go for another 2 or 3 long passses. this technique is a last resort.

[statman]

I just got a set of the Bobcat blades last Wednesday, and they do help. Thanks PJ. FYI, Amends Small Engine on route 25 (about 6 miles south of BG) is a Bobcat dealer and stocks them.

Another thing that I stumbled across accidently is that if the discharge chute is down while mowing, you get a lot better grass dispersal. (Just watch out for obstructions, it's quite an eye opener to hit a tree with the chute going full throttle.

[spomerhome]

Man, I've read every comment on this subject here and am amazed that no one has commented on the Walker! I run two walkers, 36 & 42" grass handling systems on residential and commercial, winter and summer (and oh yes...it's plenty dry down here in Phoenix), and unless I'm going too fast, I almost never have clumping problems...and that's with the stock blades too! I haven't tried an exmark, scag or the others and by the sounds of it, I am probably better off staying with my Walkers.

What I'd like to know is if these hi-lift blades make a difference, what suppliers are you all getting them through, and if you run doubles, do you stack them off-set or space them?

Thanks...

[edward hedrick]

I have a Scag STHM 61 with standard deck, installed a Left baffle

from Husq 60 rider, and a Turbo baffle from Scag on the right. I use std lift blades. Hi lift really pack the deck. I usually run at 1/2

throttle if wet. The Husq baffle $50 and turbo $ 25. Looks like

an Advantage deck almost. Reduced clumps Greatly. The Husq

is in 48,52,& 60 ".

[John DiMartino]

This is just my opinion,not to knock Scag's but my competition uses them,and they are just clumpers,they do not move enough air to spread the grass as good as a Dixie/Exmark/Hustler does.I cut the same grass,at the same height,(with my2000 Dixie xw2500)and do not get clumps,my clippings disperse about 11-14 ft ,and evenly out my chute with standard blades,not doubles,the scags dont throw it nearly as far,and not evenly either.Im sure you can do things to help the situation,but the true fix will come when you replace those mowers with better equipment that gives a professional quality cut when money allows.

[Nick]

I have a dixie and two 95 scags for places thedc won't go. I run double notched highlifts and never have a prob with clumping. But when I look at the deck it has no baffles and the newdecks have tons of baffles. Maybe they should go back to the old style.

[P&J Lawncare]

I have to agree with John, the difference between my super z and my turf tigers are like night and day the super z is just a better mower.