The mystery behind strips?

[Lawn-Scapes]

Not stripes...

You know... that nice line of un-cut grass.

I'm getting some nice strips!!!

It seems to be happening between the first and second blades (from the discharge side) on my Lazer.

What's causing it? It's really aggrevating me :mad: :angry:

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Wrong size blades.

Does it do it only when turning?

[Lawn-Scapes]

They are the right size blades.

It does it going straight.

[chariot]

Hey Lawngodfather, I have noticed mine leaving these strips on occasion when turning. What are your thoughts on that since you brought it up? Any explaination for this? Thanks

[Runner]

I don't know WHAT would be causing it there. My problem was toward the left side of the deck as you were sitting on the machine. A row going away from you would show a light streak in it about a third of the way into the row from the left, and vice-versa from the other direction, only with a dark streak. This was caused from layover of the grass, at the forward sweep of my center blade. This was due to the use of notched foil blades. When we switched to solid foil highlifts, (after Exmark came out and looked at it on a job) this cleared it right up. I can STILL drive down the road, and look at a bunch of Lazer cuts that look like this. I can always tell what blades they used because of it. I hope this helps.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Tom; is the grass real wet?



chariot; the blades do not touch and are about 1/2" apart as they are off set and overlap to compinsate for that. What happens in the blades miss that grass as you turn in the gap between the blades.

Runner; I don't use Exmark blades at all. Silver Streak knoched high lift and never has this problem.

[Flex-Deck]

Any three bladed or two bladed deck will leave strips between the blades if the front of the deck is too low. Please try to visualize the blades in action. If the front of the blades are over 1/4" lower that the back, the center of each blade rotation is the lowest at the center of its arc and mows higher where they meet in the middle and highest in back, so what happens if the front of the blade is (lets say 1/2" lower than the back) lower, you end up with eliptical patterns for each blade with the apecies of these elipses meeting where the blades meet. It is not a strip, it is grass that is taller than the center of the elipse. and it comes to a very definite point at the blade overlap section of the mower, making it look like a strip.

My JD decks only have 3/16" spacing on a three blade deck - overlaped at 19 degrees - which is about standard and if the front is too low it appears that they are leaving a strip, but if the deck is leveled front to back - THE STRIP disappears

Thanks, Brad

[Lawn-Scapes]

LGF.. The grass is a little juicy but not wet. It is tall and thick though.. maybe 6 inches. I am cutting most lawns at 3 3/4" right now. I'm using standard gator blades.

I find it really strange that it leaves this 1" strip still standing :confused:

I was thinking I may need a new belt but if that were the case it would leave more than a little strip...

[LAWNGODFATHER]

AH HA

I have found My Lazers don't cut well above 3.5". Even with really good high lift blades.

[Lawn-Scapes]

Brad... Thanks for the info. I'll check that out tomorrow.

[Runner]

There's your problem, right there. The Gators. These just don't produce the lift necessary to lift this heavy fast growing grass. They also have the tendency to clump the grass as well. We were just talikng about that, somewhere.

[rodney]

runner is right
theres no way i could use gators in tall & wet grass take them off or add a high lift . gators alone would make my mower cut bad and leave the strips you are talking about and clogg the deck up every 10 feet. you said some thing about needing new belts those gators may be why .

[Entropy]

Originally posted by Runner
There's your problem, right there. The Gators. These just don't produce the lift necessary to lift this heavy fast growing grass. They also have the tendency to clump the grass as well. We were just talikng about that, somewhere.

Bingo. I used to have them on an old Simplicity tractor, and they left strips everywhere. Horrible cut -- far worse than good high-lift blades.

Gators = good for sticks and leaves, not so good for grass.*


* Your results may vary based on condition and equipment type.

[tailoredlook]

My solution blow up the lazer and get a turf tiger.

[SCAPEASAURUSREX]

I dont know about you guys.... Those gators work wonders for me, could not figure out how to get by without them... They have more lift than standard blades... Use em on 36 and 48" walk behinds and my Walker.. Awsome

Ok.. But the strips of high grass, have that problem too, only when grass is high and wet and I go fast with the machines.. If you slow it down a bit , it should eliminated the strips ??? At least that s wha tI found with the w/b's .. The rider , I have to just make two passes, or overlap the passes by 1/2.....

[Lawn-Scapes]

Well.. It turns out the pitch (rake) was off and still is a bit. I deflated the rear tires to compensate until I can work on it this weekend. It's not perfect but seems better.

As far as one type of blade versus another... I was using the high lift solids last year and found that it created too much air.. blowing some grass downward leaving it uncut. I switched to the gators and the problem went away. I like the way the grass gets shredded to bits and there is considerably less blowout too.

Thanks for the help!

[lasher66]

Do you think it could be when the grass is wet, the front wheels roll over it before its cut, then the wet grass is just to heavy for the blades to pull back up to cut nice and even. I always thought that was the reason I was getting the strips.

Lasher66

[Oliver1850]

I too experienced strips with my new laser in the Spring. After consulting with the dealer, it turns out:

1. I was going way to fast for the type of conditions (wet, heavy, tall and thick).

2. the deck was plugged

This solved the problem and I have not experienced strips in over a year

[lawnman25]

Everyone , this is not just a exmark problem . Rules of thumb . 1. Keep the underside of your deck clean ( Major cause in wet conditions ) 2 . Check your belts for glazing ( could cause one of the blades to slow down ) . 3. Belt tension ( Make sure your deck belt is tensioned enough ). 4. Sharp blades ! ( KEEP EM' SHARP ! )You will find if these four conditions is satisfied you will REDUCE or ELIMINATE striping . I live by these rules . That is why we are QUALITY LAWN CARE ! I do not run the good machines you guy's run ( I run GRASSHOPPER ) but I know if you follow these rules it greatly improves your Quality of cut . I used to have the same problem until I followed these rules . If it works let me know . I keep my competition on thier toes because there customers are wondering why our lawns look better than his and I use older equipment . He is the #1 lawn service in town but I am catching up . It is called learning tricks to make your job easier and your customers have a better looking yard at the same time . Hope this helps.:angel: