The Green Industry's Resource Center

Leeg83 · #1 03-02-2013, 08:24 PM

Ok heres the deal in the market for new enclosed trailer. So went to dealer today and found a 6x12 for 2700 dollars, now mind you im on tight budget only have 2300 at this point.So cannot afford to upgrade to bigger size. So took some measurements and the cables on ramp door are 60.5 inches inbetween. My deck width is like 58 inches with chute up. Now this is due to piece of plastic that sticks out extra 2 inches. And 1 inch of space in between is to close for comfort, so i was thinking taking chute off. Is this bad idea or can i run without? I really want enclosed for security,weather, and lazzyness

of not having to cover when it rains due to not having garage. Or i could save money that i dont have and just get a open trailer? im just torn and dont know what to due and i am driving myself nuts as welll as my wife cus this all i been talking about for past 2 weeks lol. So any input be helpfull.

Thanks, Lee

Roger · #2 03-02-2013, 09:28 PM

I think you mean deflector, not chute. Every mower deck that has a side discharge has a chute that is the opening to allow the clipping debris out from under the deck. The chute is an integral part of the deck, but the deflector is typically hinged and allowed to rotate up and down.

There are a couple of missing pieces of information: (1) Kind of mower, (2) Kind of deflector.

I have a John Deere 717A, 48" 7 Iron mowing deck (a ZTR). The deflector is an important part of the mower deck. The clippings are distributed much better with the deflector down, or rained an inch or two at the end. Mowing conditions dictate the best position of the deflector. The worst position is the deflector to be in the fully upright position (e.g. no deflector). With no deflector, a windrow of clippings is left 4-6 ft away from the discharge chute.

I have a small chain with a hook mounted from the frame to the tip of the deflector. When transporting, I simply pull up the deflector, use the hook to maintain a fully upright position. This means the smallest width possible, and allows me to put another mower beside my ZTR. Keeping the deflector down means wasted trailer space.

On the other hand, I have an Exmark w/b, TriVantage deck. The deflector is a useless part of the deck. I have it mounted with a loose pin, so that it is easily taken on/off, or at least swung fully up. Only rarely do I operate with the deflector down (e.g. when I don't want clippings to be spread wide). But, it leaves a windrow with it down.

You need to make your own decision on the value of the deflector. You may need to run with it in tight spaces to minimize the chances for debris flying in unwanted directions. Or, you may need it for best clipping distribution. If you need to keep it, try to make a provision for locking it in the upright position to make your mower the smallest width. This may eliminate your concern for trailer constraints.

ddixon7 · #3 03-02-2013, 10:00 PM

If it is an Exmark, take the deflector off. It does a way better job throwing the grass without it. I have over a dozen deflectors on my shelf, all brand new from over the years. Just like all the trimmer guards, that is the first thing I remove when I get a hold of a brand new machine.

Leeg83 · #4 03-03-2013, 09:30 AM

Sorry i left that out it is a jd 710a. Thanks for correcting me on chute and deflector im a newbie lol. I folded the deflector up and there still is a piece of palstic on the deflector that sticks out extra 2 inches. I thought about cutting it off but then deflector would not sit right up against the deck. I think i may just have to settle for open this year until i have enough cash to buy the bigger 7x12 enclosed. I think 2 inches of space to load on trailer is pretty tight dont you guys? how much space do some of you have? Either that or i have to learn how to drive very straight

brc1989 · #5 03-03-2013, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddixon7

If it is an Exmark, take the deflector off. It does a way better job throwing the grass without it. I have over a dozen deflectors on my shelf, all brand new from over the years. Just like all the trimmer guards, that is the first thing I remove when I get a hold of a brand new machine.

Agreed Exmark deflectors just leave clump trailers when you're taking off more that like 2" of turf grass. Sadly where I work we have to keep them on and down for safety. Although we put like a 2" bolt through the hole in the deck by the deflector mount to help raise up the deflector and make it more level with the deck so that helps.

LandFakers · #6 03-03-2013, 09:46 AM

I dont have deflector on my Lazer Z with the Trivantage, or my JD 7H19 with the 7 iron. Both distribute the clippings well. I havnt found a need for the deflector as I dont mow rocks or gravel so it hasnt been an issue. I have heard that the JD would spread clippings out even better with the deflector, but I took it right off.

Quix · #7 03-03-2013, 09:54 AM

Get a Power Chute. Thats what I did, wont mow without it.

Roger · #8 03-03-2013, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LandFakers

... I have heard that the JD would spread clippings out even better with the deflector, but I took it right off.

There is no question about better clipping cover with my JD 717A, 7 Iron deck, with the deflector down, or partially down. I never run with it fully up (same as having taken it off).

In normal cutting (whatever that means), I run with it fully down. However, in heavy cutting (typically Spring, on very good lawns), clipping cover is a little better with the tip pulled up an inch or two. I use a light chain, and hook to make the adjustments (and to hold it in the full upright position for transport).

I use OEM high-lift blades, on cool weather grasses.

I work with forward/reverse passes, never racetrack. With the deflector off, the outcome is a good windrow at about 4 feet out. With the deflector fully down, some clippings are left in the first four feet, while others are thrown out to the 8 ft mark. With the deflector up, little debris is left in that first 4 ft. In the down position, the discharge force is more concentrated for further throw, but also will make the discharge path close to the ground, leaving some in that first 4 ft. With the deflector up, the discharge is much more of a spray, with too much force too high. In other words, the velocity vectors are scattered, rather than concentrated.

Maybe your cutting conditions are different. But, I consider it a mistake to take it off the 7 Iron deck.

Ridin' Green · #9 03-04-2013, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

There is no question about better clipping cover with my JD 717A, 7 Iron deck, with the deflector down, or partially down. I never run with it fully up (same as having taken it off).

In normal cutting (whatever that means), I run with it fully down. However, in heavy cutting (typically Spring, on very good lawns), clipping cover is a little better with the tip pulled up an inch or two. I use a light chain, and hook to make the adjustments (and to hold it in the full upright position for transport).

I use OEM high-lift blades, on cool weather grasses.

I work with forward/reverse passes, never racetrack. With the deflector off, the outcome is a good windrow at about 4 feet out. With the deflector fully down, some clippings are left in the first four feet, while others are thrown out to the 8 ft mark. With the deflector up, little debris is left in that first 4 ft. In the down position, the discharge force is more concentrated for further throw, but also will make the discharge path close to the ground, leaving some in that first 4 ft. With the deflector up, the discharge is much more of a spray, with too much force too high. In other words, the velocity vectors are scattered, rather than concentrated.

Maybe your cutting conditions are different. But, I consider it a mistake to take it off the 7 Iron deck.

I agree with your first post in that it makes a difference in which machine you have, and that you should try it both ways to see for yourself.

JD says the cover being down spreads the clippings more evenly. That all depends on the entire machine- blades, engine HP, width of deck etc etc.

I have owned a ton of JD's over the years. Some work better with the cover down, some do not.

MY Z720 (same as the OP's with bigger deck and engine) worked a little better with the deflector down. MY Z950 with the MOD deck works better with it off. The MOD has a side discharge cover built into the machine that raises and lowers depending on whether the MOD is open or closed, so it acts sort of like the deflector anyway. I tried it both with the deflector down and with it up before I finally took it off completely. Under normal circumstances, it made little difference, but if the clippings were longer, then having it in the up position was much better.

The point is, try it both ways and determine what's best on your lawns, with the blades you normally run (the OEM's on the 710's are std lift), then decide if you would be better off without it.

As far as it being able to deflect a stick or rock, I call BS on that, because I always left it down on my Z720 and I still threw several sticks quite a ways with it. Just as far as when I had it in the up position trying it to see how the clipping dispersal was.

windflower · #10 03-03-2013, 06:55 PM

For years I put a New Holland cm222 in a trailer with only an inch clearance on either side (with the deflector removed, it wouldn't fit otherwise). It was easier to back in than drive in forward. I occasionally caught the ramp cables but it wasn't very often. Learned to put the deflector back on for mowing after I put a tree branch through a neighbor's window.