X-Factor Deck QOC?

[GMLC]

mtmower, I have never had stragglers like that! I had a couple in fine fescue at high speeds with dull blades which was easily fixed with sharp blades. Yours appear to be on thick grass which shouldn't need the extra vacuum like fine grass. Please keep us up to date.

[ProStreetCamaro]

Mtmower we have talked about heading out that way to visit some time. If we do we need to meet up for dinner our something! You live in a beautiful area!
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[MJB]

Originally Posted by mtmower

Got her dirty today slinging a little water and mud. When I got it I pressed all the stickers to make sure they were on well then I waxed it for the first and probably only time. I cleaned it with my pressure washer and straight water on a medium setting an lost 5 decals and two more started lifting. Never had this happen to this extent. Maybe it was a bad batch?

Tried to get some shots of the stragglers but my cell phone doesn't pick it up real well.

I've always loved driving through that part of Montana, and going to the hotsprings in the fall. Even though I live probably 3 to 400 miles away I cut the same grass just without the beautiful scenery you have. Cool season grasses have always been a pain to get the perfect or acceptable cut in 1 pass. But in the larger lawns it's hard to justify any double cutting. I would keep experimenting with blades, hi lift definately helps. I would try up to 3/8 inch of pitch too. I don't know how your Hustler compares in quality of cut but would think the Gravely would do much better. I didn't like the x factor for mulching much but never tried it side discharging. It's always a battle to find the right mower setup for these grasses.

[Ridin' Green]

Originally Posted by Hawkshot99

Weird looking house with all the different roof areas, but I love the pic with the nice green lawn, and snow capped peaks in the background.

ou live in a beautiful area!

That's a very common high end type northern house design, at least in the mid-west. I've built many,many ,many of them in my life.


mtnmower-

The grass looks fine. Besides, if it were me cutting those places, the lines in the grass would be all over the place from staring at the backdrop. I never get tired of looking at stuff like that. The pic you took on the place where you were trying to show the stragglers (looking out over the lawn with the gravel boudry to the right) looks an awful lot like a couple of "subdivisions" we built several homes in when I lived in Alaska. Brought back some pleasant memories for me.

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by JDGlandscape

Wow that area is unreal.. i love how the property looks with the rockies in the background I would love to visit an area like that. I like that house and property by the way.


Although you are having a few stragglers, the cut still looks really good in the picture. have you talked to your gravely dealer about this problem?

Yea from a distance or an untrained eye it's looks pretty good. If it's windy or you hit it with a blower that's when you really notice or of course if something is closer to eye level.

I'm originally from out east. Out of high school did custom combining from Texas to Montana and once again did during college. Of course loved it since I was from out east. Found my first true love in MT at eighteen which was a real impact. Of course it was only my first. Went to Kansas for college (Hesston where they make Hustlers). Met my wife at college and this area is where she grew up. Been back here 10 years.

Most of my clients are snowbirds from CA or Canada. It is a pretty cool house. Sort of older parade of homes area. Interior has 10' doors etc.

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by GMLC

mtmower, I have never had stragglers like that! I had a couple in fine fescue at high speeds with dull blades which was easily fixed with sharp blades. Yours appear to be on thick grass which shouldn't need the extra vacuum like fine grass. Please keep us up to date.

It seems to be happening a little in both. My wife didn't notice it till I pointed it out. It'll just be a blade or two hear or there in a 3'-5' run but when it's over the whole yard I start to notice. A lot of the time in the fescue you'll see the blade still arched or bent over from it's weight that was never lifted to be cut. This is why I'm still looking at lift/vacuum as a possible remedy. Gonna repitch the deck to 1/4" then maybe even 3/8". It just ticks me off that I'm throwing my deck gauge further off by doing this, but if it corrects the straggler problem I'll do it. Dennis is out of the office for Oregon till Monday. I have a call in to him to get his opinion on which blade he'd recommend. I want to get this corrected prior to trying the mulch kit and bagger.

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by ProStreetCamaro

Mtmower we have talked about heading out that way to visit some time. If we do we need to meet up for dinner our something! You live in a beautiful area!
Posted via Mobile Device

Anytime. Just give us a shout.

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by MJB

I've always loved driving through that part of Montana, and going to the hotsprings in the fall. Even though I live probably 3 to 400 miles away I cut the same grass just without the beautiful scenery you have. Cool season grasses have always been a pain to get the perfect or acceptable cut in 1 pass. But in the larger lawns it's hard to justify any double cutting. I would keep experimenting with blades, hi lift definately helps. I would try up to 3/8 inch of pitch too. I don't know how your Hustler compares in quality of cut but would think the Gravely would do much better. I didn't like the x factor for mulching much but never tried it side discharging. It's always a battle to find the right mower setup for these grasses.

Sadly both my Hustler SZ, and my Ferris 48", Encore 36", Exmark 48" walk behinds all leave or left a cleaner cut. Once I get this figured out this will be the machine though. It's saving me time over even my SZs which I wasn't expecting. Clipping dispersal was a concern of mine with the deck design before I bought it, but this thing is amazing when it comes to dispersal. Hopefully getting the straggler deal corrected doesn't throw off the dispersal.

[GMLC]

I cut this one first thing this morning with freshly sharpened OEM blades.

[ProStreetCamaro]

mtmower call me crazy but in the side view pictures of your mower it "looks" like the deck is pitched back instead of forward. It might just be the pics or the fact the front of the deck skirt is raised compared to the back?