I have always taken them off all my mowers in the past, but these newer ZTR's have such high blade speeds that anything that you hit (like a golf ball or some such) is coming out of the gate at an extremely high velocity. I don't want to ever have to explain to someone why their window got shattered, or worse yet, seriously injure or even kill someone. The chute may not totally prevent it, but if it's down, at least I'm trying to prevent an accident. On top of that, if someone is injured by an object that is thrown from your machine, you can bet that in this letigious day and age, you'll be in court, and having the protective chute missing on your machine is not going to make you look very good, or help your case. YMMV

 

if you cut in public areas id leave it on but for residential just keep an eye out for what is in front about to get cut and where the chute is pointed

 

If I can flip it up out of the way I leave it attached so if I feel I need it I can flip it down for safety. Otherwise they come off.

 

Yes, we take ours off.

We replace them with a Quickchute.

http://www.qwikchute.com/

 

I always keep all safety guards on my equipment. I don't need any excuses from my insurance company if someone gets hurt or property is damaged.
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off, but I also have a mulching kit and plate.

 

Get a OCDC like PLS mentioned. I made mine and its the best thing ever.

 

Spark arrestor screens....discharge chutes....trimmer guards...

all off as soon as i get the equipment home.

 

Off, you cant cut thick grass or wet grass with them on with out having a mess. But I have home made chute blockers on.

 

quick ? should i buy a 52 in exmark lazer e series$8300 or 52in snapper pro 7000 and i going to get a 36in exmark metro bag/sullkyim 16 but im very experienced in the industry

 

quick ? should i buy a 52 in exmark lazer e series$8300 or 52in snapper pro 7000 and i going to get a 36in exmark metro bag/sullkyim 16 but im very experienced in the industry

if you can afford it, exmark. quality always beats value brands. (not bashing snapper pro)

 

I keep mine on the machine, but flipped up. If Im in a higher risk location with people are around, it goes down.

 

On my machines they are metal. I keep it off the rider and keep it on the walk behind. It's on the walk behind largely to limit the distance clippings fly when I need to...never got to getting an OCDC. But also when it's down the discharge is more concentrated, which can work to your advantage when dealing with nuisance leaves on a lawn. I'm running doubles now and with it down the wind from the discharge will all but clear the next row of leaves, so they all end up on one side of the lawn. The reason there isn't one on the rider is that I sometimes use the Untravac and I don't think I can have both on together.

 

at the beginning of the season mine was on and i was cutting tall grass and i managed to run over part of a bed spring (metal piece of wire) and it threw it through a window that was a good 4-5 feet off the ground...so i'm thinking if you hit something substantial the chute doesn't do much as far as holding it back or forcing it down into the ground.

 

That might be why deere uses a spring to keep their chute down. if the bolts are tightened on the chute hinge it might stop the chute from moving up on big impacts
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I have a stack of them in the attic.

 

That might be why deere uses a spring to keep their chute down. if the bolts are tightened on the chute hinge it might stop the chute from moving up on big impacts
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yeah mine had the spring on there...it doesn't help trust me lol

 

Off, but only for OCDC installation.

The new SuperZ I demo'd had what I have to admit the best discharge with the factory chute down.

The thing is huge though, and required that you be a contortionist to hold it up and drive onto your trailer!

 

Makes a huge difference on our trivantage exmark with the chute off. Especially in tall or wet grass