21" GATOR universal mulching blade : any good ?
- Thread starter odie
- Start date
- Status
From what I read on some machines they work real well and on others not so much.
I say if you need a new blade install it and see how it does.
Just keep us informed as to your results.
I say if you need a new blade install it and see how it does.
Just keep us informed as to your results.
It made my old mower a completely different machine. The OEM blade couldn't even pick up clippings off the sidewalk; the Gator move A LOT more air. Also, they're made out of more and better steel than most OEM blades so they hold an edge longer and can store more energy.
Yeah, they're good. Do a search. There have been quite a few discussions on this topic.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
How well they work is more dependent on what and how you are mowing as opposed to the machine they are being used on.
Joel
Joel
I bought an Arnold, a different version of the gator. It worked, but it was EXTREMELY loud, and didn't mulch well enough to make it worth it. I returned it after one use and bought a good, traditional, made in usa, steel, 3-in-1 blade from Advance that works like a beauty, and is still sharp after half a season.
Originally Posted By: JTK
How well they work is more dependent on what and how you are mowing as opposed to the machine they are being used on.
Joel
How well do they work on the GT2544 that you used to have, have you tried them? My blades are over 5 yrs old now and i was looking for options for replacing them next year. The gators were at the top of the list. Just wondering what you thought being you had the same machine.
How well they work is more dependent on what and how you are mowing as opposed to the machine they are being used on.
Joel
How well do they work on the GT2544 that you used to have, have you tried them? My blades are over 5 yrs old now and i was looking for options for replacing them next year. The gators were at the top of the list. Just wondering what you thought being you had the same machine.
Only the top of the line Hondas have two blades.
Lesser models have the usual single blade.
Going to a single blade would reduce the speed and eveness of the cut.
The two blades are how Honda's top model gets its 'best of the bunch' rating by C.U.
Lesser models have the usual single blade.
Going to a single blade would reduce the speed and eveness of the cut.
The two blades are how Honda's top model gets its 'best of the bunch' rating by C.U.
Originally Posted By: odie
Taking the GATOR blade back . No better than the MTD replacement blade for the 5 H.P. YARD MACHINE.
Echos my experience with a Gatorblade. It is a nicely made blade, a lot heavier than the OEM, but it did a sloppy job cutting my carpet grass.
Taking the GATOR blade back . No better than the MTD replacement blade for the 5 H.P. YARD MACHINE.
Echos my experience with a Gatorblade. It is a nicely made blade, a lot heavier than the OEM, but it did a sloppy job cutting my carpet grass.
They seem to work best in primitive mowers. The more engineering that went into the airflow through the deck the more the Gator blade is just going to interfere and mess things up.
I had a set I tried on my old John Deere 112 rider.
They didnt cut as well as oem blades, seemed to miss grass between blades and didnt stand the grass up as well for a smooth cut.
Went back to Deere blades, they have given the best cut.
They didnt cut as well as oem blades, seemed to miss grass between blades and didnt stand the grass up as well for a smooth cut.
Went back to Deere blades, they have given the best cut.
I thought maybe I was imagining the missing grass and not pulled up as well, but I had the same experience with the Arnold. Nothing beats a good OE style blade I think.
I'd have to agree that they work great on some and no so good on others.
The Gator I put on our 22" Craftsman works great..but the old blade was dull and I'm not sure how much thought they gave the deck for mulching. It side-discharges nice though too.
A lot of metal in that blade though! No more stumps for me..
The Gator I put on our 22" Craftsman works great..but the old blade was dull and I'm not sure how much thought they gave the deck for mulching. It side-discharges nice though too.
A lot of metal in that blade though! No more stumps for me..
Originally Posted By: dwendt44
Only the top of the line Hondas have two blades.
That's not true. The HRR and HRX series Hondas both have twin blades along with the "top of the line" commercial HRC series.
Only the top of the line Hondas have two blades.
That's not true. The HRR and HRX series Hondas both have twin blades along with the "top of the line" commercial HRC series.
Originally Posted By: calvin1
They seem to work best in primitive mowers. The more engineering that went into the airflow through the deck the more the Gator blade is just going to interfere and mess things up.
Following up here, I transfered my Gator blade from my broken Lawnboy to the one I just bought. The new-to-me one has a stamped metal fan the straddles the blade, going between the blade and the bolt. The Gator hasn't worked as well on this mower as the previous one and I was always wondering if it was fighting the air flow from the fan. The fan is set to lift air from the middle of the deck at the shaft and the Gator is set to lift air at the perimeter so they are blasting the air at each other. Well, this last weekend I removed that fan piece and I'm seeing noticeably better results. The cut was very uneven at the highest deck setting but now that the air flow is stronger it can stand those blades up a lot better. That fan must have also been a much bigger load on the engine than I would have guessed because not having it installed brought my RPMs up by at least 250. I had both more power and more fuel efficiency without it.
They seem to work best in primitive mowers. The more engineering that went into the airflow through the deck the more the Gator blade is just going to interfere and mess things up.
Following up here, I transfered my Gator blade from my broken Lawnboy to the one I just bought. The new-to-me one has a stamped metal fan the straddles the blade, going between the blade and the bolt. The Gator hasn't worked as well on this mower as the previous one and I was always wondering if it was fighting the air flow from the fan. The fan is set to lift air from the middle of the deck at the shaft and the Gator is set to lift air at the perimeter so they are blasting the air at each other. Well, this last weekend I removed that fan piece and I'm seeing noticeably better results. The cut was very uneven at the highest deck setting but now that the air flow is stronger it can stand those blades up a lot better. That fan must have also been a much bigger load on the engine than I would have guessed because not having it installed brought my RPMs up by at least 250. I had both more power and more fuel efficiency without it.
- Status
Similar threads
