Keeping a deck rust free?

[Mighty HD]

What are the tricks to keeping your riding mower decks rust free?

The manual suggests waxing everything. I already clayed, polished with a buffer, and 3x coats of wax, and a coat of wax on the deck.

Someone told me to spray WD-40 under it after I clean it all off?

 

[browning300wsm]

i have noticed they rust from the bottom ,where damp grass collects underneath and rust forms [pressure washing the underneath would take care of the rust] i don't see how waxing the deck will stop the rust ?????

 

[benjamming]

What about the AMSOIL Metal Protector stuff?
I assume that you hose it down after every cutting & let it dry?

 

[Mighty HD]

I hose it off, blow it off with the blower, then wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth, run it for about 15 minutes at a mid-idle with the blades on to dry the underside of the deck.

 

[obbop]

Voila'

A thick aluminum deck. Can corrode but after three years I see nary a bit of corrosion on my mighty spiffy Toro.

Ole'

 

[Steelhead]

park it in the garage, cover it with a non corrosive scratch free cover and don't use it.

seriously, clay baring a mower?

what brand of mower, Ferrari?

 

[mazduh30]

I wax the top and keep the underdeck extremely clean and clear of all grass. At the end of the season I oil all cables, nuts/bolts, blade, etc. If I see rust developing around bolt holes I use Naval gel and repaint (touch-up). Maybe abit overboard for a lawnmower, but still looks good after 20 years.

 

[doitmyself]

Man, just when I start to worry that I have a bad case of OCD, you guys come to the rescue and put things in perspective.

I have a reputation at work for having some of the best maintained equipment anywhere. But, material things are disposable to some extent and I can only say how wonderful it is to unburden oneself from the notion that life revolves around material things.

Deck maintenance has been discussed ad-nauseum at lawnsite.com and there seems to be no miracle cures without tons of effort. The grass eventually sand blasts any coating off.

Keeping it clean and dry, as stated above, is a good start. Fluid Film has worked well for some. It is a lanolin based penetrant/rust inhibitor that will seep into the seams to drive out moisture and retard rust.


Be careful of constant washing of the deck underside. Some spindles. when cooling down, will suck water into the bearings and shorten their life....so I am told.
Enough said. I'm going to the local air show to enjoy time with my wife - much more rewarding than time with the mower deck!

 

[Master ACiD]

wow man i dont claybar my CAR and i guess people are doing this to their lawnmower. man this world is messed up. personally id rather spend time with family, friends etc but to each tiehr own.

ok heres what you can do. after EVERY mow, clean the grass off the deck. then spary it down with pam. pam is bio degradable and wont leave a huge sticky waxy mess. plus the next time you cut the grass seems to slip off the deck so it stays cleaner longer. but dont obcess over this stuff, its just a mower afterall.

 

[Doc8404]

clean, degrease the underside, then paint with Rust Bullet
www.rustbullet.com
great stuff.

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

You might also try the AMSOIL Heavy Duty Metal Protector.
Have seen some similar products at outdoor equipment trade shows.

 

[Al]

Key is to keep the grass from forming a layer on the underside. Keep it hosed off. It seems if you mow really wet grass and let it sit say a couple of days, it forms a lot of rust very quickly.

 

[Lonnie]

One good way to grow rust is to leave clumps of wet grass under your mower wher the outside dries and the stuff next to the metal can go to work without any more help. Clean is a good start to fighting rust. Anything after that has got to be effective, but clean is the first consideration.

 

[JTK]

Quote:

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ok heres what you can do. after EVERY mow, clean the grass off the deck. then spary it down with pam. pam is bio degradable and wont leave a huge sticky waxy mess..

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Hehee.. and you'll be feeding the bugs and rodents as well!

Joel

 

[jef1ge]

www.por15.com

 

[Doc8404]

por15 requires more prep

 

[Master ACiD]

Quote:

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Quote:

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ok heres what you can do. after EVERY mow, clean the grass off the deck. then spary it down with pam. pam is bio degradable and wont leave a huge sticky waxy mess..

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Hehee.. and you'll be feeding the bugs and rodents as well!

Joel

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if you have a bug and rodent problem there are bigger things to worry about then some rust on a mower.

 

[lobo11]

My dad did this with great results, he did it new, but if it was cleaned well who knows? He painted it with a commercial epoxy paint, I don't know what the stuff was but it was expensive as heck, not the rustoleum stuff but from an industrial paint supplier. Seems to have worked really well and amazingly has very few chips.

 

[lars11]

well, since it's underneath the problem is, like a car, just clean it and use body rust protection spray. black and ugly, but who cares about the part underneath the mower