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Rear Deck Anti-Scalp Roller

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czuck

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2002
Messages
71
displayname
Charlie H Zuck
Years back several people on here installed a rear anti-scalp roller on their mower decks. I added one to my 48" deck on my 147. I positioned it so the bottom of the roller is the same distance below the blade in the back as the one in the front. Anyone install theirs any lower? Thinking of dropping mine another 1/2" or more to help when crossing over a ridge in my yard.
 
OK, here is what I have now. Bottom of roller is 1/4" below the blade. Steve Blunier is a good authority on here for deck info. He did one where the centerline of the shaft is at the blade. I would need to drop another 3/4" to equal his, which I plan on doing.
 

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Here is one photo showing what Steve Blunier did.
 

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Thanks Charlie !! They're both mounted good but what I noticed is no adjustment in bracket s for height.Maybe I'm trying to overkill the thought.It's my intent to use a rear roller from a simplicity deck that is much longer that I can cut to any length.I've been considering maybe 18" to be a good number.Your comments on blade height to roller will definitely help in my decision... Because of redoing riders I've had to deal with all kinds of decks and the simplicity rear roller seems to me to be the most stable but as original equipment they have a lot of adjustment parts that may/may not be necessary...I appreciate your effort.!!
 
Well I won't know until next mowing season how well it will work. You could make a bracket like the one used on the front anti-scalp wheels where there are two rows of holes giving 1/2" adjustments. Thing you need to watch at least on my 147 is the hydro. Where mine is currently it is close to the hydro cooling line when deck is up all the way. I may look at more than one hole for adjustment.
 
Here are some more photos of one mounted inside. I could not do an inside because of the blade configuration.
 

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Charlie, now you've done it.I never considered an inside mount.Just when I thought I had a plan just gotta' look at it again. That is a neat application...Should be getting to it around Mar1....As for adjustment my deck has hangers that can be changed some...Your comment about blade compared to roller is going to matter a lot....thanks again for the input !!
 
What are those blades with cuts and bent up bits?.... we dont see that kind this side of the equator but if they give more lift and shedding of leaves etc, im game to try
 
This post is really interesting.I often wondered why there wasn't a roller on the back,just like the front.This post will be interesting to follow up on in the middle of summer.I to ,am going to check those Gator Blades.Not to side track this post,a quick question on blades please.Has any one stacked two blades on top of each other,with washers between,or too much rotating mass?I'm really trying to improve my cutting also.Good stuff guys.Keep those thinking caps on!
 
Dean. for what it's worth..Simplicity has been doing a rear roller( a long one) for many years on their decks.I don't know if they still are but I really like the way those decks handle a rough lawn.Within a few weeks I'm going to transplant one onto a mid 90's cub deck to test my theory....Simplicity has a rear height control attached to the roller. Mounted in a series 4"to 8" in length centered on a long shaft....
 
This post is really interesting.I often wondered why there wasn't a roller on the back,just like the front.This post will be interesting to follow up on in the middle of summer.I to ,am going to check those Gator Blades.Not to side track this post,a quick question on blades please.Has any one stacked two blades on top of each other,with washers between,or too much rotating mass?I'm really trying to improve my cutting also.Good stuff guys.Keep those thinking caps on!

The blade cutting edges would not be in the same plane. All that extra mass might be hard on the bearings. I doubt you would improve the cut. Best to just keep the underside of the deck clean and the blades sharp.
 
they could be on the same plane if you ordered them air freight.......I agree with Kraig on bearing wear and certainly more likely to snag something in between blades......somebody should make a four way and experiment....
 
When grass is high n thick, blade speed and S-L-O-W forward motion possibly lifting the deck as she struggles avoids scalping.....
And then multiple narrow fresh cuts clearing the already cut grass out the way helps.
As a kid it was my task to do all the lawns, found out soon enough that you plan where the center of the lawn is and mow that first, wide enough to catch all the clippings, then work from outside inwards in a clockwise rotation, and guess what, I'm back to being a retired kid again. Keen blades with good lift backs always make it easier, as does ~dry grass........ more comments ?
 
The purpose of the front and rear ANTI SCALP rollers on the decks above is exactly that .....anti scalp. I added them so the deck wouldn't scalp on high ridges. They are not for height control......the deck hanger and outer gauge wheels are for that. That is why they are not adjustable and result in a cut of 1.5" or so.

Gator blades are great on 44 and 50 Cub Cadet decks, as well as several later models. Clean deck underside, sharp blades, WOT operation, and reasonable mowing speed is the key to a good mowing Cub Cadet.
 
Most of us enjoy operating machinery ..Todays phrase"it's not how fast you mow,it's how well you mow fast" doesn't fit my attitude...Usually lawnmowing time is alone,reasonably comfortable and operating some thing with an engine.Keeping the mechanicals in tune makes an enjoyable experience just that.An obvious sense of accomplishment comes with it....The same is true plowing snow unless your doing either commercially.....enjoy it....
 
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