I'm toying with the idea of trying to convert my Countax IBS cutting deck into a mulching deck - has anyone here tried it? Countax don't sell a conversion kit (only for the XRD deck) so I'm thinking of making an insert to close off the deck exit and return the grass clippings to the blades. Is it that simple?
I has a similar thing a few years back - can't remember the mower make, but the mower shop had a big plastic after-market 'bung' arrangement that was inserted into the grass outlet that did the job perfectly.
A google search on 'countax mulching adapter' produces hits....
On some ride-ons the mulching blades are a different pattern to the ordinary blades... so you might need to look into that?
Theoretically Yes - but check whether or not the cutter blades should be different.
I have a Honda and when the rear discharge chute gets blocked it then effectively acts as a mulcher but the deck can also get choked quickly if the grass is long. Some mulcher blades are effectively a double cut blade to chop the grass much finer than a single edged blade.
I find that just easing the deck up from time to time clears the problem.
AFAIK they're all for the "XRD" deck and say they won't fit the IBS deck
Any idea how mulching blades differ from regular cut/collect blades?
Ah - fine - not my specialist subject....
It was a few years back, but I think the regular blades were known as 'high-lift' - as they were supposed to have enough 'fan' effect to push the clippings up the discharge spout...
I do know that they advised me to change the blades when fitting the 'bung' - thinking about it I think that particular ride-on was an Einhell - but I got the impression that the bung was not an Einhell part
- but something generic that had been made to fit a number of machines..
:-)
From a bit more poking around the web it seems that mulching blades have an extra "hump" and some have teeth on a turned-up area at the back, also (perhaps) a longer cutting edge.
My Lawnflite has a bung on a stick to block the exit duct when mulching. There is no requirement to change the blade or anything else.
(IIRC the Countax ones have brush collection usually, rather than relying on high airflow to blow the clippings into the bin - so you probably already have blades more suited to mulching anyway.
That's an interesting thought - yes, there's a towed grass collector that's belt driven from the PTO.
That is how it is done on my John Deere. a simple bit of rubbery extra deck is held in place by two enormous rubber bands, . In fact such a piece might work for you as well.
replying to Ermin, LowerO wrote: This is the only info I can find on the subject - did you have any success with turning the IBS into a mulching deck?
Not tried it on a contax, but on mine it goes from blown collection to mulching just fine with the same blades.
(with the note that you can only mulch if you cut more often and don't try and mulch long grass).
We've had mulching desks on Westwoods and currently Husqvarna. I've found none of them very effective. A wet week and the grass grows too long for them to cope so they just leave swathes of grass all over the place. We use a tow behind lawn sweep to clean up
Ah! I have the same problem - could you point out this solution?
This is the one we have
Any news about the conversions of countax una deck? I’d like also to try to convert mine and I was thinking that the kit of xrd it’s compatible no?
Elephant, anvil. Brian
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