Mower Deck underside

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

 Anyone have their favorite paint to use on the underside of these decks. There has to be a  paint that will endure the pressures that the underside of these decks go through. 

[Jerry77 1,218]

Never had a lot of luck in that regard...Slip Plate came close but no cigar--I just keep it clean and dry - works for me...

[953 nut 55,080]

Clean and sand the deck and them spray with Plasti Dip.

[pacer 3,168]

I even tried the highly rated (and expensive!) POR15, first sand blasting the deck then closely following the instructions on use and ------ some 6-8 hrs (4-5 mowings) later it was about 75% GONE! not impressed! Have had as good luck with just cleaning good and using rustoleums red primer. I will add that I have a good bit of bare spots in my yard and when dry I'm stirring up a lot of dust - essentially sand blasting.

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

I use POR-15.Find it lasts a couple years.I even use it on my 5 foot brush hog.My opinion...…...great stuff.

[peter lena 8,582]

https://www.movingupgaragedoors.com/lubriplate-11-ounces-chain-and-cable-areosol-spray?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq9mP3NTo3AIVz1qGCh2_lQiSEAQYAiABEgK_ZPD_BwE   been using this for years , with zero rust , and metal saving  lubricant. I combine this with regular deck cleaning and drying in the sun ,to heat up the metal , dry it out and absorb the lubricant. also clean and lube it down , after cutting season, sits upside down ,cleaned and oil sprayed. zero rust or rot , also the best lube for the chain drive on your snow blower. don't  seal in moisture , dry it out ,and lubricate the metal, just my own experience , pete

[daveoman1966 3,745]

Gotcha all beat....  My 48" side deck has a stainless steel liner in it.  Bought this for my Bronco 14 and it started to rust out.  At the time, I worked for a tool & die shop and I made a cardboard template of the deck shell.  They used that template to custom make a stainless steel liner, then mig welded a 4" front 'apron' for it and it bolted right in.  That was in early 80s, still goin' strong...NO RUST.  

[cleat 5,809]

A stainless deck shell would be great for rust.

 

Cracking would be the biggest issue.

 

I love stainless and would make one if I could.

 

Cleat

[nj1052 15]

I first had the underside sand blasted and then used 2 pack epoxy resin over zinc rich primer. So far so good but I do wash the underside each time I use the deck. I tried Por-15 and is was pretty useless.  I do like the sound of a stainless deck!

[pfrederi 17,666]

 have tried POR it didn't work as well as i think it should for the money and the prep time involved.

[Skipper 1,788]

Bedliner.............

[peter lena 8,582]

daveoman I can relate , worked  as a millwright for Pfizer , all our s/s was 316 food grade as well as hastaloy c . bombproof stuff , made some items for the horse, that are still like new. best thing I made was my s/s swinging mail box, schedule 80 cement filled  3"  stand pipe. American stainless forever , pete

[oliver2-44 9,689]

I  rebuilt the 42 inch deck and this is its 2nd summer of use on a large yard. I cleaned it with a grinder knotted brush to bright clean metal. Applied 2 coats of POR 15. Using the recoat time they recommend, 99% if still there. The yard is mostly good grass and black dirt, no sand. 

Its interesting some of us have good success with POR and some don’t 

[Sarge 3,463]

I think a lot of the paint results are mostly in prep, as well as what conditions the ground being mowed has - if it's dusty, gritty or just plain grass it makes quite a difference. Products like POR15 need a surface finish that is very rough to be able to "bite" and adhere properly - which in reality is a problem if the deck is rust pitted as this leads to grass sticking in those areas, paint or no paint. The best results I've had were shells that were very smooth and properly painted with either a very well done epoxy primer and hard surface paint, or a really correct powder coating. I'm no fan of powder coat as moisture can get under it, but if really done right with the correct prep it will last quite awhile. Some use old motor oils to give the metal a carbon coating, which takes time and is a bit messy, but works. Dry graphite type paints seem to work pretty well but will need re-coating occasionally to keep it working. It's all about preference and what works for you - and the type of soil/grass conditions you have in your area. 

 

Sarge