Pros & Cons of a Rear Discharge Deck On Zero Turn Mowers

We go over the new John Deere Fastback PRO Rear-Discharge Mower Deck on the Z900 ZTrak zero-turn mower line. We needed a new mower for our commercial property and the rear discharge seemed to be the right choice for that application. In our use, we were able to find out what this new rear-discharge deck does well and where it is lacking.

Every style of mower deck has Pros and Cons! That is why there are many different choices on the market. Choosing the right one for your use can be tricky. When looking at rear-discharge decks, know that many are built in different ways. John Deere encloses the rear of the deck so you still get good suction for cutting grass tall. If the deck you are looking at is open, you will lose the lift from the blades unless the deck is close to the ground.

Windrowing is also more common with rear-discharge decks because the grass is not passed around the deck and cut up onto small pieces. But, windrowing is not a big deal unless you have grass that has not been cut or maintained. Most side discharge users will remove the side chute to reduce windrows, but then the operator gets covered in dirt and grass.

Rear-discharge decks allow you to trim with both sides of the deck and that can increase productivity for many with complicated lawn layouts.

No matter how it goes, you can find something good or bad about the deck you are looking at.

#JohnDeere #ZeroTurn #RearDischarge