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Install a Mulching Kit on a 46" Deck
Adding a mulching kit or mulching lawn mower blades to your lawn mower allows you to easily mulch grass, leaves and small twigs. Leaving these cuttings on your lawn to decompose increases the nutrients in your lawn that are essential for a healthy yard. What is a mulching kit? A mulching kit is a riding lawn mower attachment designed to alter the function of your lawn tractor to be able to cut yard waste into smaller pieces that decompose more easily. Follow these instructions on how to install a mulching kit on a 46" riding lawn mower deck to get your riding lawn mower and attachments ready for fall chores.
Step 1: Remove the cutting deck
Remove the cutting deck from beneath the riding lawn mower as instructed in your operator's manual.
Step 2: Flip the deck over
We recommend that you lay down a piece of cardboard to protect the deck. Gently flip the deck over, on top of the cardboard to expose its underside.
Step 3: Secure the old blades
CAUTION: CUTTING BLADES ARE SHARP - WEAR HEAVY DUTY GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE BLADES. A blade removal tool can be used to hold the blade in place during the removal of the blade nut. When you remove the old blades, make sure to keep the blade nuts for the installation of the new blades. You can also use a block of wood between the deck housing baffel and the cutting blade to keep the blade in place.
Step 4: Remove the old blades
Next, use a wrench or breaker bar and socket to remove the hex flange nut that secures the blade to the spindle assembly. Notice that the hex flange nuts have a normal, right-handed, thread pattern. Remove the old blades.
Step 5: Attach new, mulching lawn mower blades
Replace the old blades with the blades included in the mulching kit. Be sure to install each blade with the side marked "bottom", or with the part number on it, facing the ground when the mower is in the operating position. Also, line up the mulching lawn mower blades star pattern center hole with the star pattern of the spindle. Use a torque wrench to tighten each blade flange nut to between 70 and 90 foot lbs.
Step 6: Flip the deck back over
Carefully flip the deck back to its upright position.
Step 7: Install the mulch plug
To install the mulch plug, lift the discharge chute up. Insert the mulch plug into the deck discharge chute opening by fitting the bolt on the rear side of the mulch plug into the hole in the deck. Pivot the mulch plug into place. Pull and stretch the retaining plug on the mulch plug over the deck wheel bracket and hook it under the bottom of the bracket.
Step 8: Reattach the deck to your mower
Slide the deck back under the riding lawn mower and reattach it as instructed in your owner's manual. Once the mulching kit is installed, it's possible to mow normally or utilize the blades for mulching. In the future, if you want to mow without mulching, simply remove the mulch plug - you will not need to change the mulching mower blades. You are now ready to use your riding lawn mower to mulch the lawn.