JD D130 [48" deck] mulching kit

[varkpilot]

I've been a "basket" user for years.
Now I'm tired of emptying the baskets and the "experts" say I should have been mulching all along.
Local dealer says the kit is just under $100.  Kit is blades and mulching plug.
Two questions:
1.  Have mulching kits, in particular JD, worked for you?
2.  Do you have to take the deck off and is it a DIY for a senior citizen who doesn't do well crawling around under cars/mowers anymore [dealer says it's no more than an hour's labor at approx $80per]?

[$awdust]

I've been a "basket" user for years.
Now I'm tired of emptying the baskets and the "experts" say I should have been mulching all along.
Local dealer says the kit is just under $100.  Kit is blades and mulching plug.
Two questions:
1.  Have mulching kits, in particular JD, worked for you?
2.  Do you have to take the deck off and is it a DIY for a senior citizen who doesn't do well crawling around under cars/mowers anymore [dealer says it's no more than an hour's labor at approx $80per]?

When I change the blades on mine, I drop the deck, remove the 5 attachment point pins, drag the deck out the side and flip the deck over to change the blades.

You do have to crawl around to pull the pins and again to replace the deck.  If you have a drive on / drive off trailer might be worth it as you may need help pulling the deck back under.

Hmm.  I bought mulching blades but just left the side discharge open.  Guess it does half and half.  I blow it toward the center and rake whats left.

[TDKPE]

That deck resembles mine.  The mulching 'plug' just clips on in place of the chute, with two built-in bungies.  I switch around all the time.

Blades take a little more effort, but to be honest, I haven't seen much difference between mulching blades and regular blades, whatever either term actually means.

[toolmiser]

I have a mulching "kit" for my JD LX 255, two blade. I usually mow about every 4-5 days in the summer. Only when dry, and mine will leave windrows if used when grass is growing fast. I usually leave the kit off and install "Gator" blades, I believe they grind up the grass better, and use the side discharge. My rider is probably 25 years old, they may have gotten better, but that is what I use.

[daddo]

I have the X300 - bought the mulching blades, made a metal cover for the exhaust opening and placed a piece of carpeting over that to stop the small amount of leakage. It blows a lot of air.

I destroyed my lawn soil using the bag. It picked up everything that would have been good food and mulch for a healthy soil. It took years of mulching to get the good topsoil going again. Now I mulch the tons of leaves and grass and small sticks. The lawn looks good again.

It is best to mow more often when mulching.

[Bill Wilson]

I don't have a JD, but my tractor has a mulching "kit" like described in a previous post.  Like TDKPE's, it's just a plastic cover that clips over the chute.  I leave the same blades on.

I use mine to chop up leaves in the Fall.  It works pretty well for that.  As for mulching grass, that would require that I mow at least 2X a week, except during drought conditions.  That isn't happening, no matter how good it might be for my yard.  Using the mulching kit when the grass is a little too high and/or moist makes more of a mess than just letting it discharge.

[TDKPE]

Using the mulching kit when the grass is a little too high and/or moist makes more of a mess than just letting it discharge.

Agreed, and for that, I have a bungie cord hooked onto the spring loaded plastic chute and to the blade height lever button, and when I want to spray it far for good dispersal, a light finger pull on that bungie lets it fly far and wide.  Letting it go keeps it more in check, so I'm not blowing it onto the patio or flower beds or whatever.  
 

I often mulch it, and if there's too much, I go around after the fact and bag what's visible and obnoxious, especially near the house and in the front yard.  I never bag the whole yard though.  I also mulch the leaves, then run around and bag what the bagger can get, which is the larger bits that haven't dropped too deep into the grass.  Probably the majority of the leaves get chewed small and left behind, which is fine for the grass, and fine by me.  

[gjohn]

2.  Do you have to take the deck off and is it a DIY for a senior citizen who doesn't do well crawling around under cars/mowers anymore [dealer says it's no more than an hour's labor at approx $80per]?

Replacing the blades without pulling the deck would be a hassle (and involve crawling around under mowers). Pulling the deck is not that hard (five connection points), but if you do not do well crawling around, it would likely be a bargain to let the dealer do it. In any case, the blades get dull and need to be sharpened or replaced periodically.

[dg152]

I've been a "basket" user for years.
Now I'm tired of emptying the baskets and the "experts" say I should have been mulching all along.
Local dealer says the kit is just under $100.  Kit is blades and mulching plug.
Two questions:
1.  Have mulching kits, in particular JD, worked for you?
2.  Do you have to take the deck off and is it a DIY for a senior citizen who doesn't do well crawling around under cars/mowers anymore [dealer says it's no more than an hour's labor at approx $80per]?

I've got the D110 which is a couple of sizes smaller than your D130.  I put the mulching kit on which consists of 2 mulching blades (they're shaped differently that the regular blades) and and plastic door which is placed over the grass chute which keeps the grass inside the housing to be chopped up.

Replacing the blades was difficult the first time.  The blade nuts were really torqued on.  So I bought a gizmo which prevents the blade from moving while loosening the nut.  It was $10 - 15 from Lee Valley.  Once the blade nuts were off change out was simple.  Put the new blades on, tighten the nut, put the mulch door on the house and you're ready to go.

By the way, it's a little easier to work on the underside of the mower if you use your car ramps and drive about half-way up.  Be sure to set the brake and block the wheels. I found no need to remove the mower deck. The whole process shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes.

[varkpilot]

I have a "come-along" attached to garage ceiling beam and lift the front end far enough to get at the two blades.

And..........."Yes, I insert supports, just in case!"

I had to get "hi-lift" blades to make bagging work.

I'm leaning to mulching blades w/o the mulching "plug."

Are the 'Gator blades model specific?