woods mower blades RM660 L306

[Geo-TH,In]

I have two woods mowers. A RM660 on a Jubilee and a L306 on an IHC. The RM660 was leaving a narrow strip of grass between where blades overlapped. About 1/2 inch of the tips of the blades were dull and rounded off a little. Rest of the blade was good looking and sharp. Blades aren't that old.

That's when I discovered there are replacement blades with the same woods model number# but two different lengths, 24 5/16 and 24 11/16. That's when I ordered a set of longer blades. In the mean time I got the mig welder out and made my old blades longer, 24 11/16. They work just fine, no narrow strip of grass left behind. Fixed the rounded ends too.

Well I noticed my L306 could use a longer blade too. So guess what? So far I found there are two different blade lengths for that mower too, with the same woods number. One is 24 7/16 the other 24 1/2. Not really that much difference like the 3/8 inch difference in the RM 660 blades.

I'm still looking for a longer blade for the L306.

Has anyone experienced the slight diffference in blade lengths? Does anyone have a source for even longer blades for my L306? I hate to think I'll have to weld up the ends on my L306 blades. They are like new.

I know what some of you are thinking, BIG DEAL.
But when the ends are rounded off just a little, there isn't very much room for overlap, it will leave a very narrow strip of grass uncut, especially when turning.
thanks,
George

 

[bg/mo]

If they overlap too much won"t they hit eachother when the belt slips??? Just askin I have a 306 also and notice a strip sometimes where tires mash the grass down

 

[Geo-TH,In]

bg/mo,
I decided to use mig and weld an extension on my L306 blades making them longer. I found out you can only push your luck to 24 5/8 inches. Which leaves you about 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch clearance when blades are at the closet point. Standard blades are 24 7/16 and some are 24 1/2. 1/16 doesn't sound that much.

Haven't tried them yet. You may be right, it's the wheels pushing the grass down causing the strips. Only notice something is wrong a day or two later.

For sure, my RM660 was leaving uncut grass behind because I was using the 24 5/16 blades. Switched to 24 11/16 and it works perfectly. Never really measured the clearance but the blades don't touch.

George