No One Told Me BEFOREHAND. I'm PISSED!!! 

Thank you so much for that AWESOME response, and THANK you for watching. I do my BEST to be as informative as I can be without being boring. A little humor mixed in breaks up the monotony and makes the information easier to absorb. Again, THANK YOU for watching.

​@@BigSouthOutdoorsTVkoijiytn

Thanks for watching. You won't get anything but honesty on this channel. Ive6got more content coming on this mower. Not Ariens, just this model Ariens, model number 918.

Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I try as best as I can to present accurate info. Thanks again for the encouraging words.

Thanks for watching!

And looks like Ariens listened to you - gas fill doesn't jut out anymore. Don't know about the 52's blade longevity and aftermarket availability though.

Love my 52" Ikon

I have the same unit. Cut my two acres twice now. Love it so far. We shall see.

​@mitchg.5125 it looks the same to me on the Lowes website

Thank you for watching. I'm not perfect, but I do try to be as accurate as possible.

Thanks for watching and thanks for the blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Thank you and thanks for watching. I'm a FIRM believer in maintenance, whether it be belts, blades, oil, filters etc... Unfortunately, things aren't built to last anymore. We now live in a "disposable" society. When something breaks, it's more cost effective to replace it than fix it.

Same with the Sears Suburban’s

@MrCountrycuz thanks for watching and sorry for the delayed response. I'm familiar with sears and at the risk of sounding dumb, I'm not sure about the suburban part. Can you expound on that part?

What you talking g about I don't have a sirburban

Thank you for watching! I appreciate the kind words. If you haven't already, please subscribe. I love to have you as part of the Big South gang.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Done.

I prefer doing things outside if possible. I'm a firm believer in using what you have, and I don't have an engine hoist. Thanks for watching.

That’s a sweet set up👍🏻

@@sweetdrahthaar7951 thanks for watching and for the awesome comment. It's taken me 24 years, one step at a time to get here.

thats why kubota zds are smart they have build in jack on the front of theres @@BigSouthOutdoorsTV

I just lift mine up by hand and put it on a block of wood. The front-end on these zero turns aren't that heavy. Most of the weight is in the back with the engine.

We care about ours and our customers...

Thanks for watching. I appreciate your support.

Thanks for watching. The nearest scag dealer to me is over 40 miles away. That's one of the reasons I run Gravely. I bought my first Gravely 152xdz in 2008 and sold it with over 6,000 hours on it. The gentleman that bought it from me over 4 years ago now is still running it. It now has over 12,000 hours on it. Still has the same engine and transmissions. We all have our favorite, Gravely is my favorite. I bought this turd to replace the Craftsman z6400 I had and wish now I still did.

Well thank you and thank you for watching.

It did affect the cut height. I just set the deck, measured the blade height and set the deck height adjustment where the blades would be at the appropriate cutting height. Ie...in order to cut at 2.75 inches, I have to set the height at 3.25.

I custom fit blades as well... bigger hole, hat spacer whatever. All I care about is they are the right length. :)

@dudleycornman1624 the threaded end of the spindle shaft is not long enough to put a spacer on. It would take up to much of the threads and not allow the nut to tighten properly.

I saw that to

On the blade length, I’ve actually cross-referenced different blade length to close the blade gap. Where the ends of the blades get worn down, or wet grass may leave a missed streak as u turn. I had a 72” Bad Boy that I used 2 different length of blades on, to fix its problem. The factory blade length is 24”, I used a 24-13/32” blade on the outers & a 24” blade in the center. Or, I could use the 24” blades on the outer & the 24-13/32” blade n the center, either way? But that 13/32” (.406”) closed up the gap up to fix my streaking problem.

You're welcome. I'm glad you found it helpful. Please consider subscribing if you haven't already. If you already have, welcome to the Big South family.

You're most welcome and thank you for watching. Look into the Gravely Pro Turn Z series. I'm considering one next season.

Oregon blades have always been great for me, but I was unaware that they're not avail for this particular mower, and no one told me that beforehand.

​​@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Maybe you could just put a spacer..... And just run a normal straight blade... Or run it with no spacer and just adjust the height of your deck a little differently... Probably only like a half an inch difference I would think

These spindles don't have bolts, they have threaded studs much like a craftsman less the star to hold the blade. With the blade installed, there is just enough thread to tighten the nut with full threads. Yet, another design disaster.

Thanks for watching. I had a craftsman z6400. The only thing lighter built on it was the stamped deck. The craftsman had many of the same components as the Ariens with 2 exceptions. The craftsmahad 2 blades and the ariens has 3 blades. They market the Ariens as a "heavy duty" residential mower. My craftsman z6400 weight more than the ariens.

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching. Me too. That's what the title of this video is what it is.

There are a ton of manufacturers that make that style blade.

Me too. Like the way you got the deck up. Blade bolts looked a little more than hand tight. No antisieze. Country yards that you mow yourself don't need the upward suction blades. Flatter the better. Suction blades throw up dust in dry weather and, according to other sources, contribute to dulling the blades.

Great suggestion but with the plastic that surrounds the neck I know know of that would work without a ton of modifications.

My thought as well...

@BigSouthOutdoorsTV You can use PVC pipe. It's easy to bend when heated and add some "ramps" to the front and back so stuff will ride over it instead of hooking it. Or you could just watch where you're going. Haha! You probably don't remember because you were trying to duck your head out of the away when it happened.

Thanks for watching....

Thanks for watching. Have you ever tried Copperhead blades by Rotary? They are high lift blades with a sand relieve divot that allows sand to bypass the lift edge and drastically reduces wear n the lift edge. Check out my blade comparison video. Here's the link... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dRRVXYegNWI.htmlsi=VL0HxDqYbZvLcquR

WOW! What a nice compliment. I would count it an honor to hang out. Are you close to NC?

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV middle ga

Thank you for watching and thanks for the kind words. I'm far from an expert. The info I give is from personal experience. I'm not a mechanic, I'm just a working man that works on my own stuff as much as I can.

0

Thanks for watching. We cut nore than 4 hours in a day. Doing commercial lawn care, carbide tungsten blades are not cost effective.

Thank you for watching and for the kind words. Thanks for the like as well.

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you're having success with your purchase. Unfortunately, I haven't had the same fortune. This machine, at this moment, is "out of service" for structural repair.

No disrespect intended but IMO, putting the mower on the tailgate is much safer than using a jack of any kind. Been doing it that way for nearly 24 years and have yet to have a mower fall or roll off. Thanks for watching.

Keep doing it your way, I'll do mine !!!

​@@thecuss6817 literally changed my blades using a paint bucket and just laying the front of my 50" timecutter right on a empty 5gal. Lol took a strong back but got it up and changed the blades fine. Using what i got in a hurry to get back to work haha. Dont recommend using a 5gal bucket to noone though. Be smart and not like me. Next time id use trailer ramps.

I guess I do it the redneck way, I pick it up with the front end loader .

Thanks for watching. With these blades, the lift edge wouldn't last long enough to justify having that done. I'd love to apply that to all blade lift edges.

Good idea. When I get the time, I'm going to use gas safe apoxy to do my repair. Thanks for watching and for the idea. I'm going to look into that, and I may end up doing that instead.

Thank you for watching and for that AWESOME comment. This country boy is going to repair it, but this is my busy time of the year. I hope you subscribed. If you did, stay tuned. I will most certainly be doing a video about it.

I have used Hot Melt glue gun to repair tanks and gas cans?

Thanks for watching. Been using this method for 24 years. I've always said if it's not broke, don't fix it.

Thank you for watching. If you lived in NC I could hook you up.

Buy you a pair of digital calipers and measure that bearing, then hop on mcmaser-carr. Gravely isn't big enough to be getting bearings custom made just for them, doubt any mower manufacturer is for that matter.

​@@pontiacg445 just go to a bearing house they can get anything. Seals also.

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you found it helpful.

YES!! Thank you for watching. I put a trimmer rack on my Gravely 452 to save trimming time.

Exactly. I don't give a happy about sleek. Does it cut grass evenly the first time through, is it going to cost me an arm and a leg to operate and maintain and is it built to last. Those are the criteria that matters to the end user.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV You got a Amen Brother!

Ugly doesn't sell. Cool looking sells better than performance.

@markchidester6239 I respectfully disagree. To the average home owner that is trying to "keep up with the Joneses", maybe, but for the lawn pros, most all, including yours truly care FAR MORE about cut quality, durability, and LOW operating costs.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I agree, all industries are selling concepts and making fools of consumers making and selling half A** products spending millions in research on how to fool us and then advertising to make us think it's what we need. It has become the American way and it's so sad.

WOW! Thanks for watching and for that GREAT response. It was full of great info. Although I still have Ole Gertrude, she's retired. We're in the process of going through her and getting her road worthy for Nate to use as his daily driver. I'll look into the fuel tank safety issue. In all honesty, I never considered or even thought about reporting it. Food for thought.

I would have to say yes, you got a rare one. I guess it depends on which model you get. The Ikon envy isn't one of them.

Hey brother! I need to call you. Got some camera questions.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I’m all ears!

Thanks for the tip!

Agreed, the high lift blades width are the same as many standard blades, but because of the lift it doesn't leave much room for a cutting edge that can be sharpened more then once or twice, and high lift blades typically don't have a thick edge on the cutting edge either because of the balance of the blade thus why the edge deteriorates so quickly

@brettraglin8939 thanks for watching. As I've mentioned in many responses, the cutting edge isn't the issue. If you look closely at those blades, the cutting edge is in fairly good shape. The lift edge is what discentegrates. That happens so quickly because the blades aren't hardened. It's a catch 22 situation really. In order to cut once, you need a high lift blade. On the other hand, high lift blades don't last as long as lower lift blades. That's why I chose to go with the flat oregon blades. Although they're flat and I have to compensate with the deck height adjustment to get the proper cutting height, they are hardened and last 3 times longer.

Thanks for watching. I couldn't tell you about gator blades because I don't like them and won't run them. The Oregon blades absolutely do create more lift than the factory blades. That's all I run on my Ikon. The factory blades are junk as far as I'm concerned.

Thank you for watching. Do you have any problems with debris blowing out the front of the deck and plumming from out the front of the deck? My ariens would cover us in debris. I told the dealer I'm dealing with now and they called Ariensco on my behalf and they sent a baffle set at no cost to me. It completely eliminated that issue. Over time, I've done everything that should've been done at the design and engineering table from the get go. Am I happy with it? NO. Not because it doesn't cut good, but because it is a daily maintenance grind to keep it work ready.

Absolutely. When I spoke to them on the phone, I expressed that very thought. Why they would do that I do not know.

I think designers of that mower probably came from Apple as they also make stuff to throw away at premium prices

I've talked with several that now own this mower. Like me, they HATE IT.

I responded to your other comment. I find myself have to clarify myself to a lot of people that don't seem to understand that I knew it was a residential machine. I bought this machine because of that very fact. As I stared in my.other comment, I had been running a Craftsman Z6400. It was made by MTD. When I bought it, it was used and had 149 hours on it. When I sold it, it had over 600 hours on it, and the man that bought it is still using it. That is why I felt comfortable buying this Ariens. I was told by the dealer that it was a superior machine to the craftsman in every way. IT'S NOT! It's a P.O.S. I have spent a lot of money just keeping it going. As I stated, had the dealer told me, "you need something heavier and more commercial", I would've listened. They told me it would be a much better machine than what I had. THEY WERE WRONG.

Thanks for watching. No offense intended but I wouldn't have a JD if it was given to me. Stamped decks don't last. My Gravely has almost 1200 hours on it and the deck still looks brand new. I've seen the magmow blades. Never used them though. I would have to check to see if they would be cost effective. If they're like tweels, most likely not.

Thank you for watching. I have operated bobcat machines in the past and yes, they seemed to be a good product. In 2008, after doing much research and "testing" many different brands, I kept going back to Gravely. I looked at JD, bobcat, dixie chopper, husqvarna, exmark, redmax, cub cadet, but I kept going back to Gravely. At that time, I had a friend that owned one tell me that if I ever bought one, I'd never have anything else. He was right. It's not about the engine or transmissions. Every commercial brand uses either Kohler or Kawasaki. It's the build quality. The frames, front casters, decks etc...that to me, set them apart. Watch my 1,200 hour review on my Gravely 452. The thumb nail reads "NO REGRETS". That will explain everything.

Is Ferris mowers available to you in your area? They are made top to bottom here in central N.Y. Great machine and have full suspension, even on the 48 inch "residential" model, which isn't residential at all.

@gregpeterson5067 thanks for watching. Not readily. The nearest dealership is 60 miles away. That's not that far but, when it comes to servicing, parts and repairs, it's quite inconvenient to drive that distance each and every time. On a different note, I've always been leary of the suspension on Ferris mowers. Over the years, I've had multiple guys that operate them tell me that they scalp the grass when the suspension activates. One told me that he is constantly having to lift the deck to prevent scalping. My big machine are Gravely's. Gravely has proven itself to be tough as nails. They cut great, ride very well and have great dealer support less than 20 miles from me.

BINGO!

Thank you for watching. That's one of the reasons I started using Oregon blades. They work just as good even though they are completely different, plus they're available everywhere.

Thanks for watching. You are exactly right. Cutting at too low a setting is hard on everything on the machine. If that weren't enough, we stopped cutting lower than 3" several years ago. We cut most properties at 3.25-3.50". These blades are NOT hardened. That's why they don't last. Bottom line, they are complete junk.

Thanks for watching. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PPCaqCRg_vI.htmlsi=y1gyjMU47kKnEH52

The “Out-Sourced” parts is the engine and tires. Everything else is built in house.

@@monroefive-o40 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PPCaqCRg_vI.html

Thanks for watching. Listen to what I said. I never said every single, solitary part on the machine was produced in America. "Made" can mean many different things. In this case, it means "ASSEMBLED". It's not shipped in from overseas. It's assembled in the plant in Brillion WI.

Thank you for watching. My dad always said if it ain't broke....and we all know the rest of that statement. Engineers aren't happy until they complicate something. If they had left well enough ALONE, the fill cap would've gotten damaged. On previous year models, it was located on the same side but on TOP of the fender behind the seat. Whatsworse, the dealer I purchased it from told me it was not covered under warranty. The dealer I'm trading with now, told me it most certainly was covered by the warranty. THAT, to me at least is a MUCH BIGGER problem and one if the many reasons I no longer trade with them.

Thanks for watching. You and me both.

It was. It was also unnecessary. Poor design was to blame for that. I had a Craftsman Z6400 and its fill cap was located where I stated in this video this one should've been located. Last years Ariens Ikon model was designed completely different. Thanks for watching. If you have subscribed, please do so. It would help the channel and I'd really appreciate it....very much.

Thanks friend. You do the same and thanks for stopping by.

I have the upgraded one, get it! It's worth it! The FX engine is a beast and only uses 1 gal per 2 acres of hilly land!!! Love the 4500 hydros! Did you find Gator blades for it?

We love our Big South family...

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I’m from the South Mobile Al, but have and currently live in Birmingham Al, yes us southerners know how to treat folks!!!

@@PamelaBrandonChromeFoto southern hospitality in action.

Thank you for watching. This machine is not a commercial grade machine. It's more of a heavy duty residential, much like a cub cadet zero turn or a craftsman zero turn. I used to have a 2005 craftsman z6400. Other than the stamped deck, it was built much "heavier" than this mower. I maintain 6-7 acres a day. When you cut the volume of grass I do, you HAVE to keep your blades sharp. I change blades every week.

Thanks for watching. I had another similar comment. All I did was set my deck to 3.00 inches and measure the cut edge of the blade. It was 2.50 inches. I normally cut at 2.75 inches. At that height, I just set the deck to 3.25 and it cuts perfect.

@Big South Outdoors TV it's designed with the baffle in the deck I would play with 4 washers on each and compare

@Shane Pipkin it's nowhere near the baffle and is only 1/4 inch higher than the OEM blades. I checked with dealer and they said that is within specs.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV dealers will tell you anything. it will make a difference if you try just saying I have played with it on my ferris

Exactly!

Thanks for watching and subing and WELCOME to the Big South nation.

Thanks for watching. They work great. They cut great and I get about 25/30 hours out of them. The first set, the set I featured in this video, I sharpened 3 times before I replaced them.

🤣🤣🤣 Yep! Ariensco is not getting good feedback on their poor design. If you watched the whole video, and I hope you did, I ran the Oregon blades for 13 hours. I sharpened them and ran them for another 9 hours. They've good for one more sharpening. They've performed well.

Thanks for watching and WOW, what a response. This situation is partly my doing. When my craftsman z6400 went down unexpectly, I had to have a small mower...FAST. I didn't have time to do proper research, I bought the first 42" cut machine I found. If I had it to do all over again, I'd run, not walk away. All I can say is...LESSON LEARNED. It is a great machine other than the issues I mentioned in this video.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I think we've all made a decision, or purchase, we regret later. I call them BAD decisions - Best Available Data - it was the best call we could make on what we knew at the time. Along the same lines, I call 'mistakes' "learning experiences" - the initial mistake is annoying, but if one can learn something from it, it can be some recompense. It's when I repeat the SAME 'learning experience' the real problem lies. As it is, you should be able to have some spacers machined to place the cutting edges at the correct depth, and that will also allow you to have the pilot machined to the correct diameter for your favourite blades' mounting bore. That fuel tank, though - NO POSSIBLE EXCUSE for that FUBAR design that should never have reached the drawing board/screen, let alone production.

Thanks for watching. How do you do that? I don't have time to stop and change blades. All blades, regardless of ground quality stir dust, much like a helicopter blade. Only difference between the two is a mower creates suction where a helicopter blows downwards. The end result is the same, DUST. No metal blade is going to last any length of time and give a quality cut traveling at those speeds that close to the source of the damage.

Thank you for subscribing and for watching. BEFORE you pull the trigger on that purchase, may I suggest you watch this video FIRST.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-or-QxPETcjg.htmlsi=taZaxv0ZKxkaqryJ

Never heard of one.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV You might have to fabricate one yourself.

@Rosedach are you referring to a "mulch/chute guatd"? If so, the was that deck is designed, I would have to weld on the deck. Doing so would void the warranty on the deck.

Can't do that with this one unfortunately.

Thanks for watching! I have now used the oem blades, copperhead blades made by Rotary and the Oregon bladed featured in this video. In all honesty, they all cut about the same used or not. The Oregon blades, by FAR, last the longest. Although it is true the flat blades throws the cutting height off, it is EASILY compensated for by setting the blade tips on 3 inches and measuring the actually blade height. Mine was 3/4" off. So, if I want to cut at 3.25 , I just set the deck height pin at 4.00" and I'm good to go.

Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I do my best to be as real to who I am in real life on film. It's comments like yours that make this worth while. Thank you!

Thanks for watching!

Thank you for watching and.....THANK YOU! I found out at the dealership I am dealing with now that the gas tank WAS covered by the warranty. The dealership I bought this machine from, the one I left after 22 years of trading with them, it was NOT covered under the warranty. Another reason I am no longer trading with that dealer.

Can you please give us a follow up a yr or later to see if the spindles are cheap and that's why they use such a thin blade.

@jesusbolivar9178 thanks for watching. I am working on just such a video. It's going to the editing room in the next week or so.

​@@BigSouthOutdoorsTVwow , did dealer pocket yer cash, the Love of money, the root of all evil. Lord Bless.

Thank you for watching Charles and WELCOME to the Big South nation.

Thanks for watching. The rims are 10" wide x17" diameter. The tires are LT285/75/17 r 10 ply. No lift or leveling kits but it does have load assist air bags.

Thanks for watching. Yes, it was easy, but EXPENSIVE. If they had loated the fill neck on the back where I described in the video, it wouldn't have been an issue. I wish they would involve end users in the designing process of these machines. Wishful thinking I know.

Thanks for the advice but, unfortunately, with the patent, no aftermarket blades are available. The ones in this video just happen to be the same dimensions even thought they are for a Dixie Chopper.

What's the number y'all?

They should recall that tank.

@robertlam-qd1xb after speaking with ariensco, not knowing how it got damaged, they said it was most likely operator error and wouldn't offer any resolution. I love my Gravely, but this experience has left a BAAAAAD taste in my mouth for Ariens as a company. It will be years down the road but when that day comes, I'm SERIOUSLY considering going to another brand mower.

@@MrLouChris number for what, Ariensco?

Thank you for watching. The blade you saw in this video was the only blade available for this machine at the time and they cost $84.00 for 3 of them. That's why I went to the Oregon blade for the Dixie Chopper. It's only 1/16" shorter which makes no difference at all when cutting, and they last several sharpenings.

Thanks for watching. It seems that Ariens level of quality depends on what you buy. Just as any other mower line, the more "commercial" it is, the higher the quality. That's why I'm sticking with anything Gravely from the ZTHD and up to the 600 series. Anything lower is garbage.

Thanks for taking the time to watch my video. That's something Worth looking into. Also something I've never heard of. The problem is, blades used every day won't last near that long. The lift edge wears through long before then. As you saw on this video, the cutting edge wasn't the issue. The lift edge was useless after only 18/19 hours of cutting. If there was a way to extend the life of the lift edge that would be AWESOME.

I would use a 7024 rod in the weak area, while it's thick enough to weld on. 7024 beads are flat, so you won't need to grind them down or anything. It will alloy with the blade metal, and should last two or three times as long. It's harder than the blade so it won't wear as much. If you choose to hard face the cutting edge, get the beads as smooth as you can, or it will take a long time grinding to get an edge back on it. I would guess two seasons then a touch up sharpen. The different metals will weigh different than the blade metal so try and get the same amount on both sides. When you go to sharpen the blade, you'll wonder if the grinder is doing anything. It won't be that easy to tell. You can see the metal is gone in the middle of the thrower. Just build it up an inch wide, make it thick. It's a harder metal. The blade might last three or four years if you do it right. It won't wear like the old one. It'll wear a little bit then you can put another pass or two on it next year. The harder metal will just polish up from the grass. They're making soft blades that wear out in the middle. They're not going to sell you blades that might last five years, or even three. I hard faced a set of blades with 9010 rod once, and it took forever to sharpen them but they stayed sharp for three years. Just my push mower. But I mowed yards back then. Yeah that whole middle about an inch wide needs built up on that blade. I would bet it'll last two years no matter how much you mow. There's probably something designed about the mowing deck that's throwing the grass all out to the edge, so it's sliding across the blade on its way out instead of going up away from the blade. I'd make a pair of hard blades out of some regular blades, and just see how long they lasted. That will tell you what you need to do to them. But yeah they don't advertise about hard facing mower blades. So what's your blade guy going to say when you don't buy any more for a couple of years? I'd love to see that picture...

Agree whole heartedly on hard surfacing the blades. I service dozens of commercial mowers and hard surface with nickel, resharpen and rebalance. Generally get three or four times the life out of them.

@@rogerray7820 this idea is intriging to me. I spoke with a metallurgist and he told me that doing so is a catch 22 situation. He said it's expensive to do and although it absolutely will extend the life of the cutting edge, it won't extend the life of the lift edge. That's how blades wear out. It's not the cutting edge that is no longer useful, it's the fact that dust, dirt and grass itself literally eat away the lift edge. Adding material before use would most certainly make the blade too heavy and a waste of money doing it after. His words, not mine....new blades are cheaper.

​Could you make a video showing how to "hard surfaces a lawn mower blade"?

24 years in lawn care for me. Sand? Some but not much. Most of my accounts are borderline muddy. Look at the difference between the oe and Oregon blades. I got 3 sharpening out of the Oregon blades. As you saw, 18/19 hours and the oe blades were shot.

I spent 20 years as a fleet mechanic with as many as 20 mowers running all day in very dry and muddy condition. Remember, it's all grit. Now some blades may be softer than others and not all mowers have the same blade speed.

@henrysmith8012 thanks for watching. Exactly! The blades for this machine are NOT hardened. I found that out AFTER filming this video. I thought it might be a defective set of blades so, I bought another set. Turns out they WERE NOT defective. We cut in even wetter conditions and I got the same result. The long and short of it, the OEM blades are JUNK.

You are exactly right about the blades being very soft. If you cut a whole day long . You have to sharpen the blades. And the next day the same. Then you have to get new blades. And I live in the mountains of N.C. But I love the engine and power . I have Ikon XD 52

Thanks for watching. Actually, 3/4 of an inch higher. I just compensate with the deck height adjuster.

Thanks for watching. The oem ariens blades are standard high lift blades. They aren't designed to mulch. The drop design isn't where the changes were made. The length of the blade and pitch of the lift edge is the difference from the 2022 Ikon 42 inch cut. Last years blade was 14 9/16 inches while the blade for the 2023, 918 model s 14.5 inches. They had to make those changes to qualify for the patent. I spoke with a gentleman just this morning that owns a Kubota with a 36 inch deck. It's blades have a patent on them too. He told me the 2 blades for his mower are $62.00 a set. This is all about money. Flat blades work just as well for less than half the price.

Other companies like the MTD brands have proprietary blades on them too. Theirs have an S- shaped cutout where it’s located and bolted onto the spindle instead of the star shaped mounting that’s been used for years. It’s all about getting more of your money

@@andybecker2693 thanks for watching Andy. You are 100% correct.

No, the Ariens Zero Turns like ours have the bends in the blade to lower the cut levels, which actually is counter productive in reality. The lower the blades are run the more dirt is thrown out around the deck and the rider get extra dirty.

I'm looking at a Bobcat 42" for the same reason.

Look at encore before hand! It's the best mower I've ever used! And ice tried all of them! I'm not a dealer! I'm a owner operator lawncare service! You'll love the price and how much heavier duty they are!!! Plz don't just dismiss it cuz you don't know about them ( if you do cool) but wow! 52 inch is small ass I can go!

There are a few of my clients that have sand but most aren't. I've spoke to two others that had the same issue I had, premature blade wear. The Oregon blades I installed on this video are still on the ariens mower as of today, 6-7-23. They have 12 hours on them and other than the missing paint, the look almost new. The patented ariens blades are obviously made of very soft material.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV Have you found the gravely blades to be better?

@@alzuu1 no. The best cutting, longest lasting blade for the gravely is Copperhead blades by Rotary. They last FOREVER.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV I did some research and it seems like the Ikon, Gravely ZT-X, ZT-XL don't have after market blades like you said. Things like the Gravely HD and up and the Ariens Apex(which is the step up from the Ikon) do. The blades on those are about .2 inches thick while the one that's for the Ikon and the gravely ZT-Xs is only .16 inches so I'm guessing the .20 inch blades are more high quality.

@@alzuu1 the blades for this Ikon are only 14.5 inches long.

Thanks for watching! Honestly, I usually find standing water, lower the deck down to where the blades are just in the water, and turn the blades on for about 2 minutes.

Thanks for watching. I change my blades weekly. I have a system where I rotate them according to date of purchase. As they move up in the stack, they get good sharpening and put on the mowers.

Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I hope you'll consider subscribing to the channel if you haven't already.

The difference is the 918 is a completely new model. There are Ikon 42 inch mowers but the 918 model is a complete redesign from last years model.

Thanks for watching and for your support. I do my best to give honest, in-depth information based on my own experiences. Thank you for recognizing that. I look forward to corresponding with you.

Thanks for watching. This is my first Ariens but my second gravely. My first Gravely lasted 12 years and had over 6,000 hours on it when I sold it. That was three years ago and the guy I sold it to is running it to this day. Last I talked to him he said it clicked over 9,000 hours. With all due respect, I don't think any of those other brands could top that. I agree with you about Ariens, but Gravely is on a whole different level from Husqvarna, Dixie Chopper, and especially exmark. The 452 you saw in the background in this video has 1,192 hours on it and it still has the original battery. I appreciate your comment and I appreciate you watching.

Thanks for watching! Good thought but As long as there are alternative blades I'm not spending time trying to weld, grind and balance blades. The Oregon blades I featured in this video work very well. Time is money and as long as I can get them at a reasonable price, I'll stick with them.

Thanks for watching. Measure your new blade diagonally from cut edge to lift edge. Whatever the measurement is, look for a blade that is that length that has the same size center hole. That's what I had to do.

Same prob with my Kubota... only one place i know besides Kubota where I can find OTK blades that fit. Not TSC or any chain suppliers that I have found... only a local auto parts store that carries a lot of stuff for land owners.

Thanks for watching. Canada eh? We have friends in Calgary, Alberta. Great suggestion but unfortunately, you can't buy just one welding rod. Nit only that, I only have a Lincoln mig welder for small repairs. Last time I checked, I tube of welding rods were over $40.00 US. I can buy a set of 3 Oregon blades for $48.00. Not sure welding would be more cost effective.

Thanks for watching. I do everything "outdoors". There is nowhere to use an engine hoist. I'm considering a ridgid high torque 1/2" impact. They have RAVE REVIEWS.

Thanks for watching. Thise blades are a royal pain in the arse. Measure your blades and see how long they are. If they're 14.5 inches long diaganoly Oregon 91-501 blades will work. Try raising your deck an inch or so. You might have to cut more often but n the ling run, it will be far less damaging to your mower. Good luck!

Ebay has the correct blades and they are made in the USA, FYI. Thanks

@@richpowell5344 It's not that I can't find the blades, it's that the drop between the bottom of the spindle and where the edges of the blades are ( it's got to be 2.5 to 3 inches) and this is a joke, there's no sense in making this design, other than keeping customers under their thumb and bad business. I'd, for what it matters, also like to try and find smaller pulleys so I can get some more speed on the blades.

Thanks for watching. Absolutely not. I made sure of that before I installed them. The dealer told me they are capable of handling up to a 52 inch cut blade length.

Thanks for watching. Have you even tried a 60 grit flap disc on an angle grinder. Oh baby, that's the bomb diggity for sharpening blades.

@@BigSouthOutdoorsTV yep .thats how i used to do it. i made the angle jig from old car parts. it keeps blade at correct angle and i remove less metal to achieve a nice uniform edge. i can shave with these . keep blades cool by dipping in water bucket when too hot to hold. keeps the temper in the blade. actually can get 4 sharpenings per blade and each sharpening goes 18 hrs on avg. i mow high thick pastures not nice lawns. except my lawn. 🤣.i also break rules by throwing grass to the inside and mulch itas i move it to a center location. clean cut and no grass clumps . my pastures look like a golf course for a week. less bugs and healthy grass . throwing to center alao removes most weed seed and keeps weeds away without chems.

@@KevinFreist I stripe grass. Watch some of my lawn are videos. After cutting, I go back over it and redisperse the clippings. Either way works well but I don't cut hrass lower than 3 inches. In this NC heat, if it's cut much lower, it will cook it. When I sharpen blades I usually use the blade close to the center, the most unused portion of the cutting edge as a guide to get the 30° angle. I've thought about getting an all American blade sharpening system just haven't pulled the trigger on that yet.

Thank you for watching. That is good information but, from experience, the Oregon blades cut far better. This has nothing to do with wear, stress or anything of the sort. This mower has the same spindles my Gravely 452 has and the same clutch. Only difference is the engine size. My first Gravely has a 23 hp Kawasaki engine with a 52 inch cut. 21.5 hp is MORE THAN ENOUGH for 42 inch cut. This is all about money. That's why they put a patent on those blades. They litterally blocked the aftermarket from being able to reproduce that blades design and sell them cheaper. The Oregon blades are $38.00 a set(3). The oem blades are $27.85 each. $27.85 × 3 equals more than double what aftermarket blades cost, $83.55 for 3 blades. FOLLOW THE MONEY.