How to Install a John Deere Mulching Kit

Drive the front wheels of the tractor onto wood blocks to create working room under the mower deck. Apply the parking brake and chock the rear wheels to prevent the tractor rolling unintentionally. Remove the ignition key to prevent accidental starting.

Don a pair of heavy work gloves to protect your hands from the sharp cutting blades. Place a block of wood against the edge of one of the blades. Rotate the blade by hand until the wood block wedges up against the center baffle of the mower deck.

Loosen and remove the retaining bolt from the center of the blade with a socket and ratchet wrench. Lower the blade and remove it from the deck.

Position one of the cutting blades from your John Deere mulching kit with the word “GRASS” or “BOTTOM” facing downwards. Line up the center mounting hole in the blade with the threaded hole in the deck where the existing blade was removed. Raise the blade into position and tighten the original retaining bolt with a socket and ratchet wrench.

Remove the block of the wood from the deck and repeat the process to replace the remaining cutting blade with a mulching blade.

Remove the nuts from the retaining bolts of the grass chute guard assembly on the exterior of the mower deck with a socket and ratchet wrench. Remove the bolts and the grass chute guard. Save all parts for installation at a later date if you decide to remove the mulch kit from your John Deere lawn tractor.

Insert the blocking plate that came with the John Deere mulching kit into the opening of the deck where the grass chute guard was removed. Place a washer over the retaining bolt, then insert the bolt through the mounting hole in the plate from the bottom. Place a lock washer and nut over the protruding threads of the bolt on the top of the mower deck. Tighten the bolt and nut with a socket and ratchet wrench.

Remove the wheel chocks and back the John Deere tractor off the wood blocks.