# Simplicity "floating" decks



## Oakford4

I am in the process of making a decision on a heavy duty lawn/light duty garden tractor. I just spoke with the Simplicity dealer and subsequently test rode the Conquest. While, overall, I loved the machine, I now have some concerns regarding the famous "floating" deck. About 1/2 of my 2 1/2 acres is a bumpy, cultivated area which has been hydroseeded. Unfortunately, due to the natural terrain, there are hundreds of boulder rock fragments (upwards of 4") all over. Will this floating deck hold up to that kind of abuse? Or,...should I be looking at a more traditional deck with anti-scalp wheels?

Thanks.


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## Live Oak

Welcome to Tractor Forum Oakford! Simplicity makes a very good machine and deck. Makes for a real nice cut and looks really good with the stripping roller. The problem you will have with pretty much any mower deck short of a rotary cutter are those pesky rocks. There is not much else to do other than manually pickup all of the rocks which is a very time consuming pain in the neck. You may want to look into renting or paying someone to go over the areas you will be cutting with a power rake. 

Land Pride Powered Rake 

Harley Power Rake 

These power rakes do a nice job of removing rocks and debry from that soil and leave a nice seed bed. Do you think something like this would be what would work for you. Those rocks will have to go one way or the other.


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## Archdean

Welcome to TF Oakford!

The quick answer is NO! and either will any "Lawn Tractor"! Tractors Bend and Rocks Do Not!!

For an acre and 1/4 rent a rock rake at your nearest rental center and spend a day cleaning up your mine field!! And save some serious money!!

Dean

:cowboy:


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## Oakford4

While the power raker looks great (I had not seen one before until your link), and I think it would work, it also states that it should have been done BEFORE seeding. This area had already been hydroseeded! What they did was first cultivate the area, which disturbed alot of broken rock.

My guess is, in light of that, I will have to manually spend the better part of the season picking up these rocks by hand (which is what I had been doing during this offseason).

Thanks for the info.


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## Live Oak

I had to do the same thing at my last home. The wife, kids, and I picked enough rocks out of the lawn and garden to fill up about 4 pickup trucks. Once the rocks were picked out, the grass grew in really nice. The problem with the rocks in addition to tearing up the mower is that if they are exposed to the sun, they absorb sun light energy creating little hot spots that dry out that small area around the rock which kill most grass. Time to break out the rock pickin' buckets and team of kids to help you out!  Wish there was an easier solution. You could spread screened top soil over the area to cover up the rocks if you don't spread it too thick, the grass will grow up through it and the rock will be covered, but that is going to be a lot of work as well.


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## HYDROGUARDIAN16

*Buy a conquest*

I have a new regent or should I say 2006 simplicity regent with the floating deck. I like it and it does to great over bumbs like concrete edges, roots, and other things. there are support wheels and the deck craddles itself on the front axle making it hard for obstructions to harm your man parts. lol. I believe that the bigger lawnmower the conquest would suit your needs. The warranties go for many years and seem to be useless with the length of time these machines can handle. Remember that cutting the grass is fun and a floating deck will make it funner. the grass looks so fine! after cutting any height. I hope you pick the Simplicity cause any other make is a risky path.
GOOD LUCK AND MAKE YOUR BUY WHEN YOUR SPECIAL ONE IS NOT HOME!!

HYDROGUARDIAN:tractorsm


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## Archdean

While I appreciate your brand loyality the Question was: Will this machine hold up to this kind of abuse? "There are hundreds of boulder rock fragments (upwards of 4") all over"

The answer is still <B> NO </B>

:cowboy:


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## chrpmaster

First off welcome to the Tractor Forum Oakford4! 

I agree with the other guys that no lawn/garden tractor is going to hold up running over that large of rocks. Chiefs idea of getting the family out to help pick them up is probably the best.

I used to have a smaller Simplicity with the floating deck and it did a great job just like hydroguardian says. It really does a nice job "striping" the yard. I did notice it was more prone to bounce up and hit the undercarrage if I hit a stone since it had the rollers across the entire deck. Other than that it was a very good lawn mower.

Keep us informed if you come up with any other ideas on how to get rid of your "rock garden"

Andy


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## HYDROGUARDIAN16

*I agree that it knocks the under carriage*

I remeber in summer that the deck did do a little knocking but 4'' rocks YIKES! i would consider weed wacking such a lawn, what else can you do? i dont know, pray for less rain maybe.
:argh:


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## Oakford4

I couldn't do it. Just seemed to me that the Simplicity deck wouldn't hold up (12 gauge, no better). I went with a more garden tractor,..Cub Cadet GT2554. Pretty stout machine with very good welded frame, too. For me, striping means very little.

I think if I ever sod my entire 3 acres (that would require $$$$$), I might think very seriously about the Simplicity Conquest.

Thanks for the comments.

Oak


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## HYDROGUARDIAN16

Whatever makes you and your yard happy is what is right. by the way my friend hit a water pipe sticking out of his yard and took the blade spindles right off. they cost a good 60 $ plus but look into that before buying because simplicity is expensive.


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