Mulch Plug

installed plug with two self tapping screws, easy works great..

Took off the spring loaded rubber clipping chute.
Installed the mulching black plug into the cutout where the clippings shot out.
Lined up the holes and placed a bolt, split washer and nut thru the holes. Held the plug to the mower.
15-20 minute job.
Easy to install!

Lift the front of the tractor and put jacks underneath it. Remove the blade nuts from the spindle. Then remove the dull blades. Place the new blades on the spindles and tighten the blade nuts. Then I removed the old spark plug, then gapped the new one at 0.030 then installed it. I then used a nut and bolt to attach the mulch plug to the tractor.

Needed a mulch plug to cut up fall leaves. This is a circa 1999 MTD yard machine tractor. I have long since removed the actual chute so the thrown cuttings would spread rather than pile. The mulch plug fits into the slot nicely but the bolt hole in the plug doesn't line up with anything on the deck to put the bold through. So I put the plug in and used a small C clamp to locate where I needed to drill through the deck. put the short end of the clamp over the hole and tightened down the clamp to the top of the deck. Not too tight because the clamp begins to slip on the plastic mulch plug because it doesn't mount perfectly flush to the bottom of the deck so just tightened it down just short of it shifting off of the hole. Then I scratched the deck on four sides of the clamp on the top of the deck. Removed the clamp and found "about the center of the scratch marks." Doesn't need to be absolutely exact because the mulch plug has a little give. Used a center punch to create a little dimple so the drill wouldn't slip. Drilled the hole, it lined up pretty good and secured with bolt, washer and thumb screw nut. I added a lock washer because things like this always tend to vibrate loose. Works great but the thumb screw loosened a bit so might use a regular nut so I can tighten down more. Made my life a lot easier because it works great and no longer have to keep going back and forth cutting the leaves smaller with each pass and not ending up with a big pile of mulch in rows. If you can use a drill, simple installation.

Removed bag and chute. Installed the mulch plug. It was missing a bolt and lock nut to secure to open part of deck, but I was able to find one in my inventory.

1. inserted mulch plug in place.
2. put 5/16" bolt, 2 flat washers, 1 lock washer, and a hex nut in place.
3. Tightened said bolt and nut with ratchet / socket set.

1. Removed the old discharge chute
2. Placed plug in the discharge opening, drilled two holes and bolted the plug in place.

Removed the grass chute from the mower deck. Cleaned the underside of the deck. Put in the mulching plug and bolted it in place.