Buying task · Riding and zero-turn blade sets
Riding and zero-turn blade sets: deck first, then hole and count
How to choose riding mower blades: your exact deck, the blade count its maker lists, the center hole, set or single blade, and the blade type.
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Picks that fit
- Oregon D‑42‑2G Gator G3 blade set for 42 in Husqvarna and Craftsman decks, set of 2Check price on Amazon
- EGO AB4201D high-lift bagging blade set for 42 in Z6 zero-turn and T6 riding mowers, set of 2Check price on Amazon
- Oregon 96‑370 Gator G3 22‑7/8 in blades for 46 in decks, 2‑packCheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Identify your exact deck first (model, width and style), then order the blade or set its maker lists for that deck, by part number. Check the center hole and how many blades the listing contains. Two 48-inch decks can take three 17-1/16 in blades or two 25 in blades,[1][2] so deck width alone never tells you which blades to buy.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Oregon D‑42‑2G Gator G3 blade set for 42 in Husqvarna and Craftsman decks, set of 2Check price on Amazon
- EGO AB4201D high-lift bagging blade set for 42 in Z6 zero-turn and T6 riding mowers, set of 2Check price on Amazon
- Oregon 96‑370 Gator G3 22‑7/8 in blades for 46 in decks, 2‑packCheck price on Amazon
What this topic covers
Lawn tractors, garden tractors and residential zero-turn mowers carry two or three blades under one cutting deck. A replacement set has to match the deck's blade count, each blade's length and center hole, and the mode you mow in. This hub covers how to read a deck's record, why sets with the same deck size differ, and the guides for Toro, John Deere, Cub Cadet, Craftsman and Husqvarna decks.
The decisions, in order
1. Your exact deck. Makers separate decks by more than width. Husqvarna's accessory fit chart sorts baggers and mulch kits by deck size and by deck style: Stamped, Fabricated, Clear Cut and LRV.[3] Start with the model and serial number, then the deck the maker lists for it. John Deere's maintenance sheet for the D100 with 42-inch deck lists blade GX22151 and blade kit GY20850.[4]
2. Blades per deck, from the maker. Oregon says its 17-1/16 in 92-105 blade takes three blades for a 48-inch cut,[1] while its 25-inch 91-544 is used two per 48-inch cut.[2] Never divide the deck width by the blade count. The blades-per-deck guide explains why.
3. The center hole. Craftsman's CMXGZAM110136 set has two blades with a 5-point star center hole,[5] its CMXGZAM110108 has one blade with a 6-point star hole,[6] and Cub Cadet's 490-110-C202 set has two blades with an S-shape hole.[7] All three are 42-inch products. A hole name alone is the start of the check, not the end.
4. Set or single blade. "Set" does not always mean the whole deck. Toro's 115-5059-03 is a single 17.5-inch blade for select TimeCutter mowers built in 2011 and later.[8] Oregon sells 42TGR1HL2 as a set of two for 42-inch Toro and Exmark riding decks and 50TGR1HL3 as a set of three for 50-inch Toro and Exmark zero-turn decks.[9] Count the blades your deck needs and the blades in the box.
5. The blade type. Craftsman says the S-shaped center hole on its CMXGZAM110191 ultra high-lift set prevents the blades from being installed upside down.[10] That is a reason to stay with the hole your spindle takes, never to swap hole types. The blade types guide covers high-lift, mulching and standard blades.
Every page on riding and zero-turn blade sets
Guides
- Blades per deck: why deck width does not give you blade length
- 42-inch riding mower blade sets: match the deck, hole and count
- Toro TimeCutter blades: part numbers, years and serial ranges
- John Deere lawn tractor blades for D100 42-inch and 48-inch decks
- Mower blade center holes: round, star, bow-tie and S-shape
- Find a mower blade by its OEM part number
- Standard, high-lift and mulching blades
Tools
- Deck size blade finder: blade counts, lengths and sets by deck.
- Mower model parts finder: the blade part numbers listed for each model.
Deck sizes
Mower models
- John Deere D100 with 42-inch deck
- Cub Cadet XT1 and XT2 Enduro
- Husqvarna YTH18542
- Toro TimeCutter SW 4200, SW 5000 and SWX 5000
Center holes
- 5-point star, 6-point star, 7-point star and S-shape center holes
How to choose
- Read the deck record for your model and serial number: width, style and blade count.
- Match the old blade's part number to the set's replaced-numbers list. Craftsman lists CMXGZAM110136 as a replacement for Craftsman, Husqvarna, Poulan and Poulan Pro riding mowers that use parts 532138971, 532138498, 532127843 or 127843.[5]
- Check the hole and the count in the listing against your deck.
- Check the cut direction where your deck uses left-hand and right-hand blades; Oregon's catalog filters blades by left- or right-hand cut.[9]
These approved sets name the deck or the parts they replace:
Picks that fit7 products
42-inch, 5-point star: the Oregon D-42-2G (two 21-inch Gator blades) if your old number is on Oregon's list, such as 532138971 or 127843.
More on choosing
EGO 42-inch Z6 or T6 TR4204: the AB4200D set of two, or the AB4201D high-lift bagging set. 46-inch: the Oregon 96-370 (22-7/8 in, 5-point star) if Oregon's fit guide names your mower; the 46-inch and 2-pack come from the listing. Cub Cadet and other 2015-and-later 50-inch riders and RZTs: the MTD 490-110-M155 set of three, or Oregon's 98-152 (17-1/4 in, 5/8 in 6-point star, high lift) if Oregon lists your old number, such as 490-110-M155 or 942-05052; the 3-pack is the listing's. 54-inch decks from 2014 on: the MTD 490-110-M143 set of three. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
42-inch Gator G3 set for Husqvarna and Craftsman decks by part number
Oregon D‑42‑2G Gator G3 blade set for 42 in Husqvarna and Craftsman decks, set of 2
Replacement set for EGO 42-inch riding mowers
EGO AB4200D replacement blade set for 42 in Z6 zero-turn and T6 riding mowers, set of 2
High-lift bagging set for EGO 42-inch riding mowers
EGO AB4201D high-lift bagging blade set for 42 in Z6 zero-turn and T6 riding mowers, set of 2
Gator G3 blades for 46-inch Husqvarna and Poulan decks
Oregon 96‑370 Gator G3 22‑7/8 in blades for 46 in decks, 2‑pack
Three-blade set for 50-inch Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and RZT decks
MTD Genuine Parts 490‑110‑M155 2‑in‑1 blade set for 50 in decks, set of 3
High-lift blades for 50-inch MTD-built decks by part number
Oregon 98‑152 17‑1/4 in high-lift blades for 50 in MTD and Cub Cadet decks, pack of 3
Three-blade set for 54-inch Cub Cadet decks
MTD Genuine Parts 490‑110‑M143 2‑in‑1 blade set for 54 in decks, set of 3
Picks that fit4 products
Choose the Craftsman CMXGZAM110136 (two blades, 5-point star) only if your old blades are 532138971, 532138498, 532127843 or 127843.
More on choosing
Choose the Cub Cadet 490-110-C202 (two blades, S-shape hole) for a Cub Cadet lawn tractor or RZT with a 42-inch deck. Choose the Toro 79016P only for a select 34- or 50-inch TimeCutter built in 2011 or later; Toro's page gives conflicting pack counts, so confirm how many blades the listing ships. Choose Oregon's 94-063 (three 17-1/2 in standard-lift blades, 5/8 in hole) for a TimeCutter Z5000, Z5020, Z5030, Z5035, Z5040 or Z5060; Oregon lists it as replacing 79016P, but it is standard lift, not high lift. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
42-inch set for Craftsman, Husqvarna and Poulan decks by part number
CRAFTSMAN CMXGZAM110136 42 in bagging and side-discharge blade set, set of 2
42-inch S-shape set for Cub Cadet tractors and RZT mowers
Cub Cadet 490‑110‑C202 Xtreme mulching blade set for 42 in decks, set of 2
17.5-inch high-lift blades for select TimeCutters
Toro 79016P 17.5 in high-lift Hi-Flow blade set for TimeCutter, set of 3
Standard-lift blades for 50-inch Toro TimeCutters
Oregon 94‑063 17‑1/2 in standard-lift blades for 50 in Toro TimeCutter decks, pack of 3
Key terms
Blade set, blades per deck, nominal deck width, stamped deck, fabricated deck, S-shape center hole, cut direction and serial range.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- 42-inch riding mower blade setsHelps 42-inch deck owners pick the one blade set whose part number, hole and count match their mower.
- Blades per deck and blade lengthHelps riding mower owners stop guessing blade length from deck width and find their deck's own record.
- John Deere lawn tractor bladesHelps John Deere lawn tractor owners find the blade number Deere lists and read Oregon's cross-reference correctly.
- Toro TimeCutter blades and serial rangesHelps TimeCutter owners order the blade Toro lists for their model and serial range.
Shortlists
- Riding and zero-turn blade sets with deck size and count statedHelps you pick a 42-inch or TimeCutter blade set whose maker states the deck, count and replaced parts, instead of one that only shares the width.
Tools
- Deck size blade finderShows what makers list for decks of your width, deck by deck, so you can narrow the search without assuming every deck of that size takes the same blades.
Common questions
Are all 42-inch mower blades the same?
No. Craftsman alone sells 42-inch sets with a 5-point star, a 6-point star and an S-shape hole, with one or two blades. More in 42-inch riding mower blade sets
Which Craftsman 42-inch blade set do I need?
The one whose OEM list and hole match your old blade. CMXGZAM110136 replaces 532138971, 532138498, 532127843 or 127843 and has a 5-point star hole. More in 42-inch riding mower blade sets
What is an S-shape blade?
A blade with a curved, keyed center hole. Craftsman says the S-shape on CMXGZAM110191 means the blades cannot be installed upside down; Cub Cadet's 490-110-C202 also uses an S-shape hole. More in 42-inch riding mower blade sets
Does a 42-inch blade set include both blades?
Check the count. CMXGZAM110136 and CMXGZAM110191 contain two blades; CMXGZAM110108 contains one. More in 42-inch riding mower blade sets
How many blades does a 42, 48 or 50-inch deck have?
It depends on the deck. Oregon lists three blades for one 48-inch cut and two for another, a set of two for 42-inch Toro/Exmark riding decks and a set of three for 50-inch Toro/Exmark zero-turn decks. More in Blades per deck and blade length
Can I divide the deck width by the number of blades to get blade length?
No. Oregon's 48-inch examples use 17-1/16 in blades three per cut and 25 in blades two per cut; neither matches a simple division. More in Blades per deck and blade length
Are riding mower blades left-hand or right-hand?
Some decks use both. Oregon records an L-cut flag for each blade and filters by left- or right-hand cut; match each spindle to your deck's record. More in Blades per deck and blade length
Does a blade "set" always cover the whole deck?
No. Craftsman's 42-inch CMXGZAM110108 contains one blade, and Toro's 79016P page conflicts on its own pack size. Check the count on every listing. More in Blades per deck and blade length
Questions
How many blades does my riding mower take?
As many as its maker lists for your deck, which the width alone does not tell you. Oregon says its 92-105 blade takes three blades for a 48-inch cut, while its 25-inch 91-544 is used two per 48-inch cut. Check your model's parts list or the deck size finder.[1][2]
Are all 42-inch blade sets the same?
No. Craftsman's CMXGZAM110136 has two blades with a 5-point star hole, its CMXGZAM110108 has one blade with a 6-point star hole, and Cub Cadet's 490-110-C202 has two blades with an S-shape hole. Match the part numbers your old blades carry.[5][6][7]
Is a blade set always enough for the whole deck?
No. Toro's 115-5059-03 is a single 17.5-inch blade for select TimeCutters built in 2011 and later, so a three-blade deck needs three. Count the blades in the listing against your deck.[8]
Do I need left-hand and right-hand blades?
Some decks do. Oregon's blade catalog lets you filter by left- or right-hand cut as well as length and center-hole size. Check your deck's parts record for each spindle's blade.[9]