First post on this sub, and I'd like to ask for some advice and/or solutions from the group, if I may.

I have a serious problem with my 2016 46" XT1 with a stamped deck blowing excessive amounts of grass and dirt out from under the deck. It's so bad that the entire tractor, operator, and can of beer get covered in so much dirt that the tractor needs a bath, the operator needs a shower, and, far more concerning, the beer can becomes unsanitary after just a couple minutes of mowing. The grass comes out so heavy that it covers the deck and footplate and clogs up the spindles and pulleys. The deck is set up properly and I've rechecked it several times. It's equally bad with both bagger and the mulch kit and my lawn is reasonably lush (i.e. not a dustbowl). I never had this problem with the 25-year-old Murray the previous owner of the house left behind. Most days I really wish I had that old mower back. At least I was able to drink a whole beer. If I really milked it, I could even drink two.

Google only gets a few hits about this problem, and no real solutions, but my local CC dealer said it's a very common problem with the XT1 stamped deck. He said he bodged up some kind of baffle or skirt on the front for one customer but it didn't fully solve the problem. He hinted that the XT2 doesn't have this problem (presumably he was referring to the fabricated deck).

My questions are:

1. Have any others on this sub had the same problem?

2. If so, are there any effective solutions to fix the problem or, if not, what coping mechanisms did you find effective to survive the trauma?

3. Is this problem specific to the stamped deck? I don't know if there are any aerodynamic differences between the stamped and fabricated decks, but I'm wondering if swapping out the stamped with a fabricated deck would make any difference.

I would greatly appreciate replies of any kind. I really like everything else about the mower, but this issue is such a big problem that, after 5 years of having to mow while sober, I'm on the cusp of either selling it or driving it out into the woods and setting it on fire. You know when you're seriously considering insurance fraud, you've got a problem.

On a related topic, but less critical, my bagger attachment tube clogs up so badly that I eventually put on the mulching kit to avoid the problem. Has anyone else experienced the same and, if so, is there a solution to that issue?

Many thanks to all!

Update 1: I just talked to my local CC dealer and he burst my bubble on swapping decks. He did say the XT2 doesn't suffer from this problem as badly because the decks are deeper. He also said the XT2 decks are mounted differently so they won't fit on the XT1. And, finally, he said the fabricated decks made for the XT1 aren't any better.

So, insurance fraud it is, I'm afraid.

Final question - any recommendations on another brand or model to look at?