GrassFlap® Plastic vs. Steel Blocker Plate

The GrassFlap foot pedal lets you control the chute blocker with your foot while keeping your hands on the mower's steering controls. 

The hand lever uses a lever mounted within reach of the operator's hand, requiring a simple pull and release to set the blocker to your desired position so that your hand can easily return to the controls. 

Both systems use the same basic pull-and-release operating principle. The control moves the blocker plate toward its balance point. The spring then completes the opening or closing movement. 

In simple terms:

• Foot pedal: Operate the chute blocker with your foot.
• Hand lever: Operate the chute blocker with your hand.

Operators who want to keep both hands on the mower controls at all times should choose the foot pedal.

With foot control you can open/close or hold in a partial open position all the while steering the mower. This makes it particularly useful when repeatedly closing the discharge around flower beds, sidewalks, landscaping, vehicles, or other areas where you do not want clippings discharged. 

The hand lever offers quick operation but requires releasing one hand from the mower controls to operate. The lever offers full open and full closed positions similar to a foot control and a partial open position without holding the lever. The lever can be positioned near the mower hand controls, allowing a short reach to operate the chute blocker. The hand lever free up space on the on the foot pan.

No; for normal full-open or full-closed operation, the foot pedal uses a push-and-release motion. 

Once the chute blocker passes its balance point you let up on the handle and the spring takes over and moves the flap to its open or closed position. You do not need to continuously hold the pedal down.

The pedal is not intended to power the blocker through its entire movement. Instead push the pedal toward the desired position, reach the balance point, and release.

Yes, this is one of the key differences between the two control methods.

With the foot pedal, you can "feather" the GrassFlap by resting your foot on the pedal at the desired position. This keeps the blocker partially open while you control how much discharge is directed from the mower.

Partial opening is useful when you want to control clipping discharge without completely blocking the chute.

Yes, the hand lever has a built-in partial-open position notch.

To use it, pull the lever toward you. Instead of releasing it to allow the blocker to fully open, place the handle into the partial-open notch. The angle of this partial-open position can be adjusted to suit operator preference.

So the two systems approach partial opening differently:

• Foot pedal: Hold the pedal at the desired position with your foot, or "feather" it. The benefit is you can vary the flow of clippings based on the situation,
• Hand lever: Use the built-in partial-open notch. It is fixed, so clippings always flow the same amount.

There is no single answer for every mower or operator.

Foot-operated chute blockers are a better choice if you want to operate the blocker while turning and on the move.

A hand lever chute blocker is preferable if you are not comfortable standing momentarily on one foot or have limited space on the foot pan.

Deck geometry and available foot-platform space can make a hand-lever configuration more practical on certain commercial mowers.

No, the control method changes how you operate the system. It does not change the fundamental purpose of the OCDC chute blocker.

GrassFlap's blocker plate can open or close to control where grass clippings are discharged. The system helps operators manage discharge when mowing around areas such as landscaping, sidewalks, flower beds, and other obstacles.

Compatibility depends on the mower. Confirm compatibility before purchasing a conversion kit because the correct components depend on the mower model. 

Use the GrassFlap mower lookup tool or contacting support with your mower's brand, type, deck size, model year, and photos of the deck and discharge opening.

Use this simple comparison:

• Operating method: Foot Pedal (Foot) vs. Hand Lever (Hand)
• Hands remain on controls: Foot Pedal (Yes) vs. Hand Lever (No, one hand operates the lever)
• Full open/close: Foot Pedal (Push and release) vs. Hand Lever (Pull and release)
• Partial opening: Foot Pedal (Feather pedal) vs. Hand Lever (Built-in partial-open notch)
• Partial-open adjustment: Foot Pedal (Controlled with foot pressure) vs. Hand Lever (Adjustable notch position)
• Best fit: Foot Pedal (Operators who prefer hands-free control) vs. Hand Lever (Operators who prefer hand operation or have limited foot space)