Grass Clippings Not Being Picked Up b y Rear Bagger

[John Hutterer]

Hi,

I have a riding mower with a rear bagger attachment that is not working as expected. I have the deck set to cut the least amount of grass that it can (about 1 1/2 inches) and it is working fine. The problem is that the large plastic tube that goes from the deck outlet to the rear bagger keeps plugging up. I can get it to work reasonably well if I cut only half the width of the deck, with the other half of the deck riding over an already cut path, and running in first gear. However, when I have to cut through an area with no previously cut path, the chute plugs up within a few feet. The mower is a Powercraft brand that was originally sold by Montgomery Wards, I believe. I bought it from a guy on Craigslist and it didn't come with a manual. I live in Minnesota, where it has rained every other day for the past two months, so the grass has been growing fairly quickly. Maybe that's part of the problem. Mowing at low speed and cutting only half the width that the deck is designed to cut is a tedious and time consuming method. Any suggestions on how to get things to work more effectively?

Thanks, John

 

[motoman]

John, What you describe is the downside of baggers. My Craftsman does not like even damp grass and plugs. We get 70 inches .During a really wet spring I just cut out the side chute and wait for the windrows to dry . Very frustrating I agree. Chisel off the adobe around the chute opening to maintain be pick up, and keep the chute tight on the deck. My springs break and I replace them with modified door springs.

 

[Elendil]

Any suggestions on how to get things to work more effectively?

Thanks, John

Get rid of the bagger. Unpowered baggers are worthless. Invest in a decent pull behind sweeper and you will be much happier. Better yet, get a good mower that has a high blade tip speed and more flexibility in the cutting height and you would be surprised at how all those clippings disappear.

 

[John Hutterer]

Thanks for the replys. I have to admit that I was really frustrated with this bagger. I was having to stop 6 or 8 times while I was mowing, just to clean out the chute, and still missed picking up about half of the clippings. The other day, I checked the blades and could tell that they were getting pretty worn. I stopped at Mills Fleet Farm today and picked up a new set. They were advertised as having been designed for use with or without a bagger, and also for use on a mulching mower. They were packed separately, but the labeling said that they were for a 42" mower, meaning two blades at 21" each. They were marked to be for an MTD mower, but I figured that the brand shouldn't matter, so I bought them. The SKU number is 3704993830 and they cost $13.95 each. I installed them and the difference was like night and day! With the blades engaged, I opened the top on the bagger and it felt like a tornado was blowing out of the tube! I cut the grass and opened the bagger when I was done. In the past, even stopping to clear the tube multiple times, I was lucky to fill the bagger half way. With the new blades, the bagger was completely full, and backing up into the lid! I could not be more satisfied with the results. A simple fix to a vexing problem.

John