Will a Turf Tiger Bagger bolt up to a Cheetah

[Speedyd]

Hello - I am new to the forum and a new owner of a 61" Cheetah. I have been looking at the baggers and the sticker shock nearly sent me to the hospital! LOL!! I have been looking for used units but haven't had any luck finding a used bagger for a cheetah but it appears there are more available for a Turf Tiger. I did some searching for part numbers but had no luck. Does anyone know if these are the same units between machines or if another machine shares the same bagger unit? Thanks for any help!!
Dan:thumbsup:

 

[Mad Mackie]

Check out this link to Scag collection systems. It will say 403 Forbidden, but still click on it.
403 Forbidden

 

[Speedyd]

Check out this link to Scag collection systems. It will say 403 Forbidden, but still click on it.
403 Forbidden

Thank you sir Going through the installation instructions I see how it can be pricey. There are a lot of parts and pieces to that bad boy. I just have a hard time forking over 3 grand for a bagger!!!

 

[tigercat]

But for picking up leaves, it's worth every penny. The Scag collection system is that good. I love mine.

The only negative is I'm often alone so when I install the unit in the fall, then remove it when the job is done, the cover is very large and heavy. So I installed an over head hoist to lift it off the machine when I'm finished with it.
The hoist is a 440LB one sold at most places for under $150 bucks......

 

[Mad Mackie]

When I remove the bagger support and don't have help, I loosen the four bolts holding it to the machine, remove the nuts from the upper bolts, pull one out and while holding the bagger up, I remove the other upper bolt and lower the bagger support to the floor, then I remove the lower bolts. I usually leave it on the machine all the time along with the weights and just remove the blower when I'm either using the chute or mulching plate.
I know that a Scag collection system is pricey, mine was $1,895 plus tax and $100 installation in 2008. I have had to sew up tears in the bags, but I think that I will get another season from them. I'm on my 3rd hose and will need a new one after this fall. I buy hose that has a plastic support spiral rather than the metal wire support, the plastic is more expensive, but lasts much longer. It is almost $15/foot and I buy a ten foot length which gives me two hoses. I have replaced the blower bearings twice and the fan once. About 600 hours on the collection system. I see more commercial operators with Scags and other makes adding collection systems to their machines. Charging customers an extra amount for collection has been difficult. I have mowed with an open chute for some and left rows of clippings to get my point across. I also dethatch with collection spring and fall, but I inform my customers first and give them the option.
It still is a great attachment that does a fabulous job!!! Both of the Ingersoll GTs that I mowed with for many years had hydraulic motor driven blower collection systems although smaller bag capacity and with a six inch hose. I made up a trailer to tow behind the GTs which greatly increased the capacity, but still needed to have a place to empty it. I only cleanup leaves for customers where I can either dispose of them on their property or very close by.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[Speedyd]

But for picking up leaves, it's worth every penny. The Scag collection system is that good. I love mine.

The only negative is I'm often alone so when I install the unit in the fall, then remove it when the job is done, the cover is very large and heavy. So I installed an over head hoist to lift it off the machine when I'm finished with it.
The hoist is a 440LB one sold at most places for under $150 bucks......

Tigercat - funny - I was reading your post the other day with the mods you did the the collection system. Looks Great!! Thanks for the pointers. IF I did mowing for a business it would be easy to spend the money but it's just for my personal properties so I'm having a hard time justifying it. I know I'll get one but I'm hoping to find a deal before I make myself do it Thanks for your help, much appreciated!!
Dan:thumbsup:

 

[Speedyd]

When I remove the bagger support and don't have help, I loosen the four bolts holding it to the machine, remove the nuts from the upper bolts, pull one out and while holding the bagger up, I remove the other upper bolt and lower the bagger support to the floor, then I remove the lower bolts. I usually leave it on the machine all the time along with the weights and just remove the blower when I'm either using the chute or mulching plate.
I know that a Scag collection system is pricey, mine was $1,895 plus tax and $100 installation in 2008. I have had to sew up tears in the bags, but I think that I will get another season from them. I'm on my 3rd hose and will need a new one after this fall. I buy hose that has a plastic support spiral rather than the metal wire support, the plastic is more expensive, but lasts much longer. It is almost $15/foot and I buy a ten foot length which gives me two hoses. I have replaced the blower bearings twice and the fan once. About 600 hours on the collection system. I see more commercial operators with Scags and other makes adding collection systems to their machines. Charging customers an extra amount for collection has been difficult. I have mowed with an open chute for some and left rows of clippings to get my point across. I also dethatch with collection spring and fall, but I inform my customers first and give them the option.
It still is a great attachment that does a fabulous job!!! Both of the Ingersoll GTs that I mowed with for many years had hydraulic motor driven blower collection systems although smaller bag capacity and with a six inch hose. I made up a trailer to tow behind the GTs which greatly increased the capacity, but still needed to have a place to empty it. I only cleanup leaves for customers where I can either dispose of them on their property or very close by.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Thank you for telling me about your experiences. Were you surprised by the amount of service the collection system has needed? Was it all wear and tear or were any of the replaced parts due to something getting run into the collection system like a branch or something? Sounds like a hose and bearing change about every 200 hours and 300 - 400 hours out of a fan. I wish i could find that unit for $1,895.00 I'd scoop it up!!!

Where abouts in CT are you?

Thanks, Dan:thumbsup:

 

[tigercat]

I'm in Southington.
Mad Mackie said a while back he got his blower twisted up by a fireplace poker I believe, in a customers yard. My machine is for my property. It didn't work too hard this year, as I was running my Craftsman machine after I replaced the head gasket and was testing it out weekly. (If it goes again I junk it!) I bought the Scag for fall cleanup, so it's ready. If I cut the grass with the Scag, the trimming takes longer than running the ZTR. :laughing:

 

[Mad Mackie]

Thank you for telling me about your experiences. Were you surprised by the amount of service the collection system has needed? Was it all wear and tear or were any of the replaced parts due to something getting run into the collection system like a branch or something? Sounds like a hose and bearing change about every 200 hours and 300 - 400 hours out of a fan. I wish i could find that unit for $1,895.00 I'd scoop it up!!!

Where abouts in CT are you?

Thanks, Dan:thumbsup:

Hi Dan,
I'm in Oakdale which is part of Montville. I mow for folks in surrounding towns, but I'm down to about 1/3 of what I used to do. The inner blower housing bearing is usually the one that gets sloppy first, it probably was around 300 hours. Small pieces of branches get caught sideways in the hose and can poke thru the hose. My first hose had a steel wire helix in it and it broke thru in several spots and was also rubbing on the R/H tire, it didn't last long. The replacement hoses I buy have the plastic helix and I cut them longer so they stay away from the R/H tire. I got the last $1,895 collection system that my dealer was able to get, after that they went up in price, Gano's in Colchester. I replaced the fan this spring, but it really didn't need it. I wanted new bearings and they were about $80, and a fan with bearings was $150, so I went with the fan and bearings. I do lube the bearings faithfully with the same grease that is used in the spindles. I keep extra V belts in stock for the blower, I buy Stens Kevlar belts a bunch at a time, the same belt fits the deck drive on my Ingersoll GT, a 4L073.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[Mad Mackie]

I'm in Southington.
Mad Mackie said a while back he got his blower twisted up by a fireplace poker I believe, in a customers yard. My machine is for my property. It didn't work too hard this year, as I was running my Craftsman machine after I replaced the head gasket and was testing it out weekly. (If it goes again I junk it!) I bought the Scag for fall cleanup, so it's ready. If I cut the grass with the Scag, the trimming takes longer than running the ZTR. :laughing:

I picked up a piece of re-bar that hung up the blower, tore up the blower V belt and damaged the deck drive V belt. I was just at the same place last week and noticed a bunch of pieces of re-bar starting to surface in the same area of the customers yard. I pulled out about 10 pieces that were 2' to 4' in length. I think this is where the former owner had a compost enclosure. I certainly don't need re-bar of 1/2" diameter getting into my machine. I've been doing this lawn for almost 20 years and this year is the first that I have seen so much crap coming to the surface in this yard!!!
Anyway, the new engine is running great and with less fuel consumption than the original 26 HP Briggs ELS. I think that this fall we will have more leaves than usual.
My new Hobbs/Honeywell hourmeter just passed 550 hours and when it gets to about 650 hours which my machine should have on it soon, then I'll remove the Scag hourmeter and install the Honeywell. We both know what happens when the battery in the Scag hourmeters dies!!!!
This Sunday, Sept 21st, I'll be at the Car Show at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT with a model train layout from one of the model train clubs that I belong to. This club is a modular group and we can setup, operate and tear down easily. Over that last few years I've replaced all their old modules and made some new additions. Our big show will be at the Big E in January, but we do a lot of smaller shows thru the fall, winter and spring, so getting close to finishing the lawn stuff, I hope it won't drag out until Thanksgiving like it has several years past!!! However not looking forward to the heating oil bills!!!
Later
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile: