Mower deck discharge velocity

[Al C. 1,428]

I am thinking of adding a rear bagger to my SK486.  Before I start engineering it, I am wondering whether the discharge velocity from the 42 inch deck is sufficient to push clippings through a non-powered rear bagger.  The discharge velocity from CC’s and JD’s seems much higher.  Is there anything I can do to increase the discharge velocity on the SK486 (16hp)?

[stevasaurus 22,711]

If you have a rear discharge, I'll bet it will not work.  A side discharge would be the way to go.  

[Al C. 1,428]

I have a 42 inch side discharge mower deck.  I’m concerned there is not enough discharge velocity to push clippings and leaves up a chute into a rear bagger without some sort of powered assist.  Thoughts?

[stevasaurus 22,711]

I would think a rear bagger would have a power vacuum of it's own.  Maybe a side bagger would work.??

 

[pacer 3,168]

Are you talking about a rear static mount bag or a pull behind? 

 

A mount bag might work, but I have doubts that a pull behind would work with out a booster blower.

[JoeM 7,871]

The couple none WH ones I seen use a funky looking blade they call high lift. 

Here is a pic from a cub with those blades.

 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,296]

I have seen a lot of other brands mainly riding lawn mowers with mesh bags on the back .  No power except the mower deck . People around here use them year round for grass and leaves.

[ronhatch 406]

A 2 bladed  36" to 42" SD deck works better for bagging without a powered vac than a 3 bladed deck.  Just modify a modern 2 bladed JD deck to fit your tractor.  That suggestion should rile up some feathers!   My old 42" SD WH deck would push out the grass clipping in clumps. I had to install a front baffle that was about an 1" lower than the front of the deck and then increase the size of the discharge by about 4" to  get it to spread out the clipping evenly.  Even then it wouldn't have enough velocity for a non-powered bagger

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by ronhatch

[tommyg 152]

I feel like the angle of discharge would have an impact. The straighter the direction of grass flow the better. I, for one, would not even try it. I have a neighbor who has a JD side discharge/rear collection bag and it clogs incessantly. I have a Cyclone rake attached to my 60" deck modified to fit my D180 and nothing stops it. Anything less would be a big disappointment in my opinion.

[ronhatch 406]

I agree with tommyg.   IMO, I have the best of both worlds. If I'm just picking up grass clippings and a few leaves, I use my 4016 Case with a 48" deck and a tractor mounted Hydro-Bagger set up with 3 bags / 7.5 bushel capacity.  When the leaves start to fall in earnest, I remove the bags and hook up my homemade enclosed dump trailer that holds about 70 bushels. My neighbor has one of those loooong pull behind enclosed trailer's with a motor and vacuum blower mounted on it. Very clumsy.  About 3 summers ago, I had a weak moment and bought a new  42" Brinley lawn sweeper. It's a good unit, but it doesn't clean up my lawn nearly as well as my Case / Vacuum unit.

[pfrederi 17,674]

Green grass clippings are very heavy. (and sticky)  Loaded up my cylco vac once with green grass could barely tip it to dump it.  Had to be well over a hundred pounds of wet sticky grass.  no way the deck itself could blow the clippings out arousal 90 degree bend and through a pipe....