Help With A Price on A Bagger

[KEYBEAR]

I have a John Deere Three Bag Lawn Vac with Power Flow to sell . It works very well But I can No longer handle the Bags . I used it three times last year and I think I will go with a pull behind with a dump .
I may trade it in if I can but will try to sell first What is a good price with all parts and manuals and will deliver with in reason from Indiana . I have it on a X-758 60" deck so it should fit any X series

Thanks

 

[beenthere]

Maybe it is for the 62C deck? and the Power Flow is specific to that size deck.. part # BM21496.
Won't fit smaller decks.

If you go with the MC519 cart that dumps, then the same Power Flow works for that cart.. (my MC519 cart has hydraulic dump, which is very handy).

 

[KEYBEAR]

BEENTHERE I do not like the Power Flow hanging on the deck and yes the MC519 cart would take care of the bags . I know my Power Flow will not fit most decks I have a 60 inch that is why I posted the size . To me the Power Flow is a very poor Answer for a Vac I just dislike the weight on the deck .
Being my first Vac I made a mistake I will be looking at a Pull behind before fall . I think if I can get $7/800 out of this I will move on .

 

[beenthere]

Good luck.. but you likely have a 62" deck ??

I've enjoyed the Power Flow for a bit over 20 years now.. don't think it can be beat.

 

[KEYBEAR]

Beenthere why do you think the deck on my tractor is a 62 inch deck . I bought a 60 inch deck the bill of sale call it a 60 inch deck . My post said 60 inch deck please .

 

[crazyal]

My advice would be to get the cart set up and working the way you would like before selling anything. that way you don't sell something that you need and have replace. If you don't use the powerflow (I haven't looked to see if anyone makes a chute that will connect to the deck other than the powerflow but would love to know if there is one) then I would go on line and take a look at the parts list. You may find that the only difference between models is the housing. If the fan and pulleys are the same then it opens up the market of people who would be potential buyers. More buyers equals better chance of selling it/ more money. I'm guessing the cost of the bagger, the powerflow, and the chute is about $2k new. So less than half price seams like a good deal. If you were closer I would be interested.

I know you said you don't like the weight of the powerflow head on your deck. Is it because it adds too much weight on one side of the deck? Could you add weight on the other side of the deck to counter balance it? I ask because I can see myself with one in the near future. While my deck, 48", is smaller and shouldn't suffer as badly from having all that weight on one side of the deck I still have thought about options if needed. Having a smaller deck I have lots of adjustment in the spring to offset the weight of the deck. Adding extra weight would just mean adding more tension to the spring. I don't know if that's an option for the 60" deck as the adjuster could be at it's limit.

 

[KEYBEAR]

The Way I do it now is lower the gage wheel on that side so it runs on the ground all the time . Works ok but would wear the wheel out if I did that a lot more then I do .

 

[crazyal]

I think the wheels are cheap, I've seen them on ebay for my deck for less than $10 each but I wouldn't want to have to keep them all the way down to support the weight. That's not how the deck was designed to operate. I have a bagger on my older smaller MTD mower and have high lift blades on it. It has lots of force to blow the clippings and leaves but quickly plugs up in the thicker stuff unless I slow to almost a stop. I was actually thinking of trying to modify a powerflow head to it to see if it would help it out. I'm also thinking about something like the Agrifab bagger trailer with it's own engine. Seams like a shame to have a second gas engine but I could use the hose like a vacuum to suck leaves out of the flower gardens.

 

[beenthere]

The Way I do it now is lower the gage wheel on that side so it runs on the ground all the time . Works ok but would wear the wheel out if I did that a lot more then I do .

That is the way the Power Flow is supposed to be carried.. and as crazyal says "wheels are cheap".. and I've not worn out one yet on my rig with Power Flow in 20 years. Keep it greased.. a shot each time out.

 

[KEYBEAR]

That is all good info but one small problem (Keep it greased) the gage wheels on the new 60 deck has no place to GREASE . I take the gage wheels off two or three times and grease (the only way)

 

[crazyal]

Honestly, if I already had a powerflow head I would weigh it and set up a counter weight on the other side. I would try to get it as close to the edge of the deck as possible. Even if it's a bag of sand, at least try it to see if that solves the problem. It seams like it would. If it does then you can try to make something that looks like it belongs there that can be painted to match. I know you shouldn't have to but if it fixes the problem then it is what it is.

 

[KEYBEAR]

Crazyal Good idea but I really do not like the power Flow . I am going to sell it and buy a pull behind to try .

 

[beenthere]

KEYBEAR
You'll be back..

 

[crazyal]

I recently missed a used agrifab pull behind bagger on craig's list about two months ago. I look every so often just to see what I see then get busy. It went for about half of the new price. The DR factory outlet isn't far from me and one of these days I figured I would go and take a look first hand at their baggers. The thing that I did like about the powerflow set up is that it would be much easier to trailer to the apartment we own. I think it would fit on the small 5x6 trailer (that can be pulled with a car) where as a pull behind bagger would require the much bigger car trailer and the truck to tow it. I guess that's why I haven't made a decision yet. When you do get your new bagging system please let us know.

 

[KEYBEAR]

Guy just a mile from me bought a DR three years ago and has never used it .
It is still in the box as shipped .