Ideal lawn tractor blades for bagger?

davesisk · Jan 16, 2007

Hey folks:

I have a Stanley (ie. rebranded Murray) lawn tractor with 42" mowing deck and bagger. I'm after better leaf-shredding and bagging performance. It does OK with sparse leaves, but if leaves pile up and/or get wet, the chute tends to get clogged. Also, it doesn't shred them quite as well as I'd like.

So, first, I'm wondering if there is a better set of blades specifically for this purpose. I need blades that shred really well, and that generate a considerable amount of airflow. What blades would you recommend? There are two blades in the 42" deck. I'd assume what I need are hi-lift blades, correct? Picking them up and reliably bagging them is the first priority...shredding them better would be the second priority.

I'm willing to buy even ridiculously expensive blades to do this if necessary. My other option is to snag a used belt-driven power-flow type blower/shredder and retro-fit it to the mowing deck. I'm pretty handy and can do that, but if I can get what I need out of the right blades, that would be the cheaper and easier option.

TIA!
Dave

om21braz · Jan 18, 2007

I can't speak for how well they may work with your bagger, but the Gator blades I've been using do an excellent job of really grinding up clippings. During the dry periods, they will practically turn the clipping into dust. Depending on what type of bags your mower has, that might not be a good thing ! Maybe someone else will reply w/ experience using these blades and bagging.

davesisk · Jan 18, 2007

Thanks for the reply. Actually, the bagger I have has two plastic bins rather than bags, so dust would be fine with me! Ground small enough to be leaf mulch is actually the ideal.

So the Gator blades do a good job of shredding...how much lift do they produce? From what I've read, blades are either designed to shred by blowing everything around inside the deck ("mulching blades), or designed to bag by blowing everything out the chute ("high lift blades"). Do the Gator blades produce sufficient airflow to bag?

Dave

om21braz · Jan 19, 2007

The Gators' are designed to lift and mulch without an actual mulching deck. My deck (Kubota ZD) really does a good job at discharging the pulverized clippings using Gators - must cut with left side of deck to mulch beds, etc. or it will cover all existing landscape media. Sorry I can cannot comment how well it would bag without help of a blower. Check out the link below for Gator details.

Jacks Small Engines-Gator Mulcher Blades

TOMDUALLY · Jan 20, 2007

Chute getting clogged? Try raising your deck a couple notches above cutting hieght, this will allow for more air for suction as well for discharge to blow the leaves up the chute. Gator blades, I've heard people swear by them, I don't know they don't make them for my mower--46" murray.

Fordlords · Jan 21, 2007

I can't comment on the Gator blade's use with a bagger either, other than to say just give them a try. They are cheap, cut SO VERY well, and as they mince up clippings well they will probably bag up clippings great too. It is hard to find anyone who has a bad thing to say about Gator Blades. IMHO, they are what a rotary lawn mower blade should have been from day 1. Yes, they make them for your mower Tom: eBay: 46" MURRAY HEAVY DUTY GATOR MULCHER BLADE SET 3 BLADES (item 270078564497 end time Feb-10-07 12:54:26 PST)

-Fordlords-

BrianW · Jan 21, 2007

I use the Gators and found them to work well on my Craftsman garden tractor. I use them year round even when not bagging.

davesisk · Jan 21, 2007

BrianW said:
I use the Gators and found them to work well on my Craftsman garden tractor. I use them year round even when not bagging.

Ah, so they do bag at least as well as a "normal" blade then?

Thx folks!
Dave

BrianW · Jan 22, 2007

davesisk said:
Ah, so they do bag at least as well as a "normal" blade then?

Thx folks!
Dave

I thought they worked better than the normal blades because they shredded the stuff before sending it up the pipe. Less clogging. I now use a cyclone rake and they definately work better with it. The Sears mulching blades would hardly work at all with the cyclone rake and the high lift blades didn't mulch. The gators do it all on the Craftsmans I have had. If you do a search for Gator blades here on TBN you will find a place in TX that is a little cheaper than Jacks Small Engines. I have bought from both with good results, but I live in MD and if I order from TX it is a little cheaper for the blades and then no tax on top. They are definately worth a try.