Tow Behind Grass Sweeper

[Lloyd_E]

Anyone out there have experience with the tow behind sweepers?
Can you sweep and mow at the same time?

Ant experience would be appreciated.

regards,

Lloyd

 

[bontai_Joe]

A rear towed sweeper would only work with a rear discharge mower, and even then I'm not sure it's possible as the speed for mowing is usually different than for good sweeping. I've used sweepers for over 25 years and always did it after cutting. Lawns I did (and still do) had too much manuvering and stuff to trim around to be backing up with a sweeper while cutting. But if your lawn looks like a empty football field, you could probably tow the sweeper offset to the mower for a side discharge deck and get it to work.

 

[63DH8]

I have a side discharge mower and use a towed sweeper. Works just fine. You're limited to sweeping after you're through mowing though. Because the mower deck blows everything off to the side, there's very little to pick up directly behind the mower. I noticed it's not a good idea to mow so everything is piled off to one side if you're going to use the sweeper. If you do, the pile of grass will lift the sweeper high enough to the point where the wheels aren't on the ground. If this happens, the brushes won't rotate. My recommendation is to experiment with your mower for the best results for your sweeper.

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Lloyd,
Around the house I use a C-125 Wheel Horse with 44" rear discharge deck and use a pull behind 48" Sears pull behind sweeper and it works great! I usually only use this sweeper in early spring when the grass is really thick and in the fall when I use it for leaf cleanup. I just mulch all the leaves up and the sweeper does a great job of picking it all up along with acorns and twigs It has a pull rope to dump it so you dont always have to get off the tractor.

 

[bontai_Joe]

I didn't mean to imply that a sweeper wouldn't work with a side discharge mower, just that you would not be able to sweep and cut at the same time unless your lawn is wide open enough to allow offset towing. I've used a sweeper with a side discharge mower for all for the 25+ years I've had the sweeper.

 

[meledward23]

My neighbor has one. He has a ZTR mower that he cuts with and then uses a Garden Tractor to sweep his lawn. Yum, yum, his yard looks good. I really like the result.

Of course if I was 60 and retired I might have the time to travel over 1.25 acres two times in one day three times every two weeks.

 

[Bird]

I use this Agri-Fab lawn sweeper and tow it behind this Toro ZTR. I don't try to tow it and sweep at the same time I'm mowing most of the time. It's not as good as having a grass catcher on the mower, but does a pretty good job, especially if I pull this dethatcher around first. I'm running mulching blades with the discharge chute blocked on the mower and don't use the dethatcher and lawn sweeper too often.

 

[meledward23]

As Bird pointed out this is obviously not the same as bagging (maybe it isnt obvious). Anyway it is far less efficient in collection. But the advantages are as I see them:

1: less grass collected. Bagging over an acre would be a pain.
2: it doesnt leave streaks, as opposed to not bagging and having the clippings not blow out evenly leaving some thicker clipping trails. The sweeper really sweems to take care of that.
3: I have no more thoughts.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thanks for all the responses. I mow about 3 acres - around buildings, fences and the house. Most of the acreage is clear of obstructions.

I think I may be adding more work. This year, so far, has been extremely wet so when I do get to mow the grass is tall and alot of clippings are left behind. In previous years the clippings just blow out and compost into the grass.

Most retail outlets carry the 36" agrifab model. I have a 50" deck so I should have the 42" collector - special order.

Once again thanks for your opinions.

Lloyd

 

[Bird]

Lloyd, Sears shows to have the 42" Craftsman, which I feel sure is made by Agr-Fab, in stock, but I don't know about in Canada. I looked at the Craftsman at Sears and the Agr-Fab at Northern Tool and think they're identical. Sears was about $10 cheaper at the time. I bought the 38" instead of the 42" simply because I have a 38" mowing deck on my mower and routinely go through a gate that isn't quite wide enough for anything wider. Remember than the measurement given (38", 42", etc.) is the sweeping width. The wheels add to that; about 6" or 8" if I remember right.