x758 powerflo bagger blowing out grass

[jonsstihl]

just mowed my lawn for the first time with my x 758 with the power flow 3 bag bagger and I must say, I'm not impressed. there is a lot of grass blowing out the front of the deck on the right hand side.

my x 320 had an anti blowout kit I installed and it helped a lot but this 54HC deck seems to just have a bumper plate that you install on the front lip of the deck and it seems to do the same function so after spending almost 2400$ on a bagger Jd wants to get me for another $218.37 plus tax . there doesn't appear to be a kit for this I have to buy the bumpers and mounting hardware by the unit. Anyone have any experience with these bumpers M166918 and m166919

on top of this problem I think the bags I got are too big because when I hold up 80lbs of grass clippings in the bag upside down they do not fall out. the bags swell up bigger than the frame of the bags so the grass does not fall out.

the bags on my 2 bag grass catcher don't do this.

 

[beenthere]

I experienced a similar problem years ago (2003.. ) when I traded up for my x485 and put a new power flow blower to mate up with my MC419 cart. Very disappointed in the new 54C deck design as grass and leaves and clippings blew out from under the deck. There was a Deere plate that was added but little improvement.

As a result, I have quit mowing with that 54C deck and went back in time to obtain a 425 and a 455 with the older styled 54" decks. Much, much better mowing and power flow clean-up.

I'd heard that the deck design problems had been resolved, but disappointed to hear that your X758 has the similar blowout problem. I thought 12 years would have improved the design of old... but guess not.

 

[patchnball]

bags are correct....they hold more by being made that way. If they used solid material such as hard plastic the bags would not hold as much. Beats a rake doesn't it!!!!!

 

[jonsstihl]

I think what JD did with the bags is spec the same bag for the 2 bag bagger as the 3 bag bagger but the bag frames are quite a bit smaller on the 3 bag than on the 2 bag bagger. I tried looking up part numbers for the bags but couldn't find anything

I am really happy with the pick up performance of my x320 with the 48c deck and 2 bag bagger. But it is easy to tell that the 3 bag hopper is a much more industrial hopper as opposed to the 2 bag hopper which is a more residential unit. he way the 54hc deck is made is the problem. the front lip is about an inch above the sides of the mower so the air blows out of the gap instead of going into the blower. Installing the bumpers seem like it would help in theory but JD really should have included it in the bagger kit.

It sure does beat a rake especially when there are lots of leaves down but at this time of the year there are only a few sparse leaves down and with my current setup I am only picking up grass clippings. the few leaves that are on the ground just get blown out the front.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

I only use mine for leaves. I let the clippings drop to fertilize the lawn. The only baffle that I have came with the Powerflow. The long one that mounts under the deck to funnel to the narrow opening on the blower.

 

[jonsstihl]

The 54HC deck must be different because I didn't get a long baffle to mount under the deck.

 

[jenkinsph]

James,
What type of blades are you using? When I was setting up my power flow blower I remember reading that Deere recommends using standard blades rather than high lift bagger blades. Less turbulence would be better in your case. Since the blower is downstream from the deck it should create a slight vacuum, so you should not have it pushing leaves ahead of the deck.

After using the bags on my previous mower I went for the MC519 cart and it is much easier and faster to dump.

 

[beenthere]

After using the bags on my previous mower I went for the MC519 cart and it is much easier and faster to dump.

Especially easy to dump with a hyd. ram in place of the gas lift assist cylinder that the cart comes with.

 

[beenthere]

Here is a pic of my X485 with 54c deck and MC519 cart, leaving many leaves still on the ground. They were not the hi-lift blades and the deck did have an added plate bolted under the leading edge. The 445 or 425 with the 54 deck left the ground clean of leaves.

 

[jenkinsph]

Beenthere,
I use the 48" with the MC 519 on the x749. So must be the deck design as you mention.