Zero turn and baggers?

[torchroadster]

Last week I sold my 46" garden tractor with the intent of getting a zero turn mower. I've been looking around a bit this week and talked to a Hustler dealer today who really turned me off on the bagger. He said he has NEVER sold a bagger. I know there are other brands that advertise and sell baggers and I've found a few mixed reviews on zero turn baggers - but overall they don't seem very popular. The bagger on my garden tractor worked great and is very important to me, especially for fall leaves. I've seen blower assisted baggers and permanent mounts and all kinds of other contraptions, which I really don't want or especially don't want to pay for.

My question is have I made a mistake? Is there a good zero turn mower/bagger combo at a reasonable price?

In general I am looking for around 42-48", fabricated deck, mid-grade quality mower that supports an easily removable bagger for around $4K. I have moderate elevation changes and lots of trees to mow around on the 2.5 acres that I mow regularly.

 

[Bird]

I have the bagger for my little Toro ZTR. There'd be little comparison with the ZTRs you're looking at because I have the smallest Toro ZTR made. I wanted that because I frequently mow other peoples' yards that have 3' gates to get through.

I've never seen anyone else using a ZTR with a bagger, although I know there must be others. The bagger "kit" is very expensive, but it includes a front counterweight and bracket, an engine guard and trailer hitch, a high lift blade, etc. As I mentioned, I wanted a ZTR that would go through a 3' gate, but with the bagger on, it won't even go through a 4' gate that I have, nor the 4' door to the garden tool storage building. In my case, I do also have a double drive gate I can use to go from the back yard to the front yard. It's relatively quick and simple to put it on or take it off; 5 minutes or less, I'd say.

I don't use it every time I mow. I like to scalp the lawn first thing in the Spring and I use it then. But IF the grass is damp or even just high moisture content, and I mow with the deck just as close to the ground as it can be set, it can clog up the chute because it doesn't allow it to draw enough air under the deck to blow the clippings back to the bags. The rest of the year, it works great, but I only use it if I let the grass get a bit too high and don't want to leave visible clumps or windrows, and then I also use it in the Fall to pick up the leaves.

 

[Zockel]

I have baggers on a JD garden tractor and on a snapper zeroturn with 38" deck. Until recently the bagging worked much better with the ztr - very powerful and never clogged unlike the JD which clogs frequently. But I replaced the blades on the ztr with what I was told is the new part number. Shape is different and now the chute clogs as soon as I get into higher or wet grass. Bottom line, with the right blades the bagger on the snapper is great. Whether snapper makes a good ztr compared to others, I can't say as this is the first I have owned. But if others have a larger ztr with a good bagging system I would like to know as well as I am thinking of upgrading to a 60" deck to cut down the mowing time.
Pete

 

[Birdhunter1]

I know several guys who run commercially using Grasshoppers with their collection system on leaves in the fall, but i don't know any that run a Grasshopper or other zero turn with a collector on grass. We also have a different climate than Texas so maybe that is why, I've never run a bagger on anything.

 

[Russ]

I have the bagger on my Big Dog mower which is basically a Hustler . It works great. They are an Expensive option but it works well.

 

[torchroadster]

Thanks to all for the responses. It looks tomorrow I will buy a Cub Cadet RZT S, 42". From what I've read the bagger is both affordable and works well. I can get a good local deal on this mower. I will report back after it is up and running and I can share actual performance.

 

[torchroadster]

I bought the RZT S today and it was delivered by the dealer this afternoon. I cut my lawn, along the driveway, and the ditch by the road as soon as I got home. It worked fantastically. It was better on my small hill and slopes than my previous garden tractor. It will take 7-10 days to get the bagger in - I will report back then.