When it comes to maintaining a gorgeous and healthy lawn, it is not enough to mow consistently. In some cases, you will also have to dethatch, get rid of the clippings and other debris.
One way to keep the yard looking neat is to attach grass catcher in your mower and collect the clippings as you mow the lawn. This is the perfect way to prevent any type of residue from damaging your grass over time.
If you’re looking to give your yard a tidier look and get rid of the extra clippings that fly away as you mow, then you may want to learn how to install a bagger on your mower. Here, we’ll teach you how.
How to Attach a Rear Grass Catcher?
We’re going to start with the most common type of grass catcher: the rear one. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Prepare the Mower
Before setting up the grass catcher once and for all, you should prepare the mower for the job. Here, we recommend doing this:
- Disconnect the spark plug cable from the engine. This will prevent any type of unwanted combustion while you’re working with the machine.
- Then proceed to lift the rear door of the mower. Here, you will find a mulching plate ready to be removed. Get it off.
- You can store the plate. In case you don’t want to use the catcher anymore, you will need this plate to cover the rear part of the mower.
Now that you’ve prepared the mower, then you’re ready to install the bagger.
2. Locate the Docking Area
This is the part where you place the grass catcher, exactly where the plate was. However, you will need to look for certain factors:
- First, locate the hanging hardware. These could be anything from hooks to bolts and even some hinges where you can install the grass catcher. This is where the bagger goes.
- Clean the hooks, hinges, bolts, or clamps on the place. Be sure you can install the bagger easily later on.
With the docking area in sight, you only need to set the bagger up.
3. Assemble the Catcher
The grass catcher usually comes disassembled from the factory. You’ll have to set it up before installing it.
- You will get a soft part. That’s the collection bag. Then you will find a harder set of parts. Those form the frame. You need to piece them up together. Follow the manufacturer’s guide to doing so.
- The stiff part of the catcher must be on the bottom. At the same time, the handle on the bagger should point up for secure handling.
This process can be a little complicated in some cases, but with most grass catchers it takes between 2 to 5 minutes to set up.
4. Attach the Catcher
With the catcher already assembled, then you can proceed to attach it to the lawn mower. Follow these tips:
- Open the rear door on the mower. This part looks like a cover (usually black).
- With the rear door open, you will try to install the grass catcher. Use the hooks, clamps, or bolts as necessary.
- Then close the rear door, it should secure the bag to the mower. Be sure it doesn’t fall down.
Now you’re ready to test how it works.
5. Test It
To test whether the grass catcher is doing its job, you will have to take it to the lawn. Follow these steps:
- Take the mower to a lawn or long grass you want to cut. Re-check everything to see if the catcher is either flimsy or improperly installed. Fix as necessary.
- Now reconnect the spark plug wire you disconnected before. Then start the mower as you would normally do and start mowing.
- You should see how the grass goes directly into the grass catcher. If that’s the case, then you’ve successfully installed it.
You can mow as much as you want now, and most of the grass clippings will go directly into the grass catcher.
How to Attach a Side Grass Catcher?
The process is similar to installing a rear catcher. But a few things may differ, mainly the chute you will have to install before the catcher.
Here’s how you should approach the task:
1. Prepare the Mower
First off, make sure the mower is ready for the job. You can do this by:
- Disconnect the spark plug cable from the engine. This will prevent it from starting while working on the mower.
- Then lift the discharge area cover. This is a small plastic part on the side of the mower.
- Get the mulching plate out of the mower. You may want to store the plate so you can install them later on when you get the catcher off.
This will leave the mower almost entirely ready for the installation.
2. Locate the Mounting Area
Most grass catchers come with hooks or clamps. You will have to look for the place on the mower where they go.
- The side discharge area on the mower should have bolt-on holes, hooks, or clamps to attach the chute from. This is where you will install the catcher.
- Clean the mounting area to ensure that the chute and catcher install seamlessly.
With the mounting place clean and ready, you can start hooking up the hardware.
3. Attach the Discharge Chute
Before setting up the grass catcher on the mower, you’ll have to install the chute. This is where the grass clippings will go before getting into the catcher.
- Start by hooking up the chute on the docking area. If the mower has a side-discharge door, lift it up first and then attach the chute. This could be via hooks, hinges, or bolts.
- Be sure the chute is secured in place. Tighten it up to make sure it can handle the weight of the bag later on.
- You can then lower the discharge door, if any. Check that the chute is firmly attached.
This will leave the area ready for the grass catcher to be installed.
4. Assemble the Catcher
Before setting it up on the mower, you will need to assemble it. Here’s how:
- These side baggers are a little different from rear ones. You will need to insert the frame into the collection bag.
- The frame usually comes with some hooks. Secure these hooks with the vinyl bindings on the bag.
- Finish by checking that the hard part of the catcher is on the bottom. The handle on the frame should point outward and up so you can manipulate it easily.
Once you’ve checked that the grass catcher is assembled correctly, you can proceed to hook it up to the mower and chute.
5. Install the Catcher
You’re ready to set up the catcher on the mower.
- Locate the hanger on the side of the collection bag (it should be on the frame). The hanger attaches to the handle of the mower around the middle section. Do this first.
- Then proceed to attach the catcher to the chute or discharge. The opening of the grass catcher should fit directly into the chute. It should fit either with a twist or secured with clips/hooks on the bag entrance.
Check that everything is firmly attached and that they don’t move. If nothing moves and it looks neatly, then you’re ready to test it out.
6. Test It
Just like with the rear catcher, you need to make sure it is working correctly before finishing. This is the easiest part:
- Place the mower on the grass you want to cut. Then connect the spark plug wire again into the engine.
- Now you can start the mower as you would typically do. Be sure the deck blade is working as it should.
- Test the mower by cutting some grass around. See that the grass clippings go directly into the grass catcher.
If everything works as it should, then you’ve successfully installed the side collection bag.
Benefits of Using a Grass Catcher
Whether you have a zero-turn mower or a self-propelled model, you’ll find that a grass catcher is amazingly helpful. Here are a few ways it can help you:
Clean Mowing
As you mow, the grass catcher or bagger will collect most of the clippings that fly away from the deck. While it won’t collect everything, you won’t have the same amount of clippings left on the lawn.
This helps to achieve a cleaner and more levelled lawn after mowing. So you won’t have to clean it manually or wait for the debris to decompose.
Reuse the Clippings
In case you’re building a new garden or making compost, then you may want to store the grass clippings to reuse them.
You may want to use them elsewhere, and the grass catcher is the perfect accessory to store them—no need to buy clippings and other compost materials later on.
Less Disease
Lastly, you can prevent tons of diseases and other types of damage on the grass by catching the debris. It’s known that clippings can create fungus and grow all kinds of unwanted stuff.
A grass bagger helps you reduce the amount of debris that falls into the lawn, reducing disease and other side effects coming from this dead matter.
Stop Contamination
Lastly, you may want to prevent the clippings from filling up the lawn in case you want to fertilize or spray pesticides over it.
By keeping the amount of debris at bay, the pesticide and fertilizer you use will reach the soil and roots faster.
Things to Consider to Before Attaching the Grass Catcher
Now that you’re aware of the benefits that a grass catcher offers, you can start setting it up. But first, you may want to consider a few things:
- This process may take between 10 to 35 minutes. If you’re experienced with mowers, this may take even less than that.
- Lawn mowers have all kinds of parts and available areas to mount new things. And every mower is different. So you should always read the owner’s manual of your specific model before starting. This will let you know what to do or not do.
- Even though the process of attaching a grass catcher is relatively safe, we still recommend wearing gloves to prevent any possible damage.
With these things in mind, then you’re free to start attaching the bagger.
Attach the Grass Catcher to Lawn Mower Now!
Even though this process may seem a little long and tedious, it is not. You can attach grass catcher in just a few minutes and without making much of an effort – even if you’re inexperienced.
But you’ll have to follow our advice and steps for that. So don’t make a mistake – use this guide to install the grass catcher, and you won’t regret it.