Grass keeps clogging chute on Snapper 21" pusher

[muzician21]

Have an old 21" Snapper pusher. For the first time in several years I've decided to start bagging the grass instead of mulching it. Problem is, I'm now finding that the grass clogs the chute in short order. Very little actually makes it into the bag. The last time I bagged the grass this wasn't a problem.

I tried cleaning the bag thinking maybe a lack of air flow was somehow an issue - gave it a good scrubbing in the tub with lots of detergent. Sharpened the blade. I found the bottom lip of the chute was splitting so I formed some sheet aluminum to fit over the lip and pop-riveted it in place to give the grass a smooth entry point. None of this has helped.

Why would this now be an issue when it hasn't been in the past? Same mower, same blade.

[mike_0_007]

are you in new england... it's been raining for so long here everyone is having similar problems

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Maybe gras is too wet? Is it clean under the deck? No build up of grass particles? Once under the deck is cleaned you can spray silicon grease to keep it clean.

[Don Young]

Possibly grass is damp, longer, or denser than before?

Don Young

[LouB]

Mother Nature is reminding you that mulching is better:-))

[EXT]

Spring grass is juicy and sticks to the duct blocking it. Wet grass is similar as well as damp grass. If the grass is too long and damp to pick up, I have found that doing a quick mow without picking it up is best. If the sun is shining, even an hour later, remow it and it will be dry enough to pick up easily without any clogging.

[beecrofter]

Wet grass, or dull blade mashing the grass wet.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Mulching did such a good job your grass is not thicker than before so there is more to pass through the chute. Go back to mulching for a better lawn.

[Cally]

See if your oompa is tangled.

[Phisherman]

Walk across your lawn and take a look at your shoes. If wet, don't mow. Mulching is 10X better for greener grass and certainly easier on your back, but you already knew that, right?

[Lawn Guy]

Check to see if the bottom of the bag (usually formed by a stiff sheet of flat plastic) is angled up or down (in terms of direction away from the chute). The bottom should be at least flat (parallel with the ground) or even angled down at the far end of the bag. This allows the grass to fly out the chute and go as far as possible into the bag. Bend the wire bag support frame if necessary.

Is your lawn flat, or does it slope? Mowing in the downhill direction will also tend to clog the chute vs mowing uphill.

Also check the underside of the deck and remove any grass buildup that usually cakes up there.

[mm]

I just got a new used electric lawnmower, with three options**

I tried shooting the grass out but it was long and I knew it would turn yellow lying on the other grass. I put the mulcher on and then could see no cut-off grass where I mowed. So I redid the first area and the cut grass disappeared.

**except I don't own the bag and earlier, when I borrowed my neighbor's once, it filled up every ten minutes. It was going to double the time it took me to mow the lawn. But I'm glad I tried it once. For one thing, now I know why neighbor is constantly mowing, then stopping, then mowing.... I thought he was doing it just to drive me crazy, because I could never tell when he was done so I could go back to the quiet end of the house.

[Matt]

Wild guess: Has the speed of the mower changed? Maybe the blade is turning slower due to a change in the engine---say a changed idle speed, plugged air cleaner, plugged carb jet?

[ChairMan]

In news: [e-mail], muzician21 spewed forth:

It could be the blade, it may be a mulching blade which would not have the same lift as a regular blade.

[muzician21]

Runs great, like it always has. I don't have a tach on it but I don't detect any difference. Certainly I shouldn't have to run it wide open for the bag to catch the grass.

[muzician21]

It is a mulching blade but that's what's been on it since the 70's.

[Tony Hwang]

[The Daring Dufas]

"Silicon grease"? Is that what is used for lubricating integrated circuits or sand piles?

TDD

[Larry]

It is a mulching blade but that's what's been on it since the 70's.

*****

A blade that is used to bag the grass has a different angle (steeper) which generates the air flow necessary to bag the grass. A mulching blade does not have this. Invest a few bucks in a regular blade if you really want it bag the grass.

Larry

[ransley]

Any rain recently? Do you cut early or late in the day? Mulch it, its natural fertiliser and mulch, "Slip Plate" works I use it on my snowblower chute.