Why Does My John Deere Bagger Keep Clogging? [Tips And Trick to Keep It From Clogging]
John Deere lawnmowers and tractors have long been renowned for their dependability, precision cutting, and manicured results. However, the John Deere bagger can be annoying as certain conditions cause it to keep clogging, which is frustrating for the operator.
There are eight reasons why the John Deere Bagger Keep Clogging as follows.
MulchControl attachment available for superior mulching performance and versatility
S240 with 42-in. (107-cm) Accel Deep© Mower Deck
48-in. (122-cm) MulchControl handle
An advantage of having an Accel Deep mower deck is compatibility with the optional MulchControl attachment, which makes mulching more practical.
Full-length, welded-steel frame and cast-iron front axle for reliability
200 Series Tractor
Solid, one-piece frame
The solid one-piece frame is constructed of 12-gauge, 0.105-in. (2.7-mm) steel:
- Full-length robotically welded frame design has high-strength steel rails for added strength and long life.
- One-piece steel fender deck is bolted to the frame.
Cast-iron front axle does not bend
Front axle and wheel spindle
The front axle is constructed of solid cast iron that will not bend:
- Automotive-like steering system with sector-and-pinion steering gears and single drag link and tie rod provides a very strong, low-effort, and tight-turning system.
- Grease fittings allow regular lubrication to help maintain easy steering and minimize wear.
- Large, 0.75-in. (19-mm) diameter wheel spindles provide excellent durability.
Front bumper protects the tractor
Front bumper
Front bumper
The front bumper provides additional front-end protection and attractive, bold style.
CargO Mount© system makes installation of rear bagger and other attachments easy
Rear CargO Mount points
Front CargO Mount points are at the top of the dashboard
Rear bagger is mounted with CargO Mount points
Rear bagger is mounted with CargO Mount points
The CargO Mount system is a combination of front and rear mounting points that provide convenient and easy installation of the rear bagger and other attachments.
Operator station designed for operator comfort and convenience
Comfortable operator station, right side
Comfortable operator station, left side
The operator station is designed for operator comfort and easy operation:
- Controls are positioned where they are easy to reach and use to control the tractor.
- The steering wheel is positioned and angled to give the operator plenty of room and steering comfort.
- The seat is positioned to provide the most comfortable operator position
Steering wheel and dash
Wide footrest with debris-removal channels
Wide footrest areas with non-slip, anti-vibration floor mats are provided for operator comfort:
- The wide footrest makes it easier to step over the mower deck while entering or exiting the seat.
- Debris-removing channels help keep the footrest area clean and dry.
Comfortable seat
Easily adjusted seat
Operator comfort is enhanced with a 15-in. (38.1-cm) high-back, two-piece seat with an open back:
- Especially helpful when operating the tractor for extended periods of time
- Easily adjusted forward or rearward while in the seat
- Seat travel of 5.5 in. (14 cm) and 10 different positions to adjust for operator height
Seat springs give a smoother ride
Seat tilted forward
Beverage holder and storage compartment
Beverage holder and storage compartment, with cover, are located on the right-side fender, conveniently located and easy to use.
Troy-Bilt TB30
Most affordable riding mower
- Compact design
- Affordable price compared to other models
- Six-speed transmission
- Rear-mounted engine
- Mulching capable
Cutting width: 30 inches | Transmission: Six-speed manual | Power source: Gasoline | Mow in reverse: No | Mulching/bagger capable: Yes
While it’s hard to find a riding mower that can truly be considered “budget-friendly,” the Troy-Bilt TB30 is one of the most affordable models on the market. If you buy directly from Troy-Bilt, it retails for around 450,800, while retailers like Home Depot and Tractor Supply Company sell them for just a hair under 6500,000.
It features a 30-inch cutting deck, which is perfect for lawns that hit that rare middle ground of being too big for a push mower to be practical but not quite big enough to justify buying a 42 or 46-inch lawn tractor. The deck is designed to easily transition from a traditional side discharge to mulching grass to make it easy to re-feed your lawn with ultra-fine clippings. It also has a six-speed manual transmission, so you can set the forward or reverse speed that best suits your yard and go.
The body of the mower features a slim, compact design that’s great for garages and tool sheds on the smaller side. Since the engine is mounted on the rear of the lawn mower, you’ll have a better line of sight, which is great for seeing things like sticks and rocks that need to be removed and watching out for pets and children who may be nearby. And just because the engine is smaller doesn’t mean it skimps out on power; with 10.5HP, you’ll be able to pull garden carts, spreaders, sprayers, and other implements to tackle every outdoor chore.
John Deere 1570 TerrainCut
Best commercial riding mower
Cutting width: 60 or 72 inches | Transmission: Hydrostatic variable speed with optional AWD and cruise control | Power source: Diesel | Mow in reverse: Not specified | Mulching/bagger capable: Not specified
The John Deere 1570 TerrainCut is a commercial-grade lawn mower designed for handling places like golf courses, sports complexes, and public parks. But if you live in a rural area and have a 5- to 10-acre property to maintain, it can be a powerful asset to have in your workshop.
It’s available only through local dealers or the official John Deere website, and if you go through the official site, you can customize aspects of the 1570 TerrainCut to better suit your needs. You can choose either rear or side discharging decks in either 60- or 72-inch lengths for ideal clipping disbursement and streamlined mowing. The gas tank holds up to 16 gallons (60.6 liters) of diesel fuel, so you can spend more time working and less time refilling your tank.
The 37.4HP engine and hydrostatic drive allow you to operate the TerrainCut like a car, and you can opt for all-wheel drive for better traction across steep or rough terrain. The mower has a “steer from the rear” design, meaning the back two wheels control the direction of the entire unit, which will take some getting used to if you’ve never driven something similar before, especially when driving in reverse.
The deck is stamped from seven-gauge steel and can be adjusted from one to six inches for cutting height, so you can maintain everything from upscale golf courses to grazing pastures and drainage ditches. And while the almost 28,000 price tag puts this mower squarely out of reach of typical homeowners, it’s a worthy investment if you have a landscaping business or need to maintain a very large, rural property.
What is the best riding mower?
In my opinion, the Husqvarna YTH18542 is the best riding mower you can buy. It has a 42-inch stamped steel deck, dual cutting blades, and a mow-in-reverse feature for maneuvering around tricky areas and obstacles. It also has a hydrostatic transmission which allows you to operate the mower like a car: press the pedal and go, no more messing with levers.
Other than your budget, there are a lot of features and scenarios you have to consider while shopping for a new riding mower. The size of your yard will determine how wide the cutting deck should be, though either a 42 or 46-inch version will be more than enough for most yards.
You can choose either a manual or hydrostatic transmission. A manual model lets you “set and forget” your speed so you can FOCUS, while hydrostatic models operate more like cars, going faster the harder you press the pedal. This makes them more intuitive to operate, but also more expensive.
Zero turn mowers are designed for mowing in oddly-shaped areas or around lots of obstacles like trees, lamp posts, and lawn ornaments. They’re called “zero turn” because they have a zero-inch turn radius; you pivot around either rear wheel for ultra-tight turning.
Choose this riding mower…
A well-rounded, gas-powered mower for yards up to two acres
A battery-powered riding mower for eco-friendly lawn care
A zero turn mower for maneuvering around obstacles or tricky areas
A compact riding mower for lawns a touch too large for a push mower
A commercial-grade mower for a landscaping business or large rural property
How did we choose these riding mowers?
Aside from price, I chose both gas and battery-powered riding mowers to give you a choice in how you handle yard work. Gas-powered models give you better run times and more horsepower, while battery-powered ones save you time and money on engine maintenance and help reduce your carbon footprint.
I also chose a variety of cutting deck widths for handling everything from 1 to 10 acres, including a commercial-grade model for large rural properties and landscaping businesses.
How do you decide which riding mower to buy?
Assuming you have a budget in mind, the first thing you need to do is find out how big your lawn is. You can either find your lot size on your memorandum deeds if you’ve bought your house, or you can check your city’s website to see if you can request lot measurements if you’re renting. If your lot measures about an acre, you’ll be able to use a 30 or 42-inch cutting deck without any issues. For lawns up to two acres, a 42 or 46-inch deck is ideal. And if your lot is over two acres, you can get a mower with up to a 72-inch cutting deck to handle larger areas.
The transmission type is also important. Many newer models have what is known as a hydrostatic drive. This means that they operate similar to how a car drives: you push the pedal and it moves forward or backwards. And the harder you push, the faster you go. This makes it easier to learn how to drive, but that also makes the mower more expensive. stripped-back models have variable speed manual transmissions, which allow you to “set and forget” your speed so you can FOCUS on paying attention to obstacles and people who may be nearby.
And finally, you’ll want to consider the power source for your new riding mower. Gasoline engines are far more common, but there is now a wider variety of battery-powered models to choose from. The perks of a gas engine are that you’ll get near-infinite run times (as long as you have enough fuel to keep the engine going) and a bit more power for handling steep inclines and rough terrain. The downsides are dealing with exhaust emissions and maintenance that can be a time and money sink. Electric models don’t need engine maintenance, so you save a bit of money in the long run. But they usually have a maximum run time of about an hour, which means that you may have to plan your mowing over several days if you have a larger yard.
How big of a yard do I need for a riding mower?
Riding mowers are best suited for yards measuring one acre or larger. A model with a 42-inch cutting deck is great for mowing up to two acres, so if you have more land than that, you’ll want to spring for a 46, 54, 60, or 72-inch cutting deck.
If you’re right on the threshold, you can get what’s known as a “mini rider.” They usually have compact bodies for easier storage and 30-inch cutting decks to make short work of lawns that are just a touch too large for a push mower.
How long should a riding mower last?
No matter if you choose a gas or battery-powered riding mower, proper maintenance is key to extending the life of your mower. For gas engines, you should change the oil and filters, clean the spark plugs, and sharpen the blades before you mow for the first time in the spring. And you should use fuel treatments like STA-BIL to prevent gas in the tank or in extra jerry cans from going bad from moisture contamination. This prevents build-up of gunk that can ruin your engine, improves engine performance, and gives you a cleaner cut for a healthier lawn.
Electric mowers don’t need engine maintenance, but you should perform thorough inspections at the start of mowing season to check for battery damage, corrosion on battery contacts, damage to the battery housing, and to sharpen the blades. If you do regular maintenance, not only will you save money by avoiding big repairs from worn out parts, you can also expect your riding mower to last 10 years or more. Which is great news, since they can be an expensive investment.
What is the cheapest riding mower?
In this guide, the 450,799 30-inch, six-speed manual Troy-Bilt TB30B is the cheapest top-notch rider you can buy.
Whether you’re shopping at a big name DIY store like Lowe’s, a local hardware store, or an authorized brand dealer, there are tons of options for a new riding mower. You can choose either gas or battery-powered models, cutting deck widths from as small as 30 inches to as wide as six feet.
Here’s a short list of other riding mowers I thought were great choices:
John Deere Z365R Zero-Turn Riding Mower
The John Deere Z365R Zero-Turn Riding Mower is a ruggedly built machine that can handle any terrain with ease. It’s powered by 24hp Briggs Stratton engine and comes equipped with two HydroGear EZT transmissions, each capable of propelling 900 pounds. You would hardly encounter a faulty John Deere mower with this material construction and built.
Our professional greenskeepers found this equipment easy to steer, even when going uphill or downhill, and it handled obstacles like trees and signposts with ease.
With its ability to plow through thick, tall grass, this John Deere equipment cuts without any issues. You also have the option of mulching clippings rather than discharging them outside.