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My Husqvarna (as well as many other brands such as Craftsman) offer 3 modes of dealing with grass clippings, rear bagging with the hinged side discharge plate down, mulching (plate down but no grass bag) and side discharge with the plate holding in a discharge chute. I do mostly side discharge with my mower, but the size and angle of the discharge chute really limit the amount of clippings it will handle, and it clogs all the time.

Those who have the same type of mower and clogging problem may benefit from my solution:

First, install the discharge chute under the side plate. My chute also has tabs that fit in recesses on the side plate mount, and I found a position where I could raise both chute and side plate together.

Next, carefully drill a 1/4 inch hole thru both parts, then use a carriage bolt backed by a washer on the underside of the chute, and another washer and nut on top. I had to slightly enlarge the hole in the side plate so it would fit over the end of the bolt. With another large fender washer atop the side plate, you can secure both parts together with a wing nut.

Hopefully you have a place on your engine to fasten a length of #12 solid copper wire. Attach a small metal loop to the side plate (and NOT also the discharge chute) to permit looping and bending the wire so you can raise both parts when they are bolted together. Raising them only an inch almost eliminates chute clogging in dry grass, and in wet, heavy grass you can raise them fully.

Now, to revert back to bagging, simply remove the wing nut, unhook the discharge chute, let the side plate down, and store your chute on the handlebar of your mower as shown.

I like the bolt-on set up on the handlebars you did. what i did was drill a hole through the side of the handlebar and put a 's' hook on it to carry my discharge chute.i used to run a bungee on the main discharge chute on the body and that kept it nice and high and grass flew out un-interrupted just had to watch where i was pointing it to...good job,now you can be a designer,engineer with all your free time.:biggrin:

LandN said:

I like the bolt-on set up on the handlebars you did. what i did was drill a hole through the side of the handlebar and put a 's' hook on it to carry my discharge chute.i used to run a bungee on the main discharge chute on the body and that kept it nice and high and grass flew out un-interrupted just had to watch where i was pointing it to...good job,now you can be a designer,engineer with all your free time.:biggrin:

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When I retired I had 31 years in with my state job being a general carpenter/handyman/maintenance mechanic and was known for my ability to devise fixes. As for drilling a hole, there just happened to be one there unused....problem with those side discharge cover plates is, they do not prevent any discharged cut material from being thrown high and back at the operator...when the wind was blowing just rite a lot of it came back at you...not very safe.

Ah yes, there just isn't a better way to cap off the day than with a shower of freshly mowed poo, caught in a 20 mph wind. Please don't ask how I know this.:ashamed::licking::biggrin: I do like the mods!

I see the OP appears to be talking about a push mower, but I just had to jump in. One of the first things I do with any "new" mower is remove the discharge chute completely. Not only does the chute widen the mower, but if the grass is even a little damp, it lays down the clippings in rows that p3ople with lots of time and energy would have to rake up. Without a chute, the clippings are dispersed in a wide pattern. I've done this for the last 25 or so years and have only put a hole in my siding or basement window twice. :laughing:

benski said:

Ah yes, there just isn't a better way to cap off the day than with a shower of freshly mowed poo, caught in a 20 mph wind. Please don't ask how I know this.:ashamed::licking::biggrin: I do like the mods!

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you should see what a REEL mower does with the nasty stuff and NO wind....good thing i have quick reflexes :laughing::laughing:

oldyellr said:

I see the OP appears to be talking about a push mower, but I just had to jump in. One of the first things I do with any "new" mower is remove the discharge chute completely. Not only does the chute widen the mower, but if the grass is even a little damp, it lays down the clippings in rows that p3ople with lots of time and energy would have to rake up. Without a chute, the clippings are dispersed in a wide pattern. I've done this for the last 25 or so years and have only put a hole in my siding or basement window twice. :laughing:

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Even with the chute on my 4210 MMM deck propped full open with a bungee cord, it still leaves HUGE windrows even with the grass completely dry. Propping the chute full open on a push mower lets a HUGE amount of cut grass spray back at the operator. About my 4210, I am so sick and tired of raking grass I want to scream. NOTHING I have tried (blades, mowing patterns, etc) will eliminate the raking when my grass gets THIS high. Even running over the grass twenty times, it still will not break down into small pieces.

JDgreen said:

NOTHING I have tried (blades, mowing patterns, etc) will eliminate the raking when my grass gets THIS high. Even running over the grass twenty times, it still will not break down into small pieces.

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Yeah, most mowers don't mulch the way it's claimed. The only solution is to mow each time the grass has grown an inch, which is hardly ever possible, even if you had the time, due to weather.

JDgreen said:

Even with the chute on my 4210 MMM deck propped full open with a bungee cord, it still leaves HUGE windrows even with the grass completely dry. Propping the chute full open on a push mower lets a HUGE amount of cut grass spray back at the operator. About my 4210, I am so sick and tired of raking grass I want to scream. NOTHING I have tried (blades, mowing patterns, etc) will eliminate the raking when my grass gets THIS high. Even running over the grass twenty times, it still will not break down into small pieces.

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HEY JD,did you try using a neighbor, friend, or relatives mower and see what a different deck designed mower might do.just sayin

JD, Just because I'm curious ...... What blades etc. have you tried ??????
I had a 318 and had very little problem with clumping and a 2nd pass would nearly always solve the problem.

JDgreen said:

NOTHING I have tried (blades, mowing patterns, etc) will eliminate the raking

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BKBrown said:

JD, Just because I'm curious ...... What blades etc. have you tried ??????
I had a 318 and had very little problem with clumping and a 2nd pass would nearly always solve the problem.

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BK, I had a 318 myself, and it would chop up grass a LOT better than my 4210 does, my cop neighbor has a small Craftsman lawn tractor and his deck chops up grass a lot better than my JD does. I am currently using Gator mulching blades, only about 40 hours on them. My deck simply will not recut grass worth a (BLEEP) instead it just picks up the cut stuff and blows it back out.

Took this picture last night, I was cutting dry 5 1/2 inch high grass with the mower deck set at maximum cut height of 3 3/4 inches, and the discharge chute was propped open, yet look at the grass clippings piled up in front of the deck !!! GRRRRRR!!!!!! The deck cuts grass so poorly the grass clippings lie on top of uncut grass blades and the front of the mower deck plows them up.

Nice work.....but being as lazy as I am and a "just get it to work type nothing fancy".....I just adjust the deflecter chute on my rider to the height I want with a bungee cord then cut a heavy piece of cardboard to cover the gap..1 screw to hold it in place on the chute and voila....it stays out of the way when I lift the deflecter all the way to get it in and out of the shed. The cardboard was the triple thick waxed type used by vegetable farmers for shipping. And if the wind isnt blowing I lift all the way and let er rip.....no neighbours or windows to worry about mostly. My push mower doesn`t get used enough to worry about it..I only trim with that.
Oh and forgot to mention.....I never bag and rarely rake.....I`m retired now..dont have the time......lol

I don't know how easy or hard it might be to adjust your deck front to rear, but have you tried making the front of your deck maybe 1/4" lower than the back so that the blades actually cut 2 times (once up front and once in back) Obviously, also at the sides, but the leading edge would cut first.
At the risk of advertising (but I don't sell them) I like the Meg-Mo blade system and for me the clippings are thrown much farther. :thumbsup: 4 cutter knives and 4 lift wings on each disc.

JDgreen said:

BK, I had a 318 myself, and it would chop up grass a LOT better than my 4210 does The deck cuts grass so poorly the grass clippings lie on top of uncut grass blades and the front of the mower deck plows them up.

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Interesting solution. I only mulch with my push mower, so side discharge is not a concern. I got so tired of fighting the spring loaded deflector on my JD rider every time the chute for the bagger got clogged that I just took the deflector off and either bag or just let the clippings fly where they will now. I've always either bagged or mulched the front yard. The back I'm not so particular about since almost noone sees that but my wife and I. On the rare occasion that I use the rider on the front yard these days, I bag, but in order to help manage my waistline, I decided to start using the push mower on the front yard. I'm still too lazy and covetous of my time to take the 1 1/2 hours to use the push mower on the back yard.

The hugh metal deflector that came with my Grasshopper came off the day I brought it home.Never used it never will.On my push mower the plastic one came off as well but on it I put a piece of roof rubber over the opening.This stuff is like an innertube.That was over 5yrs ago and it does it's job keeping rocks and sticks etc. from being thrown out.I cut grass yesterday and some was pretty high and my GH does a nice job mulching the clippings.JD you def. have an issue with that deck acting like a blade....russ

BKBrown said:

I don't know how easy or hard it might be to adjust your deck front to rear, but have you tried making the front of your deck maybe 1/4" lower than the back so that the blades actually cut 2 times (once up front and once in back)

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Do you have that backwards? If the blade(s) cut lower at the front, what will be sticking up to cut when the back of the deck gets there? I've seen some people say they tilt the deck back so the grass gets cut a little shorter when the back of the deck gets there. Is that what you mean? Anyway, most mower manufacturers recommend to set the front of the deck a a bit lower for the best cut.

There should not be much to lawn to cut with the rear of the blades, but they may act as more of a mulcher and discharge - What would it hurt to try it both ways -- front lower and rear lower ? As I said, I don't know about the adjustments on this deck .

oldyellr said:

Do you have that backwards? If the blade(s) cut lower at the front, what will be sticking up to cut when the back of the deck gets there? I've seen some people say they tilt the deck back so the grass gets cut a little shorter when the back of the deck gets there. Is that what you mean? Anyway, most mower manufacturers recommend to set the front of the deck a a bit lower for the best cut.

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BKBrown said:

I don't know how easy or hard it might be to adjust your deck front to rear, but have you tried making the front of your deck maybe 1/4" lower than the back so that the blades actually cut 2 times (once up front and once in back) Obviously, also at the sides, but the leading edge would cut first.
At the risk of advertising (but I don't sell them) I like the Meg-Mo blade system and for me the clippings are thrown much farther. :thumbsup: 4 cutter knives and 4 lift wings on each disc. View attachment 3068

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Thanks for your advice, the deck on mine is a HUGE, HUGE PIB to adjust, but it is correctly set, a 1/4 inch lower front blade height.

When it first arrived from the dealership new, the deck was set so it would only cut 2 1/2 inches height maximum...I spend a long time removing all the lift linkage and reinstalling them the correct way, the dealer tech had installed the front draft arms BACKWARDS on the pivots for the front mount.