Snapper Hi-vac mulching ability

[Lawnboy18]

I've red a lot of threads with different opinions about this. I wanted to know if anyone on here has experience with a Snapper Hi-vac when it comes to mulching. I would like to get a commercial Hi-vac and use it to bag in the fall and spring and mulch during the rest of the season.

 

[Snapperfreak]

Mulching with a snapper is best when using one with a strong engine and a ninja mulching blade. My WR 2cycle is set up as a mulcher but I don't mulch often. However, that's the one I only use for mulching because it's an awesome engine, powerful and smooth. The snapper with the mulching deck is better suited for mulching than the hi vac deck though. The standard hi vac deck with the rolled lip on the inside edge will work as a mulcher but the mulching decks have that lip on the outside edge of the deck. It changes the air flow under the deck and does a better job mulching. I think those mulching decks came out sometimes in the '90s. Find one of those decks and a tough engine and throw a ninja blade on it and u got a heck of a mulcher.

 

[bt3]

I have owned my WR commercial 4 stroke since i purchased it new in 1987. One hell of a mulcher and a great bagger.

As posted above, i prefer the Ninja blade for mulching. I have tried Gator Blades and they do work but Ninja is supreme. I run mine with a mulch plug in the chute all year but bag on final cut in Fall. I change out blade to a Snapper with a "High Lift" Kit installed. This basically is a bolt on set of extra LIFT wings on the end of the Stock Snapper blade but they make a difference IMO.
Snapper advertised back in the 80's that with the High Lift kit you could even pick up pine needles. Indeed you can. I can attest to that.

Best investment I ever made getting my Snapper. UNLIKE my Lawnboy, it has NEVER needed service in the over 25 years i have owne dit other than oil and spark and filter.

 

[Lawnboy18]

I was considering the mulcher (Snapper Ninja), but it does not bag (I need too on certain lawns) and the commercial one does not have the Kawi engine. With the commercial Hi-Vac I have the Kawi engine and I can bag. Only downside is deck design.

 

[Snapperfreak]

It's not too much of a down side, with that kawi engine and a ninja you'll be able to mulch no problem. I've even bagged with my ninja blade on occasion but - as stated - the high lift blades are best for that. The commercial model with the kawi won't let u down.

 

[Lawnboy18]

Thankyou to both of you for your input. I just wanted to make sure that I would invest in something good. I know there are the commercial Toro and X-Mark mowers, but they are more expensive and much heavier. It seems to me the commercial Kawi is about 1000$ and the Toro or X-Mark are about 1500$-1600$ around here.

Right now, I have a YBravo 21" that ressembles a lot a Snapper (even the deck design with the inward lip). It mulches well in grass that is not too long and bags extremely well, except when the grass is very very wet and tall. I guess it could be comparable to a Snapper since it has a very similar deck.

I mainly mow Kentucky blue grass and sometimes ugly lawns full of weeds.

 

[timc1018]

I know this is an old thread, but I have a 16 year old HiVac that I have used as both mulching and bagging, and I usually bag with the mulching (Ninja) blade. I just use the chute plug when I mulch and throw the bag on when I bag, works fine.

 

[Lawnboy18]

I know this is an old thread, but I have a 16 year old HiVac that I have used as both mulching and bagging, and I usually bag with the mulching (Ninja) blade. I just use the chute plug when I mulch and throw the bag on when I bag, works fine.

Thanks! Good to know.