How to Turn Your Riding Mower Into a Leaf Vacuum
The autumn season is beautiful with the yellow, orange and red leaves. However, leaves falling onto lawns from trees can be quite messy. Raking leaves takes a good deal of time and can be strenuous on backs. Many brands of riding lawn mowers include a leaf vacuum attachment or one can be purchased separately. A consumer may attach the leaf vacuum or grass catcher attachment by following these simple steps.
Items Needed:
- Gasoline
- Grass catcher attachment
- Protective mask for eyes, ears and nose
- Riding lawn mower
- Purchase a grass catcher attachment if one was not included with the riding lawn mower.
- Start with a cool lawn mower for safety to avoid burns.
- Wear a mask to protect your eyes, ears and nose.
- Fill the lawn mower with gasoline.
- Raise the blades to the highest cutting setting.
- Park the riding lawn mower on a flat surface, and turn the switch to the off setting.
- Lift the rear door of the lawn mower.
- Examine the grass catcher to locate two hooks on either side of the open end of the metal frame on the inside of the bag.
- Place the hooks along the frame of the bag over the pivot pins for the door, allowing the door spring to hold the door down and keep the bag in position.
- Run a rake over the leaves once in all directions to keep the leaves from sticking to the ground and to loosen the leaves, if the leaves are wet from dew or a recent rain.
- Crank the lawn mower and drive over the leaves, as the running blades create suction to pick-up the leaves.