The manual was a challenge for a DAV with a Masters in Engineering. I needed to call the local post for a helper to disassemble 2x times, per support drill a hole because the brackets would not lime up, etc The model diagram was not accurate at all, but to assemble without reviewing it. Overall it is a very good product, but until the documentation is updated, I would not recommend it.

Pat

ashby Ma

First know that i really like this system. It does a great job of lawn cleanup. BUT potential buyers need to read further. Installation requires carefully following a lot of steps but, in the end, was relatively straight forward for me. EXCEPT for the drive belt where the belt twists are difficult to actually do. Many photos are needed to facilitate all the steps for self installation. Placement of the bag full spinner requires that you frequently turn your head. This is a distraction from driving and tiring. Frequently getting off, dumping the bags and getting back on the mower quickly wears this old man out. Ideally you would have a helper standing by the dump pile. CAUTION - the drive belt will smoke and burn up if you let the blower clog up. However this is another way to tell if the bags are full. Once this system is installed you really cannot remove it. To mow without bagging I have to mow with the 3 bags removed. This works well to pre-mulch heavy leaf areas before running over the area again to collect. If you are mowing where there is lots of turning and fitting between trees and other fixed obstacles, it is important to remember the bagging system adds another 8 inches to the width of the mower. Also when you hit something with the blower you risk serious destruction. A pull-behind blower/bagger is an option. That needs to be looked at. Costs more but you only use it when you need to. No serious installation work required. Convenient to park. After all this I still recommend this unit but pay your dealer to install it.

Denis

Columbus ohio

A better bag dumping system is needed. Turn off the blades, drive to the dump pile, shut the engine off, get off the mower, take the bags off, empty them, put them back on, get back on the mower, start the engine, drive back to where you were mowing and start the blades. Do this 20 or more times doubles the mowing time and is physically exhausting. I used to enjoy mowing. One solution is to have a second person waiting at the dump pile. Or, if you want to make a quick cleanup pass over the yard, just take the whole bagging system off. Yep - once you have successfully assembled the bagger don't plan on mowing without it. It is a huge deal to get it back off. The bag full indicator spins when the bags are getting full not when they are empty (duh - my bad but a sentence in the manual would have been helpful). You find out the blower is clogged when the drive belt burns up. You know this when you smell the belt smoking, gets so hot the pulley cover melts and eventually the belt breaks. You must be ultra careful when mowing around fixed obstacles. Smack the blower into a tree and you have serious problems. I have not figured out how to install the towing bracket so I just left it off. Whoops now I cannot pull the roller when I mow in the spring. To address the clogging problem when there a lot of leaves or the grass is too tall I have to mow twice, once with the bags off and a second pass with the bags on. Under light conditions, the unit does an excellent job of mulching and bagging.

Denis

New Albany, ohio

INSTALLATION - VERY CHALLENGING: 1. This COLLECTION SYSTEM (966793) is not on the Husqvarna web site. Is this model discontinued? 2. The instructions would be greatly enhanced if photographs were included. 3. Assembly instructions VERY difficult to follow. 4. My bad - right belt drive pulley was reamed out. Good catch. 5. Hacksaw trimming of the blower housing was required. Why couldn't this have been done at the factory? Trimming very difficult due to the pre-mounted Rear Mt Bracket. 6. Next step required removal of the Outer Pulley Cover. Why? Oh - because the belt was installed inside out by the factory. 7. Belt twists were belt confusing - ended up with twists on both sides of the idler pulleys. Very concerned about this??? 8. Attaching the Belt Cover Tab: a. The holes did not align. b. To attach the knob a nut or threaded clip is required but is not shown on any diagram. Part Number for this clip? 9. Bag frame mounting to the mower: a. BEFORE you start this step it needs to be made clear that there are TWO options for mounting: - Mounting plates and nuts/bolts FOR BOTH are included - Two additional pages are included - You pick must one)\ depending on whether MZ61 model is "ultra" or not. Have no clue? - These page are NOT included in the web site version of the installation manual . b. A triangular is plate with two bolt holes and a hitch hole is included. Again, mounting instructions are no help.. - Looks like to mount this plate you have to take apart two bolts on the muffler heat shield. - Included is a 3/4 bolt and nut that is shown attached thru the existing hitch hole. No longer have the hitch hole?? OPERATION SEEMS GOOD: 1. Bag Dump Indicator does not spin during operation. 2 Adds 18" to mower width. 3. SEEMS VERY FRAGILE - hit anything and you can tear the entire unit apart. 4. BAGS DRY GRASS EFFECTIVELY. 5. LEAVES WILL BE THE NEXT

Denis

New Albany, Ohio

I bought the system last year. And that's about all I was able to get out of it. I have about two acres to mow a week. So grass catching is a big deal. The new system along with blades was around $500.00. The grass doesn't blow up into the bags this year. It clogs every time, right from the first cut. It did a pretty good job last year. I've scrubbed it out after each use, so... The throat of the chute, where it attaches to the deck, broke this year. About a 10 inch crack. All the handles on the bags snapped off when they hit a bush on a tight turn. This year it didn't really work at all, which is a disappointment for a $500.00 add on. I'm looking into a tow behind solution.

Marcuscassius

Charlotte NC

This is a piece of equipment that I need when the weather is wet and the grass is growing, and it's too wet to mow. When that happens I mow and then a day or to later suck up all the clippings. If the grass is tall and has a high water content you're going to have some problems with jamming unless you go very very slow. I remove the tubes and blower unit when not using, after doing this a couple times it's about a 15 minute job to re- install the bagger. When it's been dry not a lot of rain, the bragger does a very good job. This is typical of any bagger systems on the market. I mow about 4.5 acres. It's easy to empty the bags and re-install them.

Clamp01

Belpre, Ohio

Purchased yesterday [4JUN16] from Green Ace Hardware - West Branch and installed without a problem. Collected and composted 6 bags within a single hour of operation. However, the Bag Dump Indicator did not function from the beginning which might be a design problem or perhaps a quality control issue.

Russ

West Branch, MI

I agree with the two other reviewers. The top cover assembly broke at its hinge. It cost about $300 and a new collection system is only $429! We also lose bags going up hills (especially when heavy). One was destroyed. The chute attachment to the 46" deck seems poorly designed and precarious. We have not had the chute plug. I am buying a new collection kit, so I don't have to rake.

gscott

Undisclosed

This collections system works well with our Husqvarna lawn mower; my only compliant is on the lid for the bagger. It only lasted us 1 summer and the replacement part was fairly expensive. I think the lid system needs to be made out of a more durable product.

montanamower

Kalispell

It was fairly easy to put together. Works well when it's working. The red spin thing doesn't spin unless the bagger is full. I am on my 5th belt in just 25 hours of use. I also had an issue with one of the bags falling out when first assembled. I took a ratchet strap and bent the rails closer together and haven't had a issue with that problem since.

Consumer

Wilkesboro