How to Attach a Craftsman Grass Catcher to a Tractor

Safety First

• Safety is essential whenever you work around a tractor or lawn mower. Never attempt to work on your lawn mower or grass catcher while the tractor is running. Before you start working on the tractor, park the tractor on a solid, level surface such as your driveway. Shut down the engine after the mower is safely parked, and set the parking brake. Leave the tractor in neutral and disengage the clutch before proceeding.

Trailer Hitch

• The tractor should have a trailer hitch assembly in the rear, which is where you attach the grass catcher. Find the part of the hitch assembly where the trailer hitch hole is located. Place the metal flanges of the support assembly on the grass catcher into the draw bar slots beside the mounting bracket for the trailer hitch. Move the flanges backward, and insert a retaining pin into each of the four mounting holes on the draw bar. These mounting pins are included with the Craftsman bagger. Secure the pins with cotter pins to lock them into place.

Put the Bagger in Place

• After the mounting bracket is in place, mount the cover assembly to the support assembly. Start by lifting the cover assembly and lining up the mounting brackets with the tubes on the support assembly. Slide the cover assembly onto the tubes until the assembly locks into place. Mount the left side bagging bin first, then install the center and finally the right side bins. Be sure that the edge of each bin overlaps with the one next to it. That overlap increases the stability of the bagger.

Connect the Assembly

• After the bagger is in place, connect the bottom chute to the shield assembly on the lawn tractor by holding the deflective shield upright and placing the mounting slot over the mounting tube on the bagger housing. Place the bottom chute over the discharge area of the lawn tractor, and connect the rear latch to the flange hole on the back of the tractor.