Snapper 1690503 User manual

OPERATOR’S
MANUAL
PTO DRIVEN
VACUUM
COLLECTOR
VACUUM COLLECTOR (PTO)
MFG. NO. 1690503
VACUUM COLLECTOR (PTO)
MFG. NO. 1690024
42 INCH MOWER ADAPTOR
MFG. NO. 1690027
48 INCH MOWER ADAPTOR
MFG. NO. 1690026
FORM — 1666527
PRINTED IN U.aA.
853

Identification
When ordering replacement parts for your vacuum collector, be prepared to give your dealer the identification
number found on the identification plate.
Refer to ID no. when
writing or ordering parts.
ID NO.
VACUUM COLLECTOR IDENTIFICATION PLATE
Accessories
See your dealer to purchase any of the following accessories for your tractor or vacuum collector.
REQUIRED ACCESSORIES OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
42" & 48" Mower Adaptors
Dump Cart (6.5 cu. ft. capacity)
Dump Cart Cover
Front Wheel Weights (required for slopes over 20
percent (11.3 degrees)
Roving Nozzle - Collects grass, leaves in out of the
way places.
Wheel Weights - (Required on slopes) Increases
tractor steering ability and stability.
Hour Meter - Records tractor operating time in
tenths of an hour.
Models illustrated in this manual may vary slightly from the model you have.

Contents
IDENTIFICATION. .. Inside Front Cover
ACCESSORIES .. . Inside Front Cover
SAFETY RULES ..... 2
DECALS . 3
OPERATiON . 4
CONTENT OF SECTION . 4
INSTALLING VACUUM COLLECTOR ON TRACTOR . 4
CHECKS BEFORE STARTING . 5
OPERATING THE VACUUM COLLECTOR .. 5
REMOVING THE VACUUM COLLECTOR FROM TRACTOR . 6
NORMAL CARE . 7
CONTENT OF SECTION . 7
SCHEDULED CARE . 7
STORAGE.... 7
TROUBLESHOOTING .. 9
CONTENT OF SECTION . 9
TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES . 9
BELT ADJUSTMENT .. 1 0
ASSEMBLY.11
CONTENT OF SECTION . .. .1 1
ASSEMBLY OF VACUUM COLLECTOR.11
SPECIFICATIONS . 1 2
1

Safety Rules
A Read these safety rules and follow them closely. Failure to obey
these rules could result In loss of control of vehicle, severe personal
Injury to yourself or bystanders, or damage to property or equip¬
ment. The triangle ^ In the text signifies Important cautions or warnings
which must be followed.
^ALL WARNING, CAUTION, and instructional
messages on this attchment and on your tractor
should be carefully read and obeyed. Personal
bodily injury can result when these instructions
are not followed.
GENERAL
• Read this manual and tractor Operators Manual
carefully. Be thoroughly familiar with the controls
and the proper use of the equipment.
• Never allow children to operate the machine. Do
not allow adults to operate it without proper
instruction.
• Do not carry passengers.
• Use only attachments or accessories designed
for your machine. See your dealer for a complete
list of recommended attachments or accessories.
• Keep the area of operation clear of all persons,
particularly small children, and pets.
• When using any attachments, never direct dis¬
charge of material toward bystanders nor allow
anyone near the vehicle while in operation.
• Make sure:
a. tractor and attachments are in good operat¬
ing condition,
b. all safety devices and shields are in good
working condition, and
c. all adjustments (cutting height, etc.) have
been made.
PREPARATION
• Make sure entire unit is installed. Never operate
vacuum collector with any part detached except
with roving nozzle installed and mower disen¬
gaged.
• Handle gasoline with care - it is highly flammable.
a. Use approved gasoline container.
b. Never remove the cap of the fuel tank or add
gasoline to a running or hot engine, or fill the
fuel tank indoors. Wipe up spilled gasoline.
• Do not run tractor engine indoors. Exhaust fumes
are deadly.
• Clear the work area of objects which might be
picked up and thrown.
• Disengage all attachment clutches and shift into
neutral before attempting to start the engine.
• Wear heavy footwear. Do not operate tractor
when barefoot or when wearing open sandals or
canvas shoes.
OPERATION
• Disengage power to attachment(s) and stop the
engine before leaving the operator's position.
• Disengage power to attachment(s) and stop the
engine before making any repairs or adjustments.
• Stop tractor engine and remove key before un¬
clogging hoses or emptying dump cart.
• Stay alert for holes in the terrain and other hidden
hazards. Be extra careful when operating on wet
or slippery surfaces.
• The vehicle and attachments should be stopped
and inspected for damage after striking a foreign
object, and the damage should be repaired before
restarting and operating the equipment.
• Disengage powerto mower and vacuum collector
when transporting or not in use.
• When mowing, proceed as follows:
a. Mow only in daylight or in good artifical light.
b. Never operate the tractor without the mower
clutch safety interlock switch properly at¬
tached and working.
c. Check the blade mounting bolts for proper
tightness at frequent intervals.
• Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill
or downhill. Mow up and down the face of steep
slopes - never across the face.
• Reduce speed on slopes and in sharp turns to
prevent tipping or loss of control. Use extreme
caution when changing direction on slopes.
2

Safety Rules
Watch out for traffic - when crossing or near
roadways.
If equipment begins to vibrate abnormally, disen¬
gage power to attachments and stop the engine at
once. Inspect for damage and correct before
restarting tractor.
Be especially careful not to touch tractor or
attachment parts which rtiight be hot from opera¬
tion. Allow such parts to cool before attempting
to maintain, adjust or service.
Use counterweight(s) or wheel weights when
suggested in the Operator's Manual.
Take all possible precautions when leaving the
vehicle unattended, such as disengaging the
power-take-off, lowering the attachment(s), shift¬
ing into neutral, setting the parking brake, stop¬
ping the tractor engine and removing the key.
• Keep the vehicle and attachments in good operat¬
ing condition and keep safety devices in place.
MAINTENANCE & STORAGE
• Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
• Do not change the engine governor settings or
overspeed engine.
• To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of
grass, leaves or excessive grease.
• Never store the equipment vvith gasoline in the
tank inside a building where fumes may reach an
open flame or spark. Allow the engine to cool
before storing in any enclosure.
Decals
ALL WARNINGS, CAUTION and instructional mes¬
sages on this unit and on your tractor and mower
should be carefully read and obeyed. Personal
bodily injury can result when these instructions are
not followed. The information is for your safety, and
it is important.
The smaller decal is on your vacuum collector. The
larger decal will be on your vacuum collector if a
roving nozzle has been installed.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
Do not operate the vacuum collector with any part detached
except with roving nozzle installed and mower disengaged.
To disengage mower use the following procedure.
1. With engine and all motion stopped , reach behind left rear tire
and push the belt tensioning lever down and forward.
2. Raise the seat deck. Use a board or other object to support the
seat deck so it cannot fall forward.
3. Grasp the belt behind the rear idler pulley and slip it off the
pulley. Position the belt in front of the pulley and place in
pulley groove. Pull the belt tensioning lever back and up.
4. The two belt sections must be trapped between the two idler
' pulleys as shown. The belt must form a loop around the PTO
pulley so belt is not tight in PTO pulley groove.
5. Lower the seat deck before starting the engine.
NOTE: Refer to roving nozzle operator's manual for more
information.
A WARNING
CAUTION
FOR YOUR SAFETY
DO NOT OPERATE THIS VACUUM COLLECTOR WITH
ANY PART OF THE COLLECTOR DETACHED. BE SURE
TO DISENGAGE TRACTOR MOWER WHEN USING THE
ROVING NOZZLE._
LOCATION: AT TOP OF BLOWER HOUSING
3

Operation
CONTENT OF SECTION
This section provides operating procedures for the
vacuum collector. Included are procedures for installing
the vacuum collector on the tractor and removing the
vacuum collector, as well as lawn cleaning hints.
INSTALLING VACUUM COLLECTOR
To install the vacuum collector on your tractor, proceed
as follows:
1. If installing for the first time, make sure the
vacuum collector has been properly assembled as
described in Assembly section at back of this
manual.
2. Lift the blower assembly up and hook the upper
hitch arms over the support shaft while inserting
lower hitch arms in drawbar. Align the lower hitch
arms with the holes in the drawbar and insert the
two pins. It may be necessary to lift up on blower.
Install the spring clips in the pins.
Figure 1. Attaching Blower Unit to Tractor
3. Remove the shield (A, figure 5) by removing the
three wing screws (if installed).
4. Install the vacuum collector drive belt in the outer
groove on the tractor PTO pulley. Place the other
end of the belt on the blower drive pulley, with the
idler pulley positioned underneath the lower
portion of the belt, as shown in figure 2. Be sure
the idler spring is hooked over the left upper hitch
arm.
5. Install the pulley shield (A, figure 5) to left side as
shown in figure 5 with the three wing screws. (The
three shield brackets are shown in figure 13).
6. Remove the deflector from the mower and install
the correct vacuum collector adaptor to the
mower housing, and tighten the wing nut. (See the
Assembly section of this manual on how to
prepare mower housing to install adaptor.)
7. Slide the inlet tube over the vacuum collector
adaptor end, and slide the other end of the inlet
tube into the short side of the inlet elbow. (See
figure 3.)
8. Slide the inlet flange (on the long side of the inlet
elbow) into the retaining clips on the blower
housing. Slide the two clamp bars over the flange
and tighten the clamp bars with the two wing nuts
(see figure 3).
4

Operation
9. Place the discharge hose over the blower deflector
and attach it to the blower housing with a hose
clamp. Hose will be tight and the best method of
installation is to use a twisting action. Tighten
screw. (See figure 4.)
10. Attach the dump cart, with the dump cart cover
installed, to the drawbar on the vacuum collector
assembly.
11. If the discharge hose measures 54 inches it must be
reduced to 40 inches by cutting with a hacksaw. (If
an early model dump cart which does not have
side extensions is used, it will not be necessary to
cut the hose.) Dull the ends of the steel reinforce¬
ment wires with a file.
12. Attach the hose connector to the hose and secure
with the clamp. (The connector and clamp are
supplied with the dump cart.) Tighten the clamp
securely on front edge of connector.
13. Connect the hose connector to the dump cart
connector by snapping into place.
14. Refer to instructions supplied with dump cart and
side extensions for more information on those
products.
CHECKS BEFORE STARTING
The checks listed below should be performed before each
use of the vacuum collector.
1. Be sure you are familiar with the safety precau¬
tions controls and operation of the tractor. Read
the tractor Operating Manual very carefully.
2. Check the mower and vacuum collector to be sure
they are properly installed and to be sure that all
nuts, bolts and pins are securely fastened.
^^WARNING
Do not operate the vacuum collector with any part
detached except with roving nozzle installed and
mower disengaged. For roving nozzle operation,
see roving nozzle Operator's Manual.
3. Refer to the Normal Care section of this manual
to determine and perform any needed eare of the
vacuum collector.
4. Clear the lawn of all sticks, stones, wire and other
debris which may be caught or thrown by the
mower blades and vacuum blower.
OPERATING THE VACUUM COLLECTOR
J^WARNING
Do not work around the mower housing or blower
area until you are certain that the mower blades and
the blower fan have stopped rotating.
Always stop the tractor engine and disengage the
PTO before removing any of the hoses or attempt¬
ing to clean out any part of the vacuum collector.
Before operating the vacuum collector, be sure you are
thoroughly familiar with the operation of your tractor.
Consult your tractor's Operator's Manual if you have any
questions on its operations.
Under average dry conditions set the tractor engine
throttle about 3/4 open and operate mower at normal
ground speeds. Under damp conditions or when collect¬
ing thick heavy material run engine at full throttle and use
slow ground speed.
When collecting leaves and tall grass, raise the mower to
highest cutting height on first pass, the lower it for the
second pass.
In extremely heavy or tall green grass it may be necessary
to cut only half the width of the mower to prevent the
hoses from clogging up. Check the hoses and blower
housing periodically to make sure the material does not
accumulate and block the flow to cart.
5

Operation
NOTE
It is recommended that you do not try to collect
grass or leaves that are wet with external moisture
such as rain or dew.
Best results for filling the covered cart can be obtained
with at least a 3/4 or more engine speed throttle setting.
Dumping Cart
To empty the cart, back it into the area where material is
to be dumped, disengage the drive to the mower and to
the fan. Shift tractor transmission into neutral, apply the
parking brake and stop the tractor engine.
Unhook the latch in front of dump cart. The hose is
attached to a connector which snaps into place. Discon¬
nect the hose. Remove the upper and lower tail gates. The
dump cart can be tipped back so it rests on its rear side.
More detailed information about the dump cart and
cover is in the instructions supplied with those products.
Operation On Slopes
^WARNING
Never operate on slopes greater than 35 percent
(19.3°) which is a rise of 3-1/2 feet (1066 mm)
vertically in 10 feet (3.1 m) horizontally. When
operating on slopes greater than 20 percent (11.3°)
front wheel Weights are required. Select slow ground
speed before driving onto a slope. Avoid using
brakes to control speed. Drive up and down the face
of slopes, and never across the face. Use caution
when changing directions and DO NOT STOP OR
START.
REMOVING THE VACUUM COLLECTOR
When desired, remove the vacuum collector as follows:
1. Remove discharge hose from cart cover and dump
cart from vacuum collector drawbar.
2. Remove inlet elbow and inlet tube from blower
assembly and adaptor.
3. Remove vacuum collector drive belt from tractor
PTO pulley. To loosen tension on the belt, it can
be slipped off the idler pulley. If necessary, remove
the shield (A, figure 5) for clearance. Reinstall the
shield and three wing screws to avoid loss.
4. Remove pins from drawbar and lift blower assem¬
bly from tractor. Replace pins and spring clips in
vacuum collector hitch for storage.
5. Remove adaptor from mower housing by remov¬
ing wing nut from the top carriage bolt.
6. Replace deflector on mower housing, holding it in
place with the wing nut used to hold the adaptor,
and the hardware in the rear hole removed from
the mower housing when the deflector was remov¬
ed. (See figure 6.)
WARNING
Do not operate mower without deflector or entire
vacuum collector system installed. The vacuum
collector adaptor must be used with the vacuum
collector, and should not be used by itself in place of
the mower deflector.
Figure 5. Shield Installed Left-Hand Side
A. Shield B. Wing Screws.
Figure 6. Replacing Mower Deflector
6

Normal Care
CONTENT OF SECTION
Your vacuum collector was designed and built to provide
years of service with only minor care. Certain tasks,
however, must be performed to keep it in good operating
condition and to avoid costly repairs. This section
describes and provides procedures for the necessary care
of the vacuum collector.
SCHEDULED CARE
A schedule for routine care of the vacuum collector is
provided in figure 7. Some of the schedule requirements
are based on operating hours. For this reason, it will be
necessary to determine or estimate total operating time.
This is easily accomplished if your tractor is equipped
with an hour meter. If not, you can determine normal
times for regular jobs. Multiply these normal times by the
number of times you perform these jobs and add any
unusual operating time to estimate the total operating
time.
STORAGE
To protect you vacuum collector, store it in an enclosed
dry area. To prepare it for off-season storage, perform
the following:
I. Remove unit from tractor. (Refer to procedures in
Operation section.)
: 2. Clean vacuum collector to remove all grass and
dirt.
3. Coat all bare metal surfaces with paint or a light
coat of oil to prevent rusting.
4. Lubricate the vacuum collector cross shaft. (See
figure 9.)
Care Required
See
Figure
Before Each
Use
After Each
Use
Every 10
Hours
Yearly
Check to be sure all screws, nuts, bolts,
and pins are present and secure.
None •
Clean vacuum collector, hoses, cart
and cover of all grass and dirt.
8
. •
Lubricate blower cross shaft
9
• .
Lubricate dump cart
9
^ •*
* More often under heavy use.
Figure 7. Summary of Scheduled Care
7

Normal Care
Clean all grass and dirt from
tubes, hoses, blower, cart
and cover.
After cleaning cover hang in
a dry, well ventilated place.
Figure 8. Clean Vacuum Collector, Cart & Cover
1. Clean dirt and paint from grease 2. Using grease gun, apply 4 to 5
fittings. shots of lithium based automotive
grease to each fitting.
A CAUTION
Do not overgrease. Excess grease
may easily get on belts and cause
slippage.
Figure 9. Lubrication of Cross Shaft & Dump Cart
8

Troubleshooting
CONTENT OF SECTION
This section provides troubleshooting and repair instruc¬
tions for the more common and easily corrected prob¬
lems.
^I^WARNING
To avoid serious injury, perform maintenance on
the vacuum collector only after stopping the tractor
engine and waiting for all moving parts to come to a
complete stop. Always remove the ignition key
before beginning the maintenance to prevent acci¬
dental starting of the engine.
TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES
Troubleshooting procedures are provided in figure 10.
To use these procedures, first locate the problem descrip¬
tion that best describes the trouble that you have
encountered. Check the possible causes one at a time in
the order that they are listed. Correct any problems that
are found and operate the vacuum collector again to
verify that you have eliminated the trouble.
Problem
Cause
1. Leaves and grass not being completely
picked up.
A. Engine speed too slow. Run at 3/4 to
full throttle.
B. Ground speed too fast. Use lower gear.
C. Hose connections loose. Check and tighten
any loose connections.
D. Belts worn or dirty. Check and clean or
replace as needed. Check belt adjustment.
E. Twig lodged in mower adaptor. Clear the
adaptor then reinstall.
2. Hoses plug easily.
A. Grass or leaves too wet. Wait for drier
conditions.
B. Grass too high. Reduce tractor ground
speed, reduce cutting width, or raise mower
adjustment for the first pass, lower it for
the second pass.
3. Vacuum collector blower vibrates
abnormally.
A. Dirt built up on blower fan blades. Clean
and try again.
B. Fan or shaft bent or broken. Repair as
necessary.
C. Shaft bearings worn. Repair as necessary.
Figure 10. Troubleshooting Chart
9

Troubleshooting
BELT ADJUSTMENT
NOTE
Early model vacuum collectors do not have the
eccentric washer (A, figure 11) which makes belt
adjustment possible.
To gain access for adjustment, remove the shield (A,
figure 5) by removing the three wing screws. Be sure to
reinstall the shield after completing the adjustment.
Measure the distance between the belt strands at point
shown in figure 12. If the measurement is between 1-3/4
inch and 2-1/4 inch, the adjustment is OK. If not, adjust
the belt as follows.
Loosen the two cross shaft screws (D, figure 11). (There is
one screw on each side.) Loosen the nut (C) just enough
so that the eccentric washer (A) can be rotated. The
eccentric washer can be rotated by tapping the edge with
a hammer.
To decrease the measurement, rotate the eccentric washer
(A) and cross shaft forward, then tighten the nut (C).
Recheck the measurement and readjust if necessary. If
adjustment is correct, tighten the two cross shaft screws.
A. Eccentric Washer
B. Cross Shaft
C. Nut
D. Screw
To increase the measurement, use a crowbar as a lever
(figure 13) to rotate cross shaft toward rear. While
holding the cross shaft in position, rotate the washer (A)
until it meets the cross shaft then tighten the nut (C).
Recheck the measurement and readjust if necessary.
When adjustment is correct, tighten the two cross shaft
screws (D, figure 11). Reinstall the shield (A, figure 5).
The shield brackets are shown in figure 13.
Figure 12. Belt Adjustment Measurement
A. Ruler
B. Left-Rear Tire
A. Eccentric Washer E. Shield Brackets
B. Cross Shaft
C. Nut
D. Crowbar
10

Assembly
CONTENT OF SECTION
The vacuum collector may be received partially assembl¬
ed. Procedures necessary to complete the assembly of the
vacuum collector are provided in this section.
ASSEMBLY OF THE VACUUM COLLECTOR
1. F or tractors without a rear lift kit installed on the
tractor, a support shaft and two collars are
provided for installing the vacuum collector on
the tractor. (On tractor with a rear lift kit
installed, proceed to step 2.) On tractors without a
rear lift kit, place the two set collars provided on
the support shaft, the larger collar with a lip going
on the left side with the lip facing outward.
Position the support shaft in the tractor support
arms on the tractor so that the lip of the larger
collar fits inside the left support and the end of the
shaft is flush with the outside edge of the right
support arm. Tighten the set collars so that there is
no play from side to side in the support shaft. (See
figure 14.)
2. R emove the deflector from the mower, keeping
the carriage bolts in place in the mower housing.
Place the spacer provided with the vacuum collec¬
tor adaptor on the front carriage bolt, then
reinstall the flat washer, lockwasher and nut that
were on the bolt. Tighten the nut on the bolt. (See
figure 15.)
3. R eplace the lockwasher and nut on the top
carriage bolt, and tighten the nut to the mower
housing. The vacuum collector adaptor will fit
over this bolt, with the wing nut holding it down.
4. The rear, top bolt used for the deflector is not used
for the adaptor. Store in a safe place to avoid loss.
5. Place the correct vacuum collector adaptor on the
mower housing as shown in figure 16. The front
slot fits over the spacer just installed, and the top
hole fits over the carriage bolt on the top of the
mower housing. Place the wing nut on the top
carriage bolt and tighten it.
6. A ssemble the inlet tube with the phillips head
screws, flat washers, lockwashers and nuts pro¬
vided. Place a flat washer on each screw, and
insert the screws from the inside of the tube,
placing a flat washer, lockwasher, and nut on each
screw on the outside of the tube. (See figure 17.)
11

Assembly
1. Insert the inlet flange into the long end of the inlet
elbow, and hold the flange tight in the inlet elbow
with a clamp and screw. (See figure 18.).
8. Attach the blower deflector to the outside of the
blower housing with two self-tapping screws. (See
figure 19.)
9. The shield and three wing screws can be installed
after the vacuum collector has been installed on
tractor (see Installation). The shield is shown in
figure 5.
Hoses
Wire Reinforced Rubber Coated Fabric
Fan
Welded Steel Fan Assembly. Rotating on a Factory Lubricated and sealed high speed
double row ball bearing.
Discharge
Accepts mower discharge from left hand side and discharges upward and rearward into
dump cart cover.
Power Drive
From tractor bevel gearbox (PTO)
Overall Dimensions
Width 10-3/4 Inches (273 mm)
Length 2T3/4 Inches (552.5 mm)
Height 27-1/8 Inches (689 mm)
SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
12