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6. Tips and Troubleshooting
Your Exmark Ultra Vac has been designed to be the most productive bagging system on the
market. The following tips have been collected to help you get the most out of your Ultra Vac
right from the start.
6.1 When mowing in areas with sandy soil, use low lift blades on the cutting deck and
higher cutting heights to minimize wear on the blower components.
6.2 When mowing in wet conditions, such as just after a rain or in heavy dew, use low
lift blades on the cutting deck to minimize plugging of the blower.
6.3 When the bags get full, the sound of the blower will change and there will be slight
blowout from the front right corner of the deck. Emptying the bags at this point will
minimize the potential for the tube to plug.
6.4 If there is excessive blowout from the deck, check to make sure that the rear
screen in the hood is clear of grass build up. It is recommended that the screen
and mesh portions of the bags be cleaned regularly to maintain proper air flow.
This is especially important in wet conditions.
6.5 During dry conditions check engine air cleaners and clean cooling fins more
frequently. The Ultra Vac has been designed to minimize the impact of dust and
debris on the mower, but bagging can be a dirty environment.
6.6 During dry conditions, switching to a lower lift blade may reduce blowout without
hurting quality of cut.
6.7 Maintaining a ground speed that does not pull down the engine RPM will allow for
the highest productivity and best quality of cut. Bogging the engine RPM down by
going too fast will cause plugging and quality of cut issues.
6.8 When storing the Ultra Vac, it is recommended that any build up in the blower be
cleaned out. Dry grass build up may cause problems with the impeller when the
unit is put back into operation.
6.9 If the blower drive belt snaps or breaks frequently, check the alignment of the idler
arm per section 5. An arm that is bent out of position can cause the belt to jump
off of the idler and be cut by the sheaves.
6.10 If the idler pulley contacts the deck sheave, check the alignment of the idler arm
per section 5. Also check the mounting tube on the deck and the mounting pin on
the blower for bending or excessive wear. This condition is more likely to occur
with smaller deck sizes.