You would have a tough time adapting the Sears bagger to the Troy. Here is a bit how baggers work: The airflow that is built in the deck that carries the grass to the bagger has to exit the bagger to maintain the airflow. Hard baggers have a top baffle to allow the airflow to exit. Some soft do too. If you cut in VERY dusty conditions and you want to say, lessen the amount of dust coming at the operator- you may be able to hang a barrier sheet ahead of the bags that wouldn't interfere with the airflow- but defect some of the dust from the operator.

Hi tomplum,

Thanks for the response!
Are you then suggesting to stick with the soft bagger?
What kind of adapting/adjustments do you think I will need if I do go the hard bagger way?

Yes, I would buy the soft bagger. Sears tractors are built by a different company. I can't think adapting anything would be easy. On the sheet barrier idea- I saw a person handily fasten a shower curtain to the bagger frame or top which had been trimmed to fit. It went around 3 sides of the bag unit and didn't interfere with bag removal. Not knowing, one would have thought it was supposed to be there.

yeah - ill bet a can of spray paint would make that shroud work look official. I do it all the time, makes the new component (wherever its going) look official - just stick with the color theme.

I would also raise the point that a bag solution is letting the air out in all directions(except when the bag gets fuller). its not as if any debris will be directed to you - from the coarse bag.

But I dont think the dust is an issue - as the bag solution is roughly speaking "a filter". The hard shell solution has a baffle with no filtering what so ever... blowing (and debris) out in a fixed direction.

To a bags advantage - they are light (except when full), AND best part, they store nicely away at the end of the year (flat-requiring no floor space). My problem with the bags (having had them) is that they eventually wear and become kinda fragile. (about 7-10 years life i estimate - more if well cared for i suppose).

I dont really know about the hard shell solution - never had one.

btw - ive not needed to build myself a shroud. I was mostly driving away from what was going on behind me ... So I never found myself complaining. Now if you like to mow your lawn in reverse (the bag is now in front of you) you may wish to move forward with custom shroud. :)

have you considered a used machine ? There are some nice buys out there - if you know what to look for.

Good luck with your purchase - Dave

O.K. So were can I get a soft bagger for my Troy-Built.
Thanks!