I purchased the Gator blade for my 28" Snapper Hi Vac about a month ago.First I put it on straight out of the box - terrible cut.The grass was ragged and it totally missed blades of grass sticking up 2" in spots.I sharpened the blade (it wasn't very sharp from the factory) and it's a bit better, but in no way would I consider it acceptable.
The standard Snapper Hi Vac (non-mulching) blade has an excellent cut - even better than the John Deere 445 I had a few years ago at a different house with 3 acres to cut.I bought the Gator because from what I could find online it was the best mulching blade.
If it's the best, I'd sure hate to see the worst!I tried the Gator both without and with the mulching cover on the Snapper.Without the cover (basically a plug that covers the discharge) it has a decent cut - IF you cut at the slowest possible speed - but it gets progressively worse if you try to cut at a normal (2nd or 3rd gear) speed.
With the discharge plug, it's simply unacceptable at any speed.Even going over the same area 2 and 3 times it leaves blades of grass sticking up uncut at any speed.
The blade is super sharp, and no, it's not installed upside down.I'm typing this while letting the motor cool off before I stand the mower on its' end and remove the Gator blade once and for all.I would not recommend this to anyone for cutting grass - it might work ok for chopping leaves in the fall, but so does the standard blade.
From my observation, it doesn't appear that the Gator blade has enough lift.It doesn't "suck" the grass up straight so it can be cut cleanly. To me, the Gator appears to have a bit more lift than the standard Snapper mulching blade, but not much more.And the standard mulching blade also works fine for chopping up leaves.
Bottom line - save your money and use the standard hi lift or mulching blade.The high lift blade gives a great cut, and the standard mulching blade chops up leaves.No need to purchase the Gator, which doesn't do anything well from my experience.
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Oregon Gator Mulcher 3-N-1 Lawn Mower Blade For Snapper 28 Inch 99-928 96-628Product Description: GATOR MULCHER BLADE SNAPPER 28IN
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Be sure you have the orginal frame, the product replaces only the fabric bag. A little work pulling it over the frame, but it's the real deal. A perfect replacement.
The bag that I ordered was not as advertised - it did not fit on my Snapper mower -and when I returned it, they never credited me with what I paid. So I have no bag and no refund.