Nice work !
I like the garage door hinge idea because it provides the kind of access and reinforcement that these units need. I just used some rubber cargo straps to pull it into the mower outlet.
The hinge forces you to take the safe route if and when you get a plug. Small sticks and tree bark are the problem for me.
I also tend to turn the chute around when doing fence lines. I just drive the tractor along the fence and suck the leaves directly into the vacuum.
Last week I removed the impeller from the motor and changed the blade action from strait blades to curved blades to scoup the debris towards the outlet chute. The blades are soft steel and very mallable. Suction and debris size were much improved.
Just wish I could unload without having to leave the seat. Why don't you work on that one and post your results next week?
