Help with chosing a vac system

[Mustangous]

Hello, I know a lot of topics has been discussed about this but not specificly the info i am looking for...

I have a leaf issue all year round at my house with around 1.25 acre. There are all different leaves, nuts, ect.. dropping all year round. during the spring and summer isnt reall bad, but its still a pain blowing it every week. In the fall the leaves are just crazy. You can lose your feet in the leaves.

In the next couple of years i am planing on taking a lot of trees down and just leaving a very few nice full trees that give me the most shade, but not many.

So I have been looking into the cyclone rake commercial pro, dr power vac premeire or commercial(not sure fixed or hitch stlye), and the agri fab vac systems(8hp w/chipper). I also looked at the True vac but that seems pricier than everyone by far.

I am not concerned with a unit that can fold up because i will be using it a lot and not storing it. From what i read that I should look into the biggest capacity. I am not sure if I would like the attachment fixed to the back of the tractor, or if I would like a hitch style hook up. I was thinking with the fixed mount that it would be difficult running along a fence or a curb by the street because if i turned the tractor than either it would ride off the curb, or hit a fence, or turning around on tree and hiting another tree, ect... I am not worring about backing up, that is not an issue, do it all the time with my others. Any on have any experience with an issues? any insight?

Also i noticed that the cyclone rake has an 8 inch tube off the deck shute and the agri fab has an 6 inch. I couldnt find what size the dr was, but is there any issues with the smaller tube with cloging? or any issue with less suction on the cyclone rake because the tube is a lot bigger?

Does any one know what motor comes on the cyclone rake? I couldnt tell. From the pic it looks like a B&G.

I would appreciate anyones help...

 

[milkman]

Checked your profile, nothing there, don't know what you're putting it on, can you use PTO driven unit, TPH unit, you indicated you don't want the fold up so that eliminates the Cyclone Rake. I was looking for the vac baggers and I liked the DR with the caster wheels under the bagger, but you don't want that because if you turn it will swing, so that leaves the trailer type, or the mounted type like the TracVac, maybe with some more info like what you'll be using it on, what size deck and what you want to power it with, others can give more feedback, lots of peoplel here have different brands and can give specifics when we know more of what to shoot for.

 

[Mustangous]

I have a scotts gt2554(Deere g100), which has a 25hp engine with a 54 deck. As for folding up, I meant that space is not an issue so if it folds up its no big deal to me. As for swinging out, I was asking if anyone had any issues like I said or what other issues will I run into. Will I run into any problems with a hitch type? Like making sharp turns, will that kink the hose and cause clogging? I am just trying to find out as much as i can before i make choice and purchace.

I am just saying that I don't have any restrictions that are narrowing my choises down. Xthe ony thing i eliminate was the trac vac because its almost $1000 more than a like model from the other manufactures i listed.

Thanks
troy

 

[milkman]

I'm sure some others will chime in here, some have complained about the noise of the CR I believe, but I would think there's not going to be much difference with the ones with the extra motor. When I was looking, I really liked the CR and the DR because of the hitch directly to the tractor. I have used the AgriFab and they are really long and stretched out behind althought they hold a lot of grass and leaves. With the 54" deck you can probably get by with the 6" hose, but I would go with the 8", it's no fun stopping to unclog the thing. Like I said I had narrowed it down to the CR and the DR, then finally to the DR because I thought the canvas sides on the CR didn't look as durable as the ones on the DR, so if you're asking me, that's the one I'd go with, the DR and you can get the one with the chipper if you want. I wound up getting the Kubota PTO bagger and am happy with that.
Here's the one I liked. DR® Power Equipment - DR® Leaf and Lawn Vacuum - 6.0 HP Premier - instead of a lawn sweeper

Here's one that's even cheaper.
DR® Power Equipment - DR® Leaf and Lawn Vacuum - 6.0 HP Premier - instead of a lawn sweeper

 

[jeffinsgf]

Can you get a JD PowerFlow head for your tractor? It takes power off the right side mower spindle to run the blower. I have one on my 455 and just love it. If you can get that for your model, then get a used JD MC-519 cart. It is sort of attached and sort of a trailer. The attachment floats up and down, but not side to side. It is short enough that I have never had a problem with it swinging into things on a tight turn. The wheels are full swivel, so the cart just follows the tractor wherever it goes. It holds 19 bushels with the top on and has a gas strut to assist dumping. The top comes off in about 5 fast seconds and the cart is just great for hauling firewood, etc.

I suggested used, because JD has discontined the MC-519 in favor of the more complicated hydraulic dump MCS.

 

[Mustangous]

Thanks for the replies...

Thanks for the advice on the 8 inch tube. I didnt think I would need a bigger tube because of the 54 deck. The only 2 units i found with the 8 inch tubes are the cyclone rake and the trac vac 860. The track vac seems a little expensive @ $2400 dollars. The cyclone rake seems like a more reasonable @ $1300.

Does anyone have any experience with the the bagging system they make for inside the cyclone rake and the DR power baggers? My town just switch to making us bag everything. It used to be pretty easy because I would just blow the leaves in a center are and the township used to come around and suck them up, but not anymore.

Thanks again for the replies...

 

[VA_Joe]

You might also want to check out Hasty Vac. Whether you go with Trac Vac or someone else - I would still buy the trac vac deck shoe. It fits much better than the "universal" ones that the others provide with their vacs. Although it used to be a $100 a couple of years ago, it is now $200. I was told that trac vac didn't like people using their shoe with other peoples vacuums and that they raised the price to up their cut.

Joe

 

[SPYDERLK]

Have you done a critical comparison of features? It sounds like you will use it hard, and some of these may not hold up and/or may not give you desireable conveniences. - It sounds as if your use will require a metal impeller vs the plastic that comes on some I have looked at. - Likewise, a metal pipe from the impeller to the holding tank. - What is the holding capacity. - Do you have to work to empty the bin or do they dump clean.

I only have experience with the 8HP TracVac on a 54" mower. Even it clogs sometimes. What I really like is the large capacity tapered dump trailer it has. Its definitely longer than most tho, and that could be a telling issue as well as the higher price. The metal trailer also needs some care over time, especially if you make mistakes and bend something.

Good luck in your search and dont jump too quick.
larry