Trac Vac 854

[CFHartman]

I just bought a Trac Vac 854 on ebay and think I did OK. The qustion I have does one know what the chute # 160-8 will fit. I have a JD 2210 with a 62C mower on it. I'm told that it takes a 634-8 chute.
With the snow we have gotten I can't get to the mower deck to see if I can make the chute work that I have.
Any help or info will be appreciated

 

[kennyd]

I have a T/V 854 also...but luckily mine came with the correct boot to fit my deck. A call Palmor will answer your questions very quickly I am sure.

 

[CFHartman]

Thanks Kennyd, I tried calling but no answer so I sent an e-mail

 

[kennyd]

Thanks Kennyd, I tried calling but no answer so I sent an e-mail

Probably took the last day of the year off...Try Monday.

 

[CFHartman]

Thanks Kennyd for the tip on palmor. They replied to my e-mail and told me the chute I have is for a Woods 360, and gave me the number I need if I can't make it work. I'll have to wait till spring before I can try it.
One more question. When you are mulching leaves do you run your mower higher or lower or the same as when you are cutting grass.

 

[GE222]

I used to have a Trac-vac unit about 10 years ago. I don't remember changing the mower deck height.

My chute did not fit my JD-400 60" deck so I made a quick release mounting bracket. When I did use it, and the leaves hadn't gotten too deep, it worked really well.

Having a quick release mount was a real time saver. Quite often I had issues with sticks getting stuck in the hose before the fan. Once a stick jammed, the hose plugged up with leaves. I simply got off, stopped the fan, then used a long stick to push them through. Not a major problem except that it happened often.

I ended up selling it as it became too much work as I had too many leaves. In some areas the leaves would get 8" deep if I didn't keep up after them. The mower deck worked like a road grader pushing the leaved if they got too deep. I have a lot of oak trees, and used to travel for work often, so I couldn't always keep up. Now I use a leaf blower and simply shoot them into the woods along my grass. Much faster and easier.

 

[Wildbill34]

CF,

When you are using your trac vac you are better off using the high lift blades that came with the deck. It does a couple of things, it forces the leaves out faster to the chute, the impeller on the trac vac does the mulching as thing go through.

In regards to the mowing deck, once you have the lift kit on, it will only allow you to go down so far. Typically, if I am going through a significant pile I might raise the deck, but normally I have it all the way down and slow down through those bigger piles, or at least the lowest point the lift kit will allow me to go. But don't worry it won't leave much on the ground.

GE222 is absolutely correct, if you don't stay up on the leaves, you get a lot of clogs (going too fast and picking up sticks) and end up pushing them around the yard. But I usually pick up a bunch of sticks the first time around in the fall.

 

[kennyd]

Thanks Kennyd for the tip on palmor. They replied to my e-mail and told me the chute I have is for a Woods 360, and gave me the number I need if I can't make it work. I'll have to wait till spring before I can try it.
One more question. When you are mulching leaves do you run your mower higher or lower or the same as when you are cutting grass.

I used mine at the regular mowing height, and like Bill raised it when going through a big pile.

 

[GE222]

Picking up the sticks is important. Many; however, like to hide under the leaves.

I do kind of remember sometimes raising my deck to keep from pushing the leaves, then lowering it again.

Every once in a while, my discharge tube would come out of the box. Not so bad if you can catch it right away. My fastener seemed to occasionally come loose, and I sold the machine before I modified it.