WAYS TO SUCK UP LEAVES

lawn mower fanatic said:

I have a lawn care business and I rake up leaves in the fall. I used to do it by hand but now I like to suck up the leaves with my lawn mower and dump it. Is there anything that would make me have to empty the bag less? Like a super-sized bag that can fit all mowers? Anything else?

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lostinbaja said:

My initial leaf vac was an Agri-Fab Mow N Vac that I purchased new it lasted about 15 years before the cart fell apart and the plastic chute parts needed replacement. I rebuilt the cart and replaced the plastic parts for an added investment of $250.00. The unit works great and I can't complain.
I purchased a Cyclone Rake a couple years after the Agri-Fab for use at my weekend getaway in Michigan. The Cyclone rake started showing wear and tear after 3 seasons and after 5 years the canvas had holes in it. The sixth year the unit inhaled an oak stick and it broke the crankshaft in the engine.
I replaced the Cyclone Rake with a well used/worn Trac-Vac, the Trac-Vac has no plastic parts to crack and no canvas to wear out. This has been the 6th year using the Trac-Vac that was well used when I got it, it still works great with a nice clean path behind it.
My vote is for the Trac-Vac.
I pull the Agri-Fab around a heavily wooded 2 1/2 acres with a John Deere 420. The Trac-Vac is pulled around a heavily wooded 1 1/2 acres by my 1962 Cub Cadet 100.

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lawn mower fanatic said:

WOW...you have a lot of leaf vacs!! Even though the Cyclone Rake got worn out, would you still recommend it?

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lostinbaja said:

The Cyclone Rake just doesn't seem as heavy duty as the other 2 units and the Trac-Vac is absolutely the most HD out of the three that I have owned.

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lostinbaja said:

My initial leaf vac was an Agri-Fab Mow N Vac that I purchased new it lasted about 15 years before the cart fell apart and the plastic chute parts needed replacement. I rebuilt the cart and replaced the plastic parts for an added investment of $250.00. The unit works great and I can't complain.
I purchased a Cyclone Rake a couple years after the Agri-Fab for use at my weekend getaway in Michigan. The Cyclone rake started showing wear and tear after 3 seasons and after 5 years the canvas had holes in it. The sixth year the unit inhaled an oak stick and it broke the crankshaft in the engine.
I replaced the Cyclone Rake with a well used/worn Trac-Vac, the Trac-Vac has no plastic parts to crack and no canvas to wear out. This has been the 6th year using the Trac-Vac that was well used when I got it, it still works great with a nice clean path behind it.
My vote is for the Trac-Vac.
I pull the Agri-Fab around a heavily wooded 2 1/2 acres with a John Deere 420. The Trac-Vac is pulled around a heavily wooded 1 1/2 acres by my 1962 Cub Cadet 100.

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lawn mower fanatic said:

WOW...you have a lot of leaf vacs!! Even though the Cyclone Rake got worn out, would you still recommend it?

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lostinbaja said:

The Cyclone Rake just doesn't seem as heavy duty as the other 2 units and the Trac-Vac is absolutely the most HD out of the three that I have owned.

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lawn mower fanatic said:

OK...nice to know! :thumbsup:

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fastback said:

I also own an Agri-fab Mow N Vac and I also had to rebuild the trailer. I saved the old rotted metal and use it or other projects when I need sheet metal. The rebuilt trailer is made out of 1/2 inch plywood and I expect will outlast the original sheet metal unit.

My vac is around 13 years old now. It still works well. I also replaced some of the pieces like the vinyl type material on the end of the shoot (twice). Once I needed to remove the flywheel on the blower to straighten the fins (rock damage).

I would consider buying another one when this one bit the dust.

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lostinbaja said:

My trailer didn't rot out, the axle mounting bolts and front support mounting bolts started ripping through the sheetmetal floor of the trailer.
My neighbors have definitely been paying attention to my leaf collection techniques, one bought a new Trac-Vac and two bought Agri-Fab units this past fall. :smile:

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