Trac Vac 880? How to use?

[Fuddy1952]

I bought a Trac Vac 880 from a fellow that runs well but I'm trying to figure out how to use it. I have the manual and three mowers. Two Cub Cadet zero turns one a Z-Force with hitch bracket and an old Power King tractor with belly mower.
It was all the owner and I could do loading Trac Vac on my trailer since motor bracket welded to it's frame. Tongue weight probably 150# at least.
So first problem is manual shows blower motor on a bracket mounted to mower.
Second problem is attaching discharge chute to mower?
I'd be happy using it as just a leaf vacuum, I would need about 30' of 8" hose if that would work?
Thanks.

 

[TerryR]

Trac Vac makes adapters for a variety of mowers, so if you want to do that you may want to check with them to see if they have one that would work for you.

I use mine (a PTO version) only for manual leaf pickup since we have no lawn. Trac Vac makes a pickup with handle for that, but it would be easy to make one. It's just a foot of 8" pipe and a two-foot long handle with a rubber grip.

I think the hose for that is 8" diameter, which works well. I have about 20 feet, which seem about right to me - much longer would get heavy and awkward to handle, shorter means moving the unit more often. You want a single length, as any joints cause clogs, and a transparent one rather than black makes it easier to find and clear then when they happen anyway. Usually a little agitation of the hose at the point of the clog while it's running will do the job.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Thanks much!
It works great on the Cub. It turned out not to be a problem with tongue weight (even with my 212# lard). It was way easier than I thought. Discharge I was in a hurry so vice grips (I'll fix it better later, bolt on adapter I can easily fabricate).

It also has a broken door latch I'll need to fix. For now it leaks out the door so not as efficient as it should be. The dump feature also I'll mount an old rake on it. It would only dump over a bank as is.

Funny it ran great, then cut off (I had rebuilt the carberator). Only tool I had was the vice grips. No fuel coming into carb through cut off valve. B&S 8hp. Turns out fill cap was too tight! Letting air in it works perfectly (cap snug, not real tight).

In pictures you see where I did and didn't make a few passes.

I may order 8" hose...it's expensive but would be handy sucking leaves in overhangs, etc like a big vacuum cleaner.View attachment 624668

 

[TerryR]

I went to check to be sure and found my "remote" hose is 6" not 8." 8" would be harder to drag around. I do have a 24 foot length as I remembered.

 

[WranglerX]

Where trac vac motor and blower mounted on front of unit is fine... You should only need about 8 may be 10 feet of hose to come around right side of mower and aluminum adapter on end of hose should mount over discharge shoot of mower....

Mine is "Craftsman" version of this ...

These are really simple machines, don't make it overly complicated to hook up...

Personally I would leave motor on trailer tongue since you contemplate using it on several mowers and move axle forward to have better balance (less tongue weight)...

Dale