Tractor Leaf Pickup, Leaf Blower Assisted ( the ugly prototype )

[MossRoad]

Or, you could make the tube completely rigid like snapper used to do on their bag n wagon....

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to the PDF...
http://pdfstream.manualsonline.com/8/8e6c0279-cd37-fc74-8d45-7862b7ad0930.pdf

 

[MossRoad]

Here's another idea for routing hose. He used the hose off his woodshop dust collector.

 

[4570Man]

Having an impeller to provide suction greatly increased his chance of success with the small hose. I'm better it still clogged fairly often. My leaf bagger has an 8" hose and it still stops up occasionally. It does pretty good with leafs, but if a stick gets stuck in the hose it will clog up pretty quick.

 

[Ken M]

I'm glad that some of you found this useful...or at least amusing. Now that I know the idea basically works I will work on a better discharge tube setup. The light duty discharge that is attached to the deck is just thin sheet metal furnace duct so it will not support much weight, hence the 2x4 support behind the tractor. What I need to come up with at the trailer end is something that follows the trailer as I make a sharp turn. But not have it attached to the fence. I want the fence to just slide out. Can't work on it for a few days but will post a photo when I come up with a workable solution. -Ken

 

[MossRoad]

As that Snapper cart showed, they used a rigid tube and a fabric tent on the cart. The tent moves. The tube doesn't. That might be a cheaper alternative to flex tubing.

 

[roadhunter]

Flexible poly tubing is not expensive and can be bought in 10 ft pices at many box stores. Should be less than $20 for 6" or 8",

 

[zzvyb6]

My Woods lawn vac has caster wheels instead of a solid axle. The unit was originally intended to be latched to the tractor so it did not need a flex hose. I now use a flex hose and the trailer turns with steering action at a single hitch point, but your tractor may be just fine with two caster wheels if the trailer weight is low.

 

[TMGT]

I used casters on the vac I built 6yrs ago

The hose still has to flex but not as much and can be a lot shorter.

 

[Ken M]

Updated... This prototype did work ... eventually. A neighbor had thick maple leaves. I got tired of clearing the 8 x 6" reducer which tended to clog. I removed the 8 x 6 reducer. The 6" dia duct on the post was replaced with some heavy 8" dia cardboard tube. For flexible tubes I taped 4 mil plastic into 8" dia tubes and clamped them in place. The same idea as what I posted but with 8" dia on the discharge. Amazingly the plastic tubing held up remarkably well although it needed a few duct tape repairs. I picked up 12-15 trailer loads of partially shredded leaves. I will find some heavier plastic/cloth to make the flexible tubes over for next season. Sorry... I didn't take photos.