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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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About half of my leaves (multiple lawns) get mulched and returned as I mow.... three lawns, three methods...
Mowers... Zero turns, a JD pulling a "finish mower", a Honda push mower, a Cyclone Rake (for larger acrerage), Stihl backpacks that don't suck ... they blow  It's leaf season here .... about half-way thru... some trees are barren, some just getting started... BUT... I don't even own a snow shovel .... so I win ... most years 
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11-20-2024, 02:09 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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The Trac-Vac is a model 560, (5 hp and 60 bushel cart). When the leaves cover the lawn, I can do the acre in less than 2 full dumps....about 100 bushel.
I usually end up pulling it about 5 times a season.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI |
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11-20-2024, 03:14 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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My property with the Cyclone Rake also has a nice "drive thru" leaf dump gully .... lots of leaves... lots of dumps ...
No black Walnut trees (on that one) at least ... whew! Ya gots to keep the turtles happy ... they like a leafless lawn when they emerge 
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11-20-2024, 03:20 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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^^^ I wish I had a spot like that....my township doesn't even provide a drop-off spot.
The turtles here are on their 5 month warm southern vacation. They just lay around, sleep, and eat shrimp.....they've got it made.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI |
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11-20-2024, 03:47 AM
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Brew Master
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Us poor folk woulda bought a Predator.
That Honda should be a nice starting upgrade. Coulda put my Lifan 420 on that thing and pulled the leaves from around the neighborhood while sitting still!
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Nick |
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11-20-2024, 04:08 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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My CR has a Vanguard ... I think it's 5.5hp...
It sux bigly! Luv them Honders too
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11-20-2024, 04:13 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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If the engine on the Trac-Vac was bigger, I might never get the stuff out.
The first few times in the fall, most of the load is grass and it's packed in tighter than a bale of hay. I have to really drive the pitch fork in to get a start of it to come out. Later on when the grass is not as long, the mixture is mostly leaves and it comes out fairly easy.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI |
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11-20-2024, 04:17 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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Dry leaves .... meh!
Wet leaves wif grass ... rut-roh ... Easy dumping on-site .... I don't pack 'em in .... but it fills quickly.. one "gully dump" and 3-4 other places too ... handy! .... but I don't think Hank done 'em this way
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11-20-2024, 04:27 AM
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,764
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I live in a wide open farming area where the wind blows freely across my property. The leaves from many of my trees end up blown into the pond if left in the yard to accumulate. Last few years I have just been making some quick passes every other night or so during leaf season with the 60" zero turn and mow them towards the center of the yard eventually mulching them into tiny bits.
Years ago I would wait until all had fallen then rake and use a leaf blower for hours.... screw that.... Now I just keep them mowed into tiny bits. I have reduced the amount making it into the pond by a bunch using this technique. Only takes maybe 10 minutes to buzz them down in whichever section of yard has them building up.
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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11-20-2024, 05:02 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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Yep .... I'm with Tim .... until 4-5 trees decide to drop 'em all in one day
....And trees are like wimmins .... ya think you have a Maple figured out .....and then she changes her mind
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11-20-2024, 05:08 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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I have two black walnut trees, and they are the first ones to drop their nuts and leaves. In fact they are bare before the maples even get fully colored. Makes for a long leaf season.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI |
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11-20-2024, 09:12 AM
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Oak trees look at maples and say “hold my beer”.
Some of the oaks around here keep their leaves well into winter just to drop them into the cross country ski tracks acting as brakes so your skis almost come to a stop.
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Rutager West 1977 911S Targa Chocolate Brown |
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11-20-2024, 09:20 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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The big white oak behind my deck will keep about half it's leaves for months, the 200+ year old red oaks are dropping, and two ginormous willow oaks (we call 'em pin oaks) with thin leaves are a 3 month PITA .... and these are trees "in the yards" .... next to acres of them... and it's OK ...
I can't leave
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11-20-2024, 01:54 PM
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
Posts: 20,923
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I've got so many friggin leaves I use a york rake & front loader on a kubota along the street, driveway, and wooded areas. The rest get chopped.
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Politics is in the eye of the beholder - Rodney Dangerfield |
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11-20-2024, 02:01 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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.... a "york rake?" he mutters to himself as he searches the web .....
You ba$tid you .... I may not need one .... but I WANT one !
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11-20-2024, 02:08 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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I had to look it up also....What do you do with them after you rake them up?
A few years back, I tried filling 30 gal bags with the shredded leaves from the Trac-Vac and loading the bags into my garbage cart. That lasted one week and they sent me a letter saying I would no longer be a customer if I did it again.  Apparently tree leaves don't break down/decompose like plastic or styrofoam does.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI Last edited by stevej37; 11-20-2024 at 02:18 PM.. |
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11-20-2024, 02:13 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 164
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Hi
The 44 years on the Briggs is a very good run. Interested to know what your maintenance schedule /program was ? Also what oil was used ? Many thanks |
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11-20-2024, 02:28 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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A guy with the same model as mine. Cuts the grass at the same time.
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI |
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11-20-2024, 02:30 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west michigan
Posts: 26,437
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Quote:
Thanks....all I ever did was change the oil once every season with a 20 or 30 weight oil. Nothing else...it always started right up on the 1st or 2nd pull. .
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78 SC Targa Black....gone 84 Carrera Targa White 98 Honda Prelude 22 Honda Civic SI Last edited by stevej37; 11-20-2024 at 02:51 PM.. |
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11-20-2024, 02:35 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,388
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Old Briggs were awesome ... back when earl wuz earl
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11-20-2024, 02:52 PM
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1985 Porsche 911 Cab
1977 Porsche 911S Targa
