Vacuum collector performance

[tfrazier]

I am not happy with the performance of my frame mounted vacuum collector. It seems like I have to make several (or more) passes and I still don't get all of the leaves. I go very slow (1st gear on my 716) I am pretty anal about my yard so I get pretty frustrated.:(! I have read some postings on the discussion board about baffles and the comments were pretty positive. Also, I have read about blow out kits with similar results. Where can I get info on baffles. On Siplicity's web site they offer blow out kits for 34", 38", 44" and 50" decks. Mine is 48" Is there another source for these kits? Can I modify the 50" to fit mine" Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tony

[RayS]

You can make the blowout piece from a piece of steel. I used a piece of 1/16 X 4" wide stock that I got at Elkhart Steel and it does a great job. I also use gator blades as well and you can get at least 3 times the leaves in the trailer using them. Also the lower the mower deck the better it seems to pickup the leaves. You would have a hard time adapting a 50" deck to your tractor. Your 48" deck is left hand discharge and a 50" is right hand discharge.

[MikeES]

Tony, it is all about air flow, the more air the blower moves...the more vacuum created in the deck. What is the pulley size on your blower (it should be a 4-1/2") if this is larger than that your blower is not spinning fast enough. Are you using a plastic bag to collect your leaves? If so this may restrict the amount of air that the bagger can discharge also restricting air flow.

[Scott Salmons]

I made a blowout piece and then removed it, it really didnt help in my case and pushed leaves around rather than letting them into the deck. I made it so it hung down 1 1/2" which put it even with the ends.

[Simpleton7016]

I have the same complaint and agree that airflow is the key. This is my first year with REAL HEAVY leaves. I am going to try some new things next year. I am thinkk of putting some heavy rubber 'guides' (for lack of a better word) running from each side of the deck up toward the front tires to kind of 'steer' all of the 'blow out' back under the deck. Ithink the gap under the deck is necessary for airflow and to prevent the 'snowplow effect'. But if I can try to contain the blowout in front of me, maybe it will help. I might also put some kind of rubber enlosure on top - effectively extending the top of the deck out further toward the front of the tracto too....also to try to keep the blowout contained and steer it back under the deck. I also want to make a rear screen for my cart like maynard's new addition. Too late this year, but I think these things may help....

[tfrazier]

Thanks to every one who replied. Today I noticed that the the belt that runs from the PTO to the blower seemed to be a little loose. Could this impact the speed of the blower? Tony

[Simpleton7016]

I wouldn't think so, but if it is slipping, try some belt dressing. Otherwise, there may be a twig or sticj jammed sideways somewhere.

[tfrazier]

Thanks Ray, It should be easy enough to come up with a piece of steel to do the job. As you can tell by the number of posts I have, I am new to the Allis Chalmers Garden Tractor Club.Also, I am new at owning one of these tractors. I have always bout new riders and have been disappointed with the long term reliabilty. They just don't hold up. My other problem is that I do not have a lot of tech. expertise. I am pretty mechacical and with enough time and the right instructions, can, for the most part fix about anything. So heres my question. In the drawing you sent me, you circled the bowout piece. Once I have it bent, does it install on the inside of the deck or the outside of the deck? What are the other pices shown in the drawing? I am sure it is probably self explanitory but I havn't had the opportunity to have the deck off the tractor since I bought it. I'm planning on this for a winter project. Thanks This is probably pretty simple stuff but I want to make sure I am doing it right. Thanks, Tony

[RayS]

Thats actually a mulching kit that is no longer available. I was just using the drawnig to show an example of how to make a blowout kit. It fastens on the inside of the deck.

[tfrazier]

Thanks Ray. I think this coming weekend will be my last of the season for getting up the leaves then I'll be attaching the snowblower. After that, I'll get to work on my mower deck. Tony

[RobS]

Tony, I have quite some time on my B210 doing leaves this year with the vac setup and couldn't be happier with the peformance, even in thick leaves. Here's a pic of a path I cut and this was in grass that was not cut in about 2 weeks:

I added baffles this year which made a big difference. I had them on a spare deck but never thought they would be so effective but one day I was bored so I swapped them over and was quite suprised. It's only the one pc. baffle with the rollers that mounts in the rear middle of the deck. But airflow is extremely important. I experience practically no blowout from the deck at all until I'm near full in the cart which then starts to restrict the air flow. This is actually how I guage when I need to empty the cart. What is the vac blower discharging into? Can you try leaving the discharge end of the vac blower disconnected and see if you get better results? You say you are going slow but do you have the RPM's high? Any chance of posting some pics of your rig? One time I tried a little different method of doing the leaves when I did not have my cart setup but the vac was on the tractor: I blew the leaves from middle of the yard to all along the fence at my property lines. I put an adjustable elbow on top of the vac on the discharge. I rode along the fence with the vac discharge elbow pointed so it would shoot the mulched leaves over the fence. With no backpressure (max air flow) it really sucked the piles of leaves right up. It was pretty simple, no dust, no dumping...;) I refrained from using this method along the one fenceline that has a neighbor's yard on the other side...^

[tfrazier]

Hi Rob, Thanks for the reply. Looks like your system is working out real well. I think I am going to fab. a baffle this winter and mount it to the deck. One thing I am going to try to do is curve the bottom of the baffle inward. Seems to me that this will help the air blow the leaves back toward the center of the deck and to the chute. Have you used gator blades? Seems to be some mixed feelings on them. As I get a little more familiar with the club site, I'll try to add some pics. I know they say a picture says a thousand words.