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Frame Mounted Vac


Dutch

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Too lazy to get off my tractor to empty the cart when using my PTO vac, so I'm building an integral "clam shell" collector. I'm starting with a #1690402 Frame Mounted Vac (as the pictured below). I have a few questions that do not show in any manuals. Do any other members have one of these?
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Dutch, I have one that I have used for over 20 years. I use it on all my cone clutch tractors. It works great! And I have never replaced the belt! Though it is getting to the point that it may need to be replaced in the next year or so. They come with a canvas collector bag. My collector bag is in tough shape so for the past 10 years I use a large heavy duty (55gal) plastic bag. The only issue that I have had is picking up wet leaves, sometimes the leaves will get wrapped around the end of one of the blower paddles. You know it immediately as the blower is out of balance. You stop (engine off of course), pull off the inlet tube, reach in and pull the wet leaves off from the paddle. I also have a Kubota B2400 with a powered bagger, this AC set up does a much better job, and I find that it is less dirty to empty this one large bag than the 3 basket bags on the Kubota. Here is my son and the 712H a couple of weeks ago. So just mount a tall box with a tapered bottom, attached to the top vent system, add a rear trap door, and VIOLA... instant dump without getting off from the tractor. Good Luck! Mike S.
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Carl – Sam – Mike, Thanks for responding. The parts illustration shows a flange on only the top half of the intake elbow (#34). My intake elbow has a flange around the whole elbow except for a 2” area at the bottom. My blower housing (#22) has only a small “nub” at the bottom of the face where the intake elbow mounts. That “nub” appears to be an “index” and/or “stop” so the intake elbow can be rotated slightly. The intake elbow is held in place by 2 wing screws (#11). The problem is, when the wing screws are tightened, the intake elbow is pushed down and over the indexing “nub”. My housing and elbow appear OEM. Neither appears worn or broken. How are your elbows held in place?
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Dutch, Mine is exactly the same as you describe yours. I don't have a problem with the elbow being pushed down over the nub, exactly.. On mine When I tighten the wings down usually one will screw on right an hold against the flange on the elbow while the other will want to push down on the edge of the flange rather than set down against the flange. I ended up bending the shaft of the wing bolt a little to get it to start against the face of the flange rather than the edge. The other concern is that the bag does not want to stay tied in place on the 4 catches on the corners. So, I used a small ratchet tie down and go around it and tighten it just enough to keep pressure on it. This keeps the bag from coming off when it is unzipped and unloaded. Other than that it works to suit me. Sam
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Sam, Thanks. I was concerned I had mismatched parts. I'm worried that the elbow will vibrate off. I think I'll add a couple of supports to the bottom of the housing. I'm not going to use the OEM type bag. I already cut the shelf off, and I'm in the process of building a "clam shell" container.
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Sounds like a pretty good Idea and not toooo difficult if one has some suitable materials to start with. I've seen the John Deere clam shell types made from plastic, but it seems those are really big and bulky.. Sam
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When I moved into town (where the leaves stay in the yard and do not blow away) I quickly learned (after dumping it about 13 times in one mowing) that the canvass bag on my frame mounted blower wasn't going to cut it. I took the unit to my grandfathers and we cut off the platform that the bag rests on and the frame that it hangs on. We then used angle iron to make a frame for the "box" and a mounting bracket on the rear of the remaining original unit. The "box" that we created to hold grass and leaves is made of flat aluminum insulation panelling and was bent into shape using a press. We bolted the pieces together, bolted them to the frame, and attached the "box" to the new mounting bracket using metal pipe. A rod is inserted through the pipe to hold the "box" onto the mount and also allows it to pivot up and down. Screen was placed in the rear/top to allow the unit to "breath", and several holes were drilled into the top/rear for the same reason. The inlet tube was raised and placed through a hole in the top/front/ left of the "box" and a large wooden door was allowed in the rear. A crazy wheel was built into the rear to allow it to swing back and forth when I turn. The finished product measures approximately 40" wide, 42" long, and 40" high. I only have to dump once or twice now on my acre lot!
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Dutch, I have never had mine apart. I know the elbow is held with 2 wing nut screws but I have never taken it off. Pretty good for being about 25 years old. I am very interested in your project, when my son no longer wants to "bag" I will have to do it and I don't want to get on and off the tractor either. Good Luck! Mike S. P.S. I went and took mine apart, I had to taper the the wing nut screws to hold the elbow secure. My elbow does lie flat against the blower housing, with a flange all the way around except for about 3" to accomodate a tab or dog to prevent the elbow from turning.
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Mike, Thanks. Since yours is the same as Sam's, I guess mine is OEM. Started on some designs. Would like to make something similar to the Kubota "Direct Shoot". Theirs is 14 bushel capacity, and I'd like to double that. Tomorrow I'll build a temporary rig and see how far out and how much weight can be placed on the rear before the front comes off the ground. [img]http://www.kubota.com/g2160_r48s.gif[/img]
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Dutch, I also tapered the ends of the wing bolts on mine. A couple of other things to consider. I find that with a full bag the front of my tractor gets light. If you increase capacity or the container is heavy, you may need to add some weight in the front. I also put a smaller pulley on the blower to increase its speed. That improved the performance. Carl
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Dutch, I have a Ez-vac frame mounted vac on the Cub that came with our house. It is driven by a 5 hp Briggs. The previous owner mounted 5 suitcase weights on the front to counter balance the weight of the vaccuum and the full commercial rubbermaid trashcan that collects the clippings. Even with all this weight the front end still gets light. Our property is almost all hills. I am in the process of changing this set-up over to a wagon style for my 716 so I can use less weight on the tractor (and get rid of the Cub). I guess in your part of NJ there are not many steep hills, but all the same a light front end is still a problem. Greg
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:D Dutch, Here is a trailer mounted vac that will solve all of the leaf pick up problems. We have 3 of these at work they will pick up just about anything that the residents put out(Pumpkins, tree branches, shoes,recycling bins,and full 40gal garbage bags in no time flat)

You can check them out at www.theodbco.com
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