LEAVES??

Do you guys do leaf removal?? I know its still early but I am already starting to think about it and prepare for the leaf season. I am in Md. and am debating on buying a leaf vac. & possibly a dump trailer.<br>What do you guys use? I have been using a little wonder push blower & backpacks,blowing to the street, then using a trashcan to load them into my pickup & 12 ft. trailer. Then off to the dump to hand unload. This takes so much time & energy. So I thought a loader & dump trailer would be a wise buy. Please give me some input & suggestions. THANKS SJR<p>----------<br>SJR Lawncare<br>

 

I was thinking about leaves today too while i was cutting. I need to make a box for my fathers f-350 mason dump so i can hook the new leaf loader up. But the thing is the box has to be able to be put in and out because monday through friday its a fence truck and they cant have the box on. I have a large forklift to put it in and out i just need to know what you guys think i should make it out of.

 

Try just double cutting with hi lift gator blades until thanksgiving in the north.

 

Guys, I been doing leaves for years, and would like to know how you charge. I have a minium charge of $80 1/2 to 3/4 arcer Residential which I do It 3 times a year. I tact on charges when I show up to cut the grass and too many leaves are on it inwhich the custromer has not brought my Leave Removal contract. How do you Price Leave Removal and How many times a year do you do it?

 

SJR Lawncare - Heres my opinion, the dump trailer is not a good idea. The leaf loader certainly is!! Heres why, and what I think you should do. If you use a dump trailer for your leaf loader, where are you going to put your mowers, and other equipment? NOW - If you put a box on a dump truck, or get a dump insert if you don't have one, and hook the leaf loader on it, you can still pull your trailer with all your equipment. This way if you have to bring along mowers and pushblowers, etc, you have everything with you. Also, its a lot easier just going to dump a truck then it is to drag a trailer through the landfill, farm, or wherever your dumping.<p>Heres a couple of tips when you guys are building your boxes on your dump's:<p>I've seen a ton of ways to work the box issue as far as dumping goes. I've seen people mount there blowers on the plow mount or front bumper and run the chute over your hood and into the front of the box. That way sucks!! Too much piping that you don't need and it can clog a lot easier that way. The smart way is to put it on the back of the box. Look at the swing-away spare tire on a Blazer and you'll get the idea. Another nice setup I saw was the blower permanently mounted to the backdoor of the box and the back door had hinges on top, like a dump truck tailgate and the whole door and blower is one piece. If the toungue of your trailer is long enough, you'll have no problem pulling your trailer with the box intact.<p>MAKE SURE YOU EMPTY THE LEVES ASAP!!!! I've had my leaf box freeze up on me and that could be a huge problem unless you have access to a heated garage to melt it down so it can be dumped. <p>Leaf removal is big $$ back home (CT area) but to make any of it you need to have the right setup and get in and out of those jobs quick!!<p>Good Luck with your setups and feel free to email me if you have no clue what I was talking about!!!<p><p>----------<br>&lt;a href=&quot;http://communities.msn.com/guidosequipmentpics/&quot;&gt;&quot;Guido&quot;&lt;/a&gt;<br>David M. Famiglietti

 

save you money on the dump trailer, if you go up high enough with the box you could use a dump insert in your pick-up. This is a wise choice because you'll have the dump box all year long, for mulch and topsoil or whatever. Also, if you buy a dump trailer you are committed to towing it and not being able to carry the blowers and mowers you need to do the clean-ups you want to make more efficient. As far as mounting a leaf-vac, I have mine set-up in the trailer so when I need to dump I just leave the trailer at a job with a crew, go dump while they get the leaves to the curb and return to suck more leaves. Remember as the leaves are loaded they are reduced in volume while being vaccumed. My set-up for maintenance is an f-250 with a dump insert and sides built from 2x6s that extend 5 feet above the top of the insert on the top is a mesh net, pretty fine mesh , but it works well on the back are 2 plywood doors hinged on the sides with hole cut in one for the vaccuum exhuast. This set-up has proven very useful for many jobs...hope this helps

 

We've been doing leaves for about 8 years & have come up with the following setup. We use 4x8 sheets of luan plywood reinforced along the edges w/slotted 2x2's. Turns out to be relatively light & strong. We make the sides & top with this material. The tail gate is hinged @ the top with a wed block fabric curtain @ the bottom to seal it against the truck tailgate. You can mount this rig on any dump truck or unit. We cut an 8&quot; hole in the top/middle of the gate to insert the vac/blower hose into. Currently we use an 8hp Trac-Vac unit mounted to the tongue of a 12' trailer. This way we can pull the truck away & put another unit in its place. We use the trailer for blowers, etc. Our Turf Tiger goes along to do some bagging as req'd, as well as push piles down to the pick up point. Works well for us. We alawys try to get the piles to a paved spot for pickup; driveway, etc. Good luck

 

my truck loaders go on the last week of sept.i use ford f350 4x4s with 12 ft stake bodys.i inclose 10 ft of the truck 6 ft high.i leave the last 2 ft uninclosed and mount the loaders right to the floor of the bed on the right side put the hose and rakes and blowers on the left side.all we do is turn the fuel off and let the loader run out of gas befor we dump so it doesnt flood

 

We use a a 12 stake dump also, i have about 6 ft. sides on it with 1/2 inch conduit forming a half moon on top with a mesh top, kinda like a covered wagon. I use this truck for chipping into , mulch etc. works pretty good. I have a dumpthrough tailgate that came with the truck that i mount the vac on, it's a tailgate vac. Then a piece of plywood cut the match the shape of the top to close off the back, works great, sometimes don't use the plywood if leaves are wet they don't blow back out too easily. I have a Billy goat vac that shreds the leaves a little but the truck still fills up pretty fast!

 

why so much work? all i do is blow out the gutters and then walk around and blow leaves away from the house about 2 feet and then mulch them up with the mulching kit on my mower. turns them to dust, like they were never there. no dumping, no mess, no added expense of vacs and what not. too ez.<br>