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X320 using a cyclone rake for grass clippings

5.2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  slkpk  
#1 ·
Hello everyone. I am hoping someone else out there has considered this. I am looking to purchase a JD x320 and a Cyclone Rake (commander or pro model) to collect my grass clippings and leaves. I think it would be more cost effective rather then spending the money on a JD 7 bushel power flow collecter. Any thoughts /experiences would be appreciated.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Well I have an X324 with both the powerflow with 2 bags and middle size Cyclone Rake. The power flow works fine except it fills bags too fast. If getting the power flow go for 3 bagger for leaves.
The cyclone Rake works good if you have lot of ground to cover and few trees. It's hard to move around tree's that are close together. I don't use it for grass, only leaves.
I use the Cyclone Rake with extra hose to clean leaves off my rock garden.
So I use the power flow until the leaf drop is too heavy than switch to cyclone rake than back to the power flow again. If I had to have just one I would go with plower flow with 3 bagger. I'm doing only 1 acre. I don't think I would want to feel and hear that cyclone rake behind me all the time, but others don't mind. Do a search on "cyclone rake" and you will get other opinions. good luck.
 
#3 ·
I don't have a bagger unit so can't really give a good comparison between the two. But I'll give it a shot anyway.

I use the CR for leaves, but for clippings I just side discharge, cut frequently, use Gator blades, and the clippings disappear into the lawn. With a zero turn tractor (I know, this is the JD forum... sorry), dragging the big CR behind me kinda takes the fun out of the ZTT manueverability. Plus it means I have to have a place to store it fully assembled during the entire mowing season, instead of just during leaf pickup season, and I don't have a lot of garage space.

As far as leaves go, having a cubic yard of hopper is a definite advantage over 7 bushels of bagger. I get a LOT of leaves and even 1 cu yard at a time I'm still emptying the CR hopper of leaves 4 or 5 times during a typical fall cleanup of my 1/2 acre yard.

Doing the same with a 7 bushel bagger... there are about 20 bushels to a cu yard, so that's 3 times fewer dumpings with the CR if both condensed the leaves the same. But in my experience, the CR (with it's shredder impeller, combined with Gator blades on the mower deck) pulverizes the leaves up into dime size bits which are very compressible in the hopper. I would estimate you get 3 to 4x compression vs just bagging.

So that's maybe 10x fewer dumpings with the smallest CR vs a 7-bushel bagger. My yard during the fall would then require 40-50 dumpings if using a standard bagger, vs 4-5 CR dumps. But again, that's just a guess as I don't have a bagger to do a true comparison.

You should be able to find a used CR between $500 and $1000 if you can hold out for a good deal to come along. New, the smallest model starts out around $2000 after shipping, with no accessories. They are pretty tough units and stand up pretty well to being hand-me-downs. Mine's a real beater but still going strong. I'm the 3rd owner.