Hello kbh0112!

I have the JD MCS so I can't offer advice on the cyclone. From what I see they certainly have the capacity, but would maybe be concerned about the trailer depending on how steep your slope is. Just something to consider on the trailer styles as well as the reduced agility due to turning radius, etc.

Best of luck!

 

Thanks Randy. Good point. Slope is not bad (about 4%), but enough to cause erosion if i dont get the leaves up.

 

I have a Trac-Vac 580 that I hooked-up to my 1025r using a JD boot coming off my 60D, no fan powerboot impeller fan add on. The combination did great. The mower has enough force to throw it up into the hose then the trac-vac impeller vacuum took it from there and chopped it up and into the bin. I tend to circle right to always throw whatever doesn't go up the tube and thrown out the side gets another go around on the next pass. The cyclone I think should work just as well. You could also go up hill and downhill versus across the slope if you were worrying about tipping. Look on Craigslist for a Trac-vac or Cyclone. I picked mine up for $750. Well below the cost of a new one. I would go with a JD boot. It was under $100. Yes it is plastic, but the trac-vac metal one was $230 or so. Hope this helps.

 

I guess just to throw this out there. If the price of just over 2K has you worried, the John Deere 3 bag MCS for the 1025r is over 2K as well. I believe Cyclone rake will let you "test drive" their product, or at least they used to. I believe they also have the dual wheel option that may help some with stability but is meant more to prevent the hopper from sinking into the lawn. I looked at a Cyclone Rake at one time and they wanted me to buy the biggest (Z 10 I believe the model is) and I only had a 38" deck on my old Toro lawn tractor. Not sure what size deck you have on your 1025r, but I know my 60" will fill up bags in a hurry if the grass is long or the leaves are deep.

Good luck.

 

Thanks 96PSD. Yup, checked craigslist and didnt find anything decent. They are willing to throw in the upgraded metal boot for 150, so not bad.
Cheesetrain - guessing that dual wheel is a good option too. Right now they have a special deal going on with a few hundred bucks of the normal price. Also offerred a floor model for another couple hundred off and it still has the 'try for a year' option. I'll be using it on a 54" deck, and the Commercial Pro model seems plenty big enough.
As soon as it arrives, I'll take some before and after pics of the property to show how well it works, or not .

 

Getting a couple hundred off and still have the try for a year option. Sounds like a win win to me. Are they sending you something to attach it to the 1025r since Cyclone rakes are dual pinned with the swiveling wheels? I know some folks make their own bracket as well.


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Cyclone rake

I've owned a cyclone rake now for 5 years and absolutely love it. I had it on my gx345 first and now adapted to fit on my 1025r. I have the dual wheel kit and it helps minimize the lawn damage when it's full. I beleive it is the mid model with the 7 horse engine. It does take a little practice to get used to the solid hitch design but it works awesome once you use it for a bit. It's got plenty of power and turns all my maple leaves to dust. I also picked mine up on Craigslist used for $800. I'm glad I went with the cyclone due to its large capacity and ease of emptying. I'm sure you won't regret the decision.

 

I just bought a Cyclone Rake (Z-10) this season. I also have a 1025R, but I chose to use it with my SCAG zero turn mower. (I also bought the hose and boot for the 1025R, but thought I would first try it with the SCAG since it easier to maneuver.) We also have a LOT of oak leaves, but our property is flat.). The CR did a very good job, but you will have to dump the trailer often even though it does a good job of mulching. I made the mistake of NOT wearing a mask and after a weekend of doing our leaves and my mother's I ended up with a bad bout of allergy troubles. Probably more than you needed to know!

 

Howdy MoMiner. The Z looks like a killer machine. Good point about the mask - hope you to get to feel better soon.

 

Cheestrain - yup. They're sending a 3 point hitch adapter, and discounted as part of the deal it comes in at $75 extra. With all the acorns, etc I also opted for the hardened liner in the tube so it hopefully will hold up over time. Now that I'm in my middle 50's, just getting to old (maybe lazy) to spend hours raking or fixing broken equipment.

 

Be ever so vigilant as to "old age creeping up on you".
It honestly finds a quiet way to slip into everyones life, and often un-noticed until it's too late. :laugh:

 

Hey Bill! Ain't that the truth. Don't think theres too much chance of it going un-noticed. The little woman takes great delight in reminding me about it...

 

I'm looking forward to seeing some pics and your thoughts on the Cyclone Rake. Back when I was in the lawn service business I thought seriously about getting one. Don't need one myself - haven't touched a leaf on my 3 acres of lawn for 20 years now - they all disappear over the winter on their own.

 

Coaltrain - so I'm guessing you may have thought i fell off the track here, but some things have transpired over the last few weeks. The system was delivered the week of 12/20, and I spent a couple of hours on Saturday 12/20 setting it up for my JD 1025. One of the deck / hose connectors had been slightly flattened in shipping, so i could not use the deck for leaf collection. I did use the system with the estate hose for free standing vacuum and ran it for about an hour. All seemed fine. Come the next day, went into my garage to do some more work and lo and behold, the dreaded oil pool was lying under the system. Long story short, I had to take the engine into the nearest Briggs certified repair center for diagnosis under warranty. Finally got it back this past Saturday 01/10) - cause was a pinhole in the engine base that only showed up after a little use, but required full engine replacement under warranty. Meanwhile, i have also received the replacement hose connector from the manufacturer (also replaced free of charge under warranty). So - hopefully now all teething problems have been resolved and will be put to some good use this coming weekend. Stay tuned.

 

Anxious to hear feedback/results myself. Did you get a Trac-Vac metal boot or a CR metal boot?

 

I use the cyclone rake on my jd x540 for last 3 years on 10 acres with lots of leaves It is perfect for me- i pile a huge pile of compost .It is easy to store,hook up,large cart easy to dump,pick leaves wet/dry semi mulch them