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After many years spent moving from place to place all over the country, this past winter my wife and I finally bought what we hope will be our forever home, a place with acreage (woods, ponds, a marsh and plenty of lawn!) in upstate NY. We're loving it!

The property came with a 2013 Toro 60" Titan MX6080 zero turn mower in great shape, and I'm growing accustomed to spending a lot of time on it. :smile: I've already learned a lot about its proper care and use. One quick trip to urgent care and a 6 inch-long glued gash down my scalp later, I've also learned that "I'm pretty sure I can duck that branch" is not the way to think at 7 mph. :confused2:

I just registered and I'm posting today because I have a question about my mower that I haven't been able to resolve by reading up online and talking to sellers and local service people. I'm really hoping those of you with relevant knowledge will chime in and help me out.

I have a lot of interface between woods and lawn, mostly hardwoods such as the cottonwood tree whose low-hanging branch raked my noggin, and as a result I anticipate needing to deal with a lot of leaves on the lawn come autumn. I'm talking quite a few acres of them. And it's important that I get those leaves up in a timely fashion, too, so that they don't end up in the main pond. Leaves in the pond provide too many nutrients, which result in weeds, algae and silt - no thanks! So I've been looking at tow-behind lawn leaf vacuums such as the three offered by DR Power.

The problem is, I can't figure out whether my mower would be able to handle towing any such machine. The mower's manual mentions towing in general only briefly and in the most cryptic terms, and calling Toro didn't provide me with any better information. There's apparently one hitch kit approved for my 60" Titan MX6080, and it's meant only for very light-duty towing. (Tongue weight limit of 25 lb, drawbar pull maximum of 80 lb; "EXCESSIVE DRAWBAR PULL MAY CAUSE HYDROSTATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE") I know none of the DR Power leaf vacuums would satisfy these requirements, and I seriously doubt whether any other meaningful machine would, either. But nobody, not from Toro, DR Power or anywhere else, that I've been able to talk with so far has been able to tell me much. Not "yes, you can" or "no, you can't." Not even "you probably can" or "you probably can't." They just waffle about without really saying anything, or they more honestly tell me "I'm sorry, I just don't know" and that's it.

So, those of you in the know, how serious is Toro about the warning stuff associated with that hitch kit, and is it specific to that hitch kit (which would be kind of silly) or does it really apply to all the mowers (including mine) that they suggest it for? Are they just being ultraconservative? I mean, the mower has a 24 hp Kawasaki engine, for heaven's sake, so why would they engineer it with such a delicate transmission? Or if you know the concern about hydrostatic transmission failure to be real, are you aware of anything I can do - maybe jury-rig some special kind of hitch, or somehow modify what I'm towing, or I-don't-know-what - to make it so that hydrostatic transmission failure (or any other problem) isn't so much or better yet isn't at all an issue?

Or failing that, have you any suggestions on what I can reasonably do to take care of my autumn leaves without one of these tow-behind leaf vacuums? I sure haven't been able to find anything else that looks to be a viable solution, and I promise you I've been trying!

I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has tried - successfully or unsuccessfully - to tow anything behind their 60" Titan MX6080, but I'll welcome advice from anyone with relevant knowledge. In other words... HELP!

Thanks in advance and very much!

Gerry

My MX5480 has same towing rate. Only thing I can figure is that must refer to dead rate. I have pulled a 25 gallon trailer - mounted spray rig several times. Never even knew it was behind the mower. The start would be the biggest deal however I assume from a dead start the vacuum bagger will be empty in most instances. If this is an autumn / winter task, even better. I have the hitch kit which is surprisingly a thick chunk of metal as is the metal it attaches to. If you had any additional worries, you could always extend the tongue (drawbar).

Check online or your local Toro dealer as there may be a collection system available for your machine. The blower will hang onto the deck discharge area and driven by a V belt and a pulley that is mounted onto the R/H spindle. Bags are hung onto the rear of the machine in a mount and a hose connects the bags to the blower.
You may be able to find operators, parts and service manuals at the Toro website. Get your machine model and serial numbers before looking on the Toro site.
With something in tow while operating a zero turn machine, backing up is challenging. With a machine mounted collection system there are no operating limits other than the overall width of the machine being 8-12 inches wider.

Yeah, logan, it looks as if your mower is very similar to mine, with just a tad smaller deck and engine; it even has the same transmission, which I think might be the most important thing. That's just the kind of feedback I was hoping for. Thanks a lot!

Mad M, sorry if I wasn't clear in my initial post, but I did everything you suggested long before I posted here. (That's part of what I meant by "reading up online and talking to sellers and local service people." By this point I'm far more familiar with Toro's website than I care to be.) Toro sells a fairly small bagging system for my mower, which might serve just fine for someone dealing with a typical suburban yard, but it would be woefully inadequate for the big job I need to get done. That system is small enough to mount directly onto the back of my mower, as you mention, and even worse it doesn't reduce (i.e. cut up) the leaves at all. I shudder to think how often I'd have to empty it - and to run back and forth between wherever I'm working and my compost pile to do so - to go over my many acres. I appreciate your desire to help, though!

Anybody else, in particular anybody else with good or bad experience towing behind a 60" Titan MX6080 or another closely related machine?

If it helps anybody in advising me, the three DR Power tow-behind leaf vacuums I'm considering have the following characteristics:

9.59 Premier
shipping wt. 355 lb
tongue wt. 74 lb
rec. engine at least 12 hp
wt. capacity 500 lb

13.28 Pro
shipping wt. 423 lb
tongue wt. 86 lb
rec. engine at least 14 hp
wt. capacity 800 lb

16.96 Pro-XL
shipping wt. 437 lb
tongue wt. 86 lb
rec. engine at least 14 hp
wt. capacity 800 lb

The amount of work I have for a tow-behind leaf vacuum to do makes me lean toward the largest, most powerful machine, but concerns over my mower's possible (in)ability to tow hardly anything has me leaning toward the smallest - or toward none at all (in which case I just don't know what I'm going to do). I'd also be happy to hear folks' suggestions of other such machines I should consider.

Thanks again!

Gerry

Well, no ones gonna say 'Yes, go ahead' 'cause if something fails, it'll be a liability to them. But, DR does show a JD 225 (18hp light duty https://www.deere.com/en_US/product...s/zero_turn_mowers/z200_series/z225/z225.page) pulling around the Pro-XL in the pics and video. Personally, I wouldnt worry about it for once or twice a year, especially in cooler weather. Main thing I think you have to worry about is too much tongue weight making the front casters too light.

Most hydros can pull their vehicle weight then half again as much without any issues. Example. Mower weighs 500 lbs. Trailer + operator 250 lbs. This is a very rough guide.

Midniteoyl said:

... Main thing I think you have to worry about is too much tongue weight making the front casters too light.

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Yeah, I've been pondering that, too. If I go ahead and try one of these tow-behind leaf vacuums with my mower, is it reasonable to add some ballast weight to the front of the mower to compensate? (That would add to the overall load on the transmission, though.) Or maybe try to jury-rig something with respect to the hitch or the trailer (e.g. maybe manufacture some kind of additional wheel between the hitch and the vacuum's axle)?

So far as jury-rigging the hitch goes, logan, you mentioned the possibility of extending the tongue. What would that do for it? I'm afraid it's been a lot of years since I took physics, and though I was a decent machinist in my youth I've never been much of a mechanic. :^/

Gerry

gbin said:

Yeah, I've been pondering that, too. If I go ahead and try one of these tow-behind leaf vacuums with my mower, is it reasonable to add some ballast weight to the front of the mower to compensate? (That would add to the overall load on the transmission, though.) Or maybe try to jury-rig something with respect to the hitch or the trailer (e.g. maybe manufacture some kind of additional wheel between the hitch and the vacuum's axle)?

So far as jury-rigging the hitch goes, logan, you mentioned the possibility of extending the tongue. What would that do for it? I'm afraid it's been a lot of years since I took physics, and though I was a decent machinist in my youth I've never been much of a mechanic. :^/

Gerry

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Well, they look to have 2 little wheels on the tongue already, but I dont think they are long enough to actually be used while riding. You could test and if needed extend those to work, though you would also probably want to make them castering. Or, use the trailer jack - better yet, buy one with 2 castering wheels - and adjust it so that its just touching the ground when empty. You have a 'test period' with DR so if things dont work out you could return it and try something different.




You could also hit up Craigs or similar and find a cheap lawn mower in the 20hp-25hp range to use as a work horse instead of the ZTR. Find one that comes with a snowblower and other attachments and you'd be way ahead.

Something like this: http://southbend.craigslist.org/grd/5653928873.html

gbin said:

Yeah, I've been pondering that, too. If I go ahead and try one of these tow-behind leaf vacuums with my mower, is it reasonable to add some ballast weight to the front of the mower to compensate? (That would add to the overall load on the transmission, though.) Or maybe try to jury-rig something with respect to the hitch or the trailer (e.g. maybe manufacture some kind of additional wheel between the hitch and the vacuum's axle)?

So far as jury-rigging the hitch goes, logan, you mentioned the possibility of extending the tongue. What would that do for it? I'm afraid it's been a lot of years since I took physics, and though I was a decent machinist in my youth I've never been much of a mechanic. :^/

Gerry

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Physics. Less tongue weight and the longer the tongue or the further back the trailer axle is from the truck, etc, the easier it is to backup, easier steering, all that stuff. Doubt if you'll have any issues as is.

logan01 said:

Physics. Less tongue weight and the longer the tongue or the further back the trailer axle is from the truck, etc, the easier it is to backup, easier steering, all that stuff. Doubt if you'll have any issues as is.

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Increase the tongue on the DR?

My neighbor has one with caster wheels, they are a ridged two point connection onto the towing machine. He pulls it with a small Kubota diesel tractor and I have had to weld the frame on it several times.
I suggest that you try the vac unit first to get a feel for how it handles and if the front casters on your ZTR are light, then consider adding some weights to the front of your ZTR.
My Scag Tiger Cub with a machine mounted Scag collection system uses four weights on the front to counter the weight that the three bags can accumulate during collection.
Bear in mind that ZTRs can slide sideways fairly easily as they steer by varying the speed of the rear wheels. I've lost control of my ZTR several times and the machine goes where it pleases when traction is lost at the rear wheels. I cannot imagine loosing control with a self contained bagger/vac in tow as serious damage to either the machines or me could happen!!!
I only have six mowing customers and in an average season, spring cleanup/fall cleanup, I usually pickup 1,000 to 1,300 bushels. There is no way that I could use a self contained bagger/vac as where I have to dispose of the collection, I have to carry each bag off the machine and into the dumping areas which grow in size every season.
When I used garden tractors with collection systems, I had a wagon that I towed and as time passed I could no longer get the tractor and wagon into these areas to dump the wagon.

Pretty cool invention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y6mBWyEDlY

logan01 said:

Pretty cool invention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y6mBWyEDlY

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Why not both? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcDs97X6U8c

Mad Mackie said:

My neighbor has one with caster wheels, they are a ridged two point connection onto the towing machine. He pulls it with a small Kubota diesel tractor and I have had to weld the frame on it several times.
I suggest that you try the vac unit first to get a feel for how it handles and if the front casters on your ZTR are light, then consider adding some weights to the front of your ZTR.
My Scag Tiger Cub with a machine mounted Scag collection system uses four weights on the front to counter the weight that the three bags can accumulate during collection.
Bear in mind that ZTRs can slide sideways fairly easily as they steer by varying the speed of the rear wheels. I've lost control of my ZTR several times and the machine goes where it pleases when traction is lost at the rear wheels. I cannot imagine loosing control with a self contained bagger/vac in tow as serious damage to either the machines or me could happen!!!
I only have six mowing customers and in an average season, spring cleanup/fall cleanup, I usually pickup 1,000 to 1,300 bushels. There is no way that I could use a self contained bagger/vac as where I have to dispose of the collection, I have to carry each bag off the machine and into the dumping areas which grow in size every season.
When I used garden tractors with collection systems, I had a wagon that I towed and as time passed I could no longer get the tractor and wagon into these areas to dump the wagon.

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I was about to tell the original poster that it should be no problem until I read your post. I tow my DR with an old relatively heavy 2000 Craftsman GT with no problem. My lot is pretty flat, but there are a few slopes. If the DR starts to slide due to the casters, you can really feel it on the tractor. I can't imagine what it would be like with my Toro ZTR. I think the ZTR would have no trouble pulling the DR, only controlling it. Unless the lot was completely flat, I would never recommend the ZTR - DR combo. Thanks for waking me up Mad Mackie.....:laughing:
Bruce

Thanks to all of you for your advice!

I'm going to go for it. I was starting to lean that way, anyway, and now I just came across someone who wants to sell their DR Power Pro-XL (the largest, most powerful model), in pristine condition, for less than half price because he's moving into a situation where he won't need it or have space for it. I figure if I'm careful about its use behind my 60" Titan MX6080 then I should at least be able to give it a good test without hurting my mower or myself, and if it looks as if that combination isn't going to work out then I can use some of the money I saved to buy an old riding mower of whatever kind just because it's cheap, still runs well enough and will accommodate the tow-behind leaf vacuum, per Midniteoyl's suggestion. I reckon I've got enough room in the barn for one more machine if things turn out that way... :^ /

Gerry

gbin said:

Thanks to all of you for your advice!

I'm going to go for it. I was starting to lean that way, anyway, and now I just came across someone who wants to sell their DR Power Pro-XL (the largest, most powerful model), in pristine condition, for less than half price because he's moving into a situation where he won't need it or have space for it. I figure if I'm careful about its use behind my 60" Titan MX6080 then I should at least be able to give it a good test without hurting my mower or myself, and if it looks as if that combination isn't going to work out then I can use some of the money I saved to buy an old riding mower of whatever kind just because it's cheap, still runs well enough and will accommodate the tow-behind leaf vacuum, per Midniteoyl's suggestion. I reckon I've got enough room in the barn for one more machine if things turn out that way... :^ /

Gerry

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Always room for one more toy, er.. machine :thumbsup:

Check with Cyclonerake.com. I have one of their Classic models and it works great. I think they should be able to tell you if your mower can work with one of their units. I found them very helpful when I was shopping for a leaf vac.