I looked at the DR and decided that whether its 5:1 or 10:1 it didn't really make that much difference. We bought a Sears Chipper Vac for our 1 acre yard with lots of Coastal Live Oaks and trees of Heaven and it has been the best purchase we ever made. We paid a bit more for the chipper attachment that shredded our 8' Xmas tree in about 20 minutes. It was straightforward to attach the deck fixture and we also bought the extension 'wand' which was great last weekend for sucking up and shredding bedding plants we had trimmed back that previously we had to rake up and load into the tractor trailer.

Here is a ZTR that has all of that going for it and more. This one has been developing the technology for years and it works great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tried and True System

Here is a pic of the Walker in Action

[IMG]http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k276/slvrgost/WalkerCleaningUp.jpg[/IMG]

I am interested in purchasing a DR chipper vac as well, most likely the 9.00. I got their promo video and the unit looks nice. I am between that and the Craftsman as well. My only hesitation about the DR is that it looks HUGE, Plus the Craftsman looks like it can double a a nice yard cart. Either way I am buying something before next fall, I spent countless hours behind my walk behind vac and wore myself out emptying the bag every 5 min.

Most people can mulch their leaves. I mulch my leaves and I live in a hardwood forest.

-Deerslayer

I've been pretty impressed so far with the quality of DR equipment. I bought the commercial version of the Field & Brush Mower last fall and it has worked better than i expected. We have around 3 acres that was grown up pretty bad with briars and wild hedge, honey suckle and saplings. It will cut anything up to an 1.5 inch and shred it up good to. Thinking about ordering the lawn mower attatchment while they are on sale. I prefer walking to riding when it comes to mowing.

I have the 6 horse Premier model vac attached to my JD L-120 works pretty well , but attemp wet leaves 1 feet deep like this past Sunday we had in CT clogged the hose a few time. Best this to do is do the leaves in stages ( never pile up the leaves). Let that fall on lawn coverage about 70 % and vac them up. Also the hitch plate should be bolted on with 5/8 ths hillmans and washers , not the ones the one they supply with unit . Cheers Pete

Spanks the Dr is not huge the premier model ( hold 95 bags of leaves, but mulched) that is and yes you can hual with it , not metal like the Sears ( which I had ) I picked the Dr cause the premier does not jack knife when unloading. You could also look at the cyclone rake XL , but that would not fit your bill for hauling?Leave clean up say good by to endless days of that with either!!. HB. Pete

I have 8 1/2 acres of keep up, with pines, sweetgums and oaks. I have the premier tow behind, with three seasons of use. I purchased it for needle, gum ball and leaf removal. So far, I am VERY satisfied. Electric start isn't necessary on my model.
I use a JD LA140 w/48" mower, and JD shoe to fit my deck. Hook up is quick and easy. The hose to the vac will jamb occasionally and requires getting off the tractor to remedy it, but overall, I won't use anything else since obtaining my DR.