A very good idea indeed! Really helps to increase the life of the expensive hose going to the collector. I have the Cub Cadet/Agri-fab unit that really does a great job as well. It is the "trailer" type setup that stresses the hose with every turn. I try not to turn too sharply when I am picking up leaves. I do go through hoses every few years due to them splitting because they don't seem to be flexible enough. More like plastic hoses rather than rubber. Very expensive too!
The hitch setup on your machine reminds me of my neighbors "DR VAC" system with the rigid, non turning frame. He was nice enough to let me borrow it years ago to pick up my leaves. It takes a little getting used to. As I recall, I nearly knocked my air conditioner off its base the first time I made a sharp turn near the house! I finally got the hang of it.
One other thing I learned is that it is better to use the collector nearly empty when going back and forth on slopes. Seems the weight of all the grass and leaves pulls the collector down making it want to slide down the slope and stress the hitch. You have to be especially careful when going next to obstacles, like power poles. My neighbor came to the rescue when I got tangled up on one of my poles next to the shop. He's a good neighbor! Ninety four years old this year!!
The only other problem with leaf collectors is that they have to be emptied. Not always easy. I use the rope and tarp method that was shown on the website some years ago. I have also made the floor of the collector sloped with sheet metal to aid in emptying the box. Nothing looks nicer than a fresh, green lawn in the fall after collecting those pesky leaves!
