Hay Guru's I need some advice!!

[BryanM]

Ok the topic Tedding! I purchased a well used Duetz Fahr 4 basket tedder. And am not sure If I am using it right. I have a manual and tilt the baskets down to touch or barely touch the ground and run pto upto 540 rpm.

The problem is I Seem to be windrowing as I tedd instead of spreading the hay out evenly. I have tried differant travel speeds and differant tilts too the tedder. What am I doing wrong?

More questions do I go the same way as I cut, with the windrow? When do you tedd?

 

[zzvyb6]

Is it a tedder and a rake combo like my Kuhn? For tedding, the baskets should rotate opposite on each side and kick out the windrow into a blanket. If so, there ought to be some gears to shift to change the direction of one wing. Yes, you ted in the same direction as you cut for best results although you can double up on the windrows with 4 baskets.

I don't run my tedder at full rpm, I like to keep the hay on this planet and still have some leaves and seeds on it. By all means, keep the teeth out of the dirt/soil. The purpose is to fluff it, not to make it look like the output of a Bassomatic.

 

[jagyzf]

Just to be sure, you are tilting the baskets so the front edge is hitting the hay? Depending on the width of your mower and how you laid the hay down can make a difference. Years ago we had a old Kuhn 4 basket that really was a little small for our mower, we had to lay the hay in a narrow row and drive down so we were hitting 1 1/2 rows. Now we have Kuhn that we bought to match our mower and it makes no difference how we lay the hay, wide or narrow we can do a very good job. Also you want your teeth at least 1" off the ground, probably a little higher. Any lower and your putting dirt and stones into the hay.

If your machine is well used, is there a lot of slop/play in it? If the baskets or the wheels or the tilt linkage has play they can do a poor job. Are all of your teeth the same length? Are they worn down a lot?

 

[BryanM]

I am not sure if it is a combo. I dont think so. The baskets travel in the same direction.

I am titling the basket towards the front but not in the dirt. The tines may be a few inches differant. hope this helps

 

[whodat526]

it can be a combo and the baskets travel the same way

 

[tessiers]

I have a fahr 4 basket tedder/rake combo and there are 2 places on the front of the gear box to attach the driveshaft. looking at the tedder the tedder is on the right and the rake is on the left. Only difference I can tell is that the tedder spins the rotors faster. I don't like it for raking, I still use a side delivery rake.

 

[BryanM]

only one spot for drive shaft.

 

[jagyzf]

I am not sure if it is a combo. I dont think so. The baskets travel in the same direction.

I am titling the basket towards the front but not in the dirt. The tines may be a few inches differant. hope this helps

If the tines are a few inches different that can make a difference. We try not to let them get more than an 1" or so at the most. We either replace them all or cut down the new ones to match the short ones. Other wise some of the tines will be missing the hay or digging into the ground.

Also how much play is in your hitch side to side and vertical? That can also make a difference.

 

[BryanM]

well I am sure their is an inch differance in some of them. Although when I watch the tedder as it is working it seems to pick up the hay especially the 2 baskets directly behind the tractor. as it spins the hay in the basket and the outter basket grabs some of the hay then they release the hay in a wind row, instead of throwing it out into a scatter. although it fluffs it up ad does some scatter but also leaves a pile(small) like its going to wind row it.

 

[trac]

Deutz Fahr made units that looked like tedders, but were rakes as they had a curtain on the side to windrow the hay The curtain could be removed out of a bracket. . I mght have some old lit. on them. Let you know. Trac