Straightening/Re-aligning Rake Tines

[Engine66]

I have a Landpride 2584 rake w/gauge wheels and bent a couple tines working in the woods. I've tried a few different methods to bend them back, but they won't listen to me. They are only off a couple inches...overall, the rake did a heck of a job and I am impressed with the rake. Any ideas? thanks.

[rayh76]

Engine66,

I can't help you on your problem but can you share how you like the rake? How long have you had it? What all do you do with it? Any pictures of what you have done with the rake? Tomorrow I take delivery of the same rake you have plus a LP rotary cutter. Can't wait! I just need to use the rake A LOT so my wife thinks it was worth it when it shows up!!!

Thanks,
Ray

[Engine66]

Ray...this is a great rake for a few reasons. The gauge wheels have a longer arm which allows the wheels to swing around to work backwards. My old Woods rake had gauge wheels too, but they were set close to the tines and would not swivel 360 degrees...plus their close proximity to the tines did not leave enough room for filling low spots.

I had an excavator operator come by and remove a bunch of stumps. I tried with my 448 BH, but each stump took me a while to remove. The excavator ripped them out in 10 seconds and swung around and literally threw them in a pile...the same task would take me 15-20 minutes time. I had maybe 50+ stumps of various sizes removed...some of the root balls were 10' in diameter. Anyway, I used the Landpride rake to clean-up and wow...it did a great job at pulling some remaining roots, stones, good sized rocks, filling low spots, working down high spots, etc. The rake works in reverse very well. I was skeptical at first because I thought that the gauge wheels would roll up and over the material to remove, but actually, the rake broke up the material in reverse very well and allowed me to then pull the material forward to let dirt flow out and keep debris in the tines. I had to hop off a dozen times to pull sticks and roots from the tines, but that's the way it goes with any rake. Overall, I think many rakes can do the light to medium jobs the same, but I worked this rake hard and it did stuff I had not expected. I have a light duty Landpride rear blade too and find it very good with my JD2305. I also have a Woods rear blade HBL84 that is excellent.

One rakes, probably most tines are similar, it's the body and wheel arms that matter for heavy use...as well as weight. You have to have some weight to let the rake sink in for digging the ground. You will find satisfaction in your LP. Post back and let me know how it goes. Here's a few pics.

[Egon]

The chances are you will have to replace the bent tines. The type of steel in them does not take to bending well.

[Bedlam]

Agri supply has them cheap. Id go that route. I have tried to 'straighten' them by backing that one tine against a rock or something. But hat only works so well. usually end up breaking them off,
here they used to cost 6 or so apiece, but the overhead of the fancy store ahs almost doubled it LOL

[zzvyb6]

Take a decent sized pipe wrench and lock it on the tine at the location of the bend. By this I mean slide the jaws horizontally from the side. Then take a 3 foot long 2" pipe and use it as a handle extension. When you push down the handle, yield back the tine until you have it in original position. If your still not convinced, heat it cherry red before you do this and then quench it after bending.

Oh, did I mention: "I have no idea what I'm writing about, I've never done that, you need at least 100 hp to use a wrench like that, I've be afraid of breaking the tine, you could chip the paint, the cheap ***** wrench could break. The tine might not be perfectly realigned and my neighbor would complain about the uneveness of my gravel driveway as a result, or my dealer might go out of business because he would lose the sale of a $200 new tine." Anything I missed?

[Egon]

Now we are hoping it has not exceeded the yield strength when bending are we not?

[AndyMA]

This is one of the differences between a light/medium duty rake and a heavy duty one. I have run a very heavy 8' Ford rake for over 20 years over just about anything you can think of. Some tines are bent but I have never replaced any. Occasionally I push material backwards with it and they tend to curl back in. I have guage wheels but I virtyally never use they even when I do finish lawns. I find they hinder rather than help my ability to do a good job. Personally I think if you get used to keeping you hand on the 3pt lever and feather it, the bent tines won't even be an issue.

Just remember wilh York type rakes the speed you run them at is a major factor in how much the tines vibrate which effects there distribution patttern. Fast is good for a fine finish.

Andy

Andy

[rayh76]

Engine66,

Thanks for replying to my message. Also, if you find that the Agrisupply or TSC type stores have an exact replacement for the Landpride rake, let me know. I have figured they were different and the other brands couldn't be used on a Landpride. Hope I am wrong.

I just got my LP rotary cutter and rake a couple of hours ago. I mowed part of my pasture and decided to try to rake up some of the large mounds of grass. Worked pretty well as I now have a nice large pile of grass I can use for mulch or start my compost pile with!

Ray

[Bedlam]

ray mine is a 6 foot landpride rake. If I remember right, when I bought the replacements there were hole or holes in the top mounting section. These work also on my fiends rake which uses a bolt to secure them in through the tine, were as the landpride I have uses the bolts on the sides of the tines to squeeze closed the two metal mounts.
I was unsure if the ones from Ag supply would work, but the worked fine, the hole didn't matter.
here is the link.
LANDSCAPE RAKE TINES - Agri Supply
there are three ,all have a hole, but also the measurements on the tine.cant beat the price either.
hope this helps. oh, and if you snap one off, and try ti but weld that doesn't work well at all.