Another Gauge Wheel Topic

[RobJ]

Ok I'm not the biggest guage wheel fan (maybe because I don't have any ), but I was leveling a small plot this weekend and got to really looking close at what would happened if I had wheels. Up to now I've mostly used the rake to pile up sticks, trash, and smooth out some iron ore that pea size. Works perfect, floats along the ground, drops the load nicely.

This little plot is mostly sand with some clumps of grass roots in it. I ran the disk over it twice then used the rake. The rake would fill up with sand pretty quick, I'd actually have to lift it at the end of a row, then dress that pile. So I'm watching as to what gauge wheels would do for me. I came to the conclusion that they might indeed help...IF (not a BUT but an IF!! ), IF I had a lot of weight on the rake. My rake is really light. I noticed that when it filled up with dirt, every now and then it would barf that load and leave a mound. the extra weight would help keep the rake down and level. A draft control on the tractor might not work unless it's pretty level already, if you rear wheels hit a dip, then the rake will dip to. My little L doesn't have that so I'm just guessing on that one.

In hindsight I think my little 5'x5' ATV harrow with 6" alternating spikes(mostly head bolts from a 97 mustang!!) would have done just as good on this. But some of the end disk marks were a little deep.

And some pics for you!..

Rob

 

[Reg]

Play with the top link to get rid of that barfing issue, try shortening it a bit so the rake is combing more than digging.
Then the (lack of) weight will matter less.

 

[Gizmo2]

You don't need weight you need Gauge Wheels and to remove every other tine on your rake. Then use the top link to control depth.

 

[3RRL]

Rob,
That's a big pile you got built up in the rake, and no wonder it ends up jumping over it.
My guess is that when the pile gets that big the resistance allows the tines to bend a little and voila' ... the rake barfs it. My other guess it that if you're dragging in float, then at the very beginning it digs in a little deeper than at the end after it fills up. I know it's hard to use position control over a field that has those ups and downs on it for the reasons you listed. So float is the natural selection, but it also lets the rake go deeper where the soil is soft too.

That's where gauge wheels will definitely help.
You can set the depth (whichever way you choose) and start to drag. You shouldn't set the depth too deep at first since like you guessed, the gauge wheels work a little better (excellently in fact) when the surface is already sort of flat and smooth. The wheels will (should) keep the tines from going in too deep and with the 3pt in float, the rake should remain on the ground. Thus knocking down or picking up the high spots and distributing the spoils over the low spots. I'm talking dips and ruts and bumps, not long generous swales where the neither the rake nor tractor is affected much by the ground like it would be when going over little bumps and ruts and it pitches back and forth.

At least that's been my brief experience with the gauge wheels I made.
Like I said in other threads, I don't use mine as much as some guys though. One other thing I noticed, and you touched on it, is that my gauge wheels do add a lot of weight to the implement, especially when I have them on but they are raised. I'm not sure how much the added weight affects the implement when they (the gauge wheels) are on the ground though?

 

[RobJ]

Rob,

I can play with the adjustment and see if that helps. Removing 16 tines (every other one), isn't an option either. I actually tried raising the rake up at first, but it wasn't moving much dirt and I didn't want to spend all day going over it 4-5 times. Maybe that many times is needed for the right apps.

This sand is close to beach sand, it was a little damp but not clumpy. On one part you could see the tines leaving marks in the dirt which means the rake wasn't riding up on the soil like it was most of the time. I actually had a video of one of the barfs but it didn't come out to well. Just tme holding the camera over the back of the tractor. A little shakey.

In the end it worked out ok, I got it level enough and went over most of it only once. I just like post some pics and observations and like it when others do the same. I might go back to the ATV harrow because for one it's faster. It'll do the job at about twice the speed.

Rob

harrow pics, of course I made version 1.0 and v2.0!!