Got a new landscape rake today.

[N80]

I had 5-6 acres of good sized pines thinned on my property recently. They did a good job, did not mess up my roads or anything. But, one of my woods roads (about 300-400 yards long) that I use a lot was pretty much buried in branches, pines tops, etc.

It would have taken forever to clean up with just the FEL bucket so I took some of the money from the trees and bought a Leinbach 7' landscape rake. I would love to have a grapple but don't have the money. Anyway, got the rake new for $445. I've got a Leinbach 8' disk that I've been very happy with and this rake cost less than the Country Line rake they have at TSC.

I cleared the road today and found that the rake is very useful. For pushing all this brush around it worked best turned around and bull dozing backwards. I wish I'd bought a rake years ago. I think it is going to be a very versatile tool.

I have found that moving brush, especially pines with pine logs and whole pine tops is probably the most dangerous thing I do on my tractor. And very hard on the tractor too. I broke one of the tines on the rake already. I think I hit a rock.

Anyway, for anyone considering a landscape rake it is very handy. I'll be getting 3-4 loads of crusher run for my driveway in the near future and I think this rake will be much more effective than the box blade.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I have turned my rake around and have used it to "bulldoze" brush. You are right, it works good for that task. It does put some pressure on the 3pt. and obviously the rake, too. Go Slooow. My CountyLine hasn't snapped a tine yet. I like the rake.

With gravel, I prefer my rear blade. I love this blade. I paid $319 for it at TSC.

Let us know how your gravel project goes.

 

[Thomas]

Can't disagree about your finding on using rake cleaning up such mess N80,I did somewhat the same years back..pull much as I could made wind row than fel push made burn piles.

In couple years you shall notice how fast new growth has grown by using the rake.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Congrats on the new rake. The angle of the tines makes a difference on whether the tines dig in or float across the ground. If crusher run in your area is the same as it is in mine (6"-8") don't use the rake on it.
Bill

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have an 8 foot rake and I can smooth and level driveways much better with it than my box blade or FEL. The tines allow just enough dirt and rocks to filter thru to fill in the low spots while knocking off the high spots. It also does a good job of windrowing up the larger rocks, something I could never do with a scraper blade or box blade.

 

[Ken45101]

Interesting idea pushing backward. I'll have to give that a try sometime.

I'm surprised that you broke a tine, that shouldn't happen I would expect bent before broken.

I got a good deal ten years ago on a used Landpride rake with wheels and a drop down blade, about $300 I think. I only had one project in mind at the time and like the salesman said, I could probably sell it and get my money back. But it's come in handy over the years. I use it for spreading piles of dumped gravel without any problems.

The only problem I have with it is that the tires will not seal and they are always flat. I guess I need to try some inner tubes or get new wheels.

Ken

 

[nickel plate]

The only problem I have with it is that the tires will not seal and they are always flat. I guess I need to try some inner tubes or get new wheels.

Ken

Ken, I too had a constant tubless flat tire on a golf cart and always thought it was a bent rim. Turned out to be a bad valve stem. Inflate the tire, squirt the valve stem(s) with soapy water or whatever is handy, wiggle the stem and see if it leaks or just wiggle it dry and hear/feel the air escaping.

 

[phiferpharm]

Have you tried putting green slime in the tires?

 

[Ken45101]

Thanks.

I will double check the valve stems. I think the problem is that it sat flat a few times and had a bent rim and the rim rusted and now it won't seal. Maybe a good sanding and painting would cure it. OTOH, a new wheel would definitely solve the problem but I suspect an inner tube would be cheaper :laughing:

I think I've tried slime. This has been going on for ten years now, LOL.

Ken

 

[N80]

C If crusher run in your area is the same as it is in mine (6"-8") don't use the rake on it.
Bill

Bill, crusher run here is small and with lots of dust and smaller particles in it...at least that's my understanding. The gravel on the drive right now is big 3-4" stuff. I put it down in desperation when the 18 wheelers were coming to unload my cabin kit. The roads were muddy and they will not deliver down a muddy road. This big stuff has held up well for my purposes (weekend use) but it is rough to drive on and hard to move around.

I'm going to be living in the cabin full time for a few months while our house is renovated so the drive needs to be improved since we'll be driving on it everyday and in cars. I hope the crusher run does the trick. I think I will rip up the existing big gravel with the box blade and spread the crusher run over that. The trucks dump-and-go so they spread it out a little but I think the rake will take care of finishing it up. I hope so anyway.

I'm not sure why the tine broke. When it went it sounded like a piano string. Broke into four pieces. The others seem to bend and flex okay so this one might have been flawed. I'd contact Leinbach about it but 1) I was just learning to use the thing and I think it dug in a caught a deep rock. 2) If I'm honest I was using the thing pretty roughly. I doubt they cost much so I'll just buy a few extras.