Front-End Loader Ratchet Rake // Today

[jeff9366]

I had a snarled mass of wild grape vines and brush near a gate. Decided I should clear it today, before everything emerged from dormancy.

Photo #1 Ratchet Rake on bucket. Downward oriented teeth make this attachment excellent for pulling brush and light grading, but you cannot dig a hole with a Ratchet Rake attached to your bucket.

Photo #2 "Before" Note Ratchet Strap tensioning Ratchet Rake against FEL bucket lip.

Photo #3 Another "Before" photo.

Photo #4 Technique I used today was to grab the vines and brush with the downward facing teeth, then pull them out with the tractor in reverse. Then lift the bucket to drop debris. Drive over debris to take another bite.

Photo #5 "After" I will let weather settle the dirt for a week or two, then excavate the Palmettos with a Bucket Solutions' Bucket Spade FEL bucket attachment. Finally, I will add fill and smooth.

Photo #6 Ratchet Rake spreading fill dirt.

Photo #7 + Photo #8 I had my seven tine Dirt Dog "All Purpose Plow" AKA Field Cultivator on the Three Point Hitch.

Photo #9 + Photo #10 Used DD Field Cultivator to pull 500 pounds of removed detritus to the burn pile. Very little of the load lost, though it was a 1/4 mile pull over an asphalt road to the burn pile. Probably as effective as a grapple for transporting tangled detritus. I never got off the tractor.

Photo #11 Bucket Spade on Kubota B3300SU.


SEE OTHER RATCHET RAKE THREADS IN THE "SIMILAR THREADS" BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

 

[JPRambo]

Good luck with removing palmettos with the shovel bucket attachment. They are a force to be reckoned with.

 

[jeff9366]

I have excavated over 1,000 Palmettos with the Bucket Spade. Occasionally Palmettos four layers deep. It is usually a two or three stab job. Sometimes up to six stabs.

I have Kubota's optional L2296 Heavy Duty, Round-Back bucket, which is a rigid base for the Bucket Spade.

 

[hturner12]

I have cleared about an acre with the ratchet rake. The only minor problem is the ratchet straps were taking a lot of abuse. They warranted one out for me. Since I have a lot more clearing to do I am going with chains and binders

 

[ProjectKing]

Great pictures and write up!

 

[blb078]

Can you go forward with a ratchet rake with it on the ground(dirt) like using it as a rear landscape rake? I've been looking at one of these and figured it would be much more useful than a landscape rake for what I want.

 

[Jw5875]

Can you go forward with a ratchet rake with it on the ground(dirt) like using it as a rear landscape rake? I've been looking at one of these and figured it would be much more useful than a landscape rake for what I want.

Yes, should use the "float" position of your front loader.

I use my "rake" a lot breaking ice along my road during winter in float position.
Also do the same in reverse.

JW5875

 

[jeff9366]

I've been looking at one of these and figured it would be much more useful than a landscape rake for what I want.

Yes you can. Either with both set of teeth engaging the ground or, alternately, with just the short, lower teeth engaging the ground.

A Ratchet Rake is better than a Landscape Rake for piling brush. When piling brush with a Ratchet Rake you usually operate the tractor in reverse, pulling the brush into a pile.

Expand on the precise task you wish to accomplish ~~~~~

 

[hturner12]

Here is a photo album of what I have done so far with mine.

Land - Google Photos

 

[jeff9366]

I have excavated over 1,000 Palmettos with the Bucket Spade. Occasionally Palmettos four layers deep. It is usually a two or three stab job. Sometimes up to six stabs.

I have Kubota's optional L2296 Heavy Duty, Round-Back bucket, which is a rigid base for the Bucket Spade.

Recent photos.