Rake Used LP 25-84 landscape rake

[computerboy]

I have found a used LandPride 25-84 landscape rake with guage wheels. I have not seen the rake yet, but the seller says the condition is almost new. The asking price is $600. Locally I have price the rake new for between $1450 and $1600. I current have a NH TC25D with FEL, toothbar and 72" rear blade.

I see the following uses: prep work for 1 acre of new lawn, prep work for seeding areas of pasture after removal of brush, prep work for seeding hillside with wild flowers, gravel driveway maintenance.

I have the following questions.
1. What besides final grading can I do with a landscape rake?
2. Is 84" too big?
3. Can I do the prep work/grading with my FEL and rear blade?
4. Is the price right?
5. Do I really need the rake? I am still not sure?
6. What do I need to look for when I go see the rake?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[rdln]

I think it will come in handy on 13 acres, cant beat the price.

Dont think it is too big but you can always do some dental work

 

[Onederdog]

Sounds like a good deal to me, If I had the chance I'd jump on it. I just paid 665.00 for a LP 1596 rake. My dealer says the only difference between the 15 series and the 25 series is in the 3pt. the actual rake (tines) are identical. I also just wanted the 84", but my dealer only orders in the 96" model. They said the price difference is only 25.00, and it's a simple matter to cut off the extra width. That way I'd have some spare tines.
Check out LP's scarifier, I also just picked up the SC2577. You can connect the rake right on behind it. I'm going to be using the setup for de-rooting an area where I took down the trees 2 years ago. There are baby trees coming up everywhere off the surface root. I hope with the scarifier/rake combo I can clean it up in one or two passes.

B /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

The thing I find the most useful about my landscape rake is cleaning roots and debris. I use mine for gathering large piles of dropped leaves and after I dig out a stump, I have to go back and drag all the roots I can out of the remainder.

The landscape rake works great for this. Once you learn how to finesse the rake, you can also use it to just rake lighter stuff off. I turn mine around and adjust the top link so that the tines are gliding across the ground, but gathering pine straw, etc into a pile.

Once you get a little stack going, you can slightly lift the tines above the ground to avoid damage, and the stack will gather more. I tore up some lawn until I learned how to "feather" it just right.

Adjust the top link to be a bit more aggressive with the tines foward now, and you can drag old growth off the top of the soil and pile it for loader removal as well. You can make the rake dig down a good bit, or just clip off the top.

While I enjoy having the rake, I find my box blade scraper a more versatile tool. I "could" do many of the same jobs using the rippers and blades on the box, and it carries dirt a lot better than tines do, but having both is perfect for me.
John