I need a new Hay Rake

[F3506]

New Holland Procart 819.

Each wheel is independent where a lot of others have 2 wheels per pivot arm. Rakes clean but hates long stemy grasses like mature Johnson Grass.

I have the 1022.

What do you mean hates it? Passes it over, or bunches it up and clogs things?

 

[farmer2009]

What do you mean hates it? Passes it over, or bunches it up and clogs things?

Unless you rake it at the perfect (direction of cut raking into the heads or the angle of the rake arms) it will either ball it up and plug up the throat or stand it straight up and form a ball that clogs under the arms or wrap a wheel. Don't even try it at 90* to direction of cut. If raking from the cut end it won't start moving it till about halfway up the stalk. Then it gets between fingers and will wrap or fall out behind.
Disclaimer.
It rakes fine grasses like orchard or fescue and clovers as pretty and even as any rake. Johnson grass under say under 3 feet it does fine with also. It also doesn't mind spotty Johnson grass. It's when you have large patches (we have some fields with over an acre of solid Johnson grass) 6-10 feet tall that it hates.

 

[F3506]

Unless you rake it at the perfect (direction of cut raking into the heads or the angle of the rake arms) it will either ball it up and plug up the throat or stand it straight up and form a ball that clogs under the arms or wrap a wheel. Don't even try it at 90* to direction of cut. If raking from the cut end it won't start moving it till about halfway up the stalk. Then it gets between fingers and will wrap or fall out behind.
Disclaimer.
It rakes fine grasses like orchard or fescue and clovers as pretty and even as any rake. Johnson grass under say under 3 feet it does fine with also. It also doesn't mind spotty Johnson grass. It's when you have large patches (we have some fields with over an acre of solid Johnson grass) 6-10 feet tall that it hates.

Thanks for the info. I've got a bit of Johnsongrass, but don't let it get anywhere near 6-10' tall. I would have thought the ground driven wheels would have done better, but perhaps the pressure isn't as much as I was thinking. I'm still using my old roll a bar rakes and have no experience with the wheel rakes, but I'm on the fence about getting one as I currently just have a dual left hand delivery set up and the V rake sure does make things sound simple.

 

[Tx Jim]

My H&S Hi-cap 14 wheel rake will leave a few stalks of Johnson grass if I have rake spread out to rake 28' but it leaves a lot less JG stalks when I pull it in to only rake 19' because when pulled in to 19' the angle of rake wheels is a lot less.

 

[Texasmark]

Dang it the word is supposed to be "haying"

Hey Phil. I'm glad you got that straightened out. Grin.

I'd say either word would work depending on how deep Mr. Lauer's feelings were; and sounds like he is rightfully disgruntled...assuming it's the equipment and not something else.

I have a 3 pt 4 basket (finger) rake I've had since 2012 and figured I had just "mis"-spent $700 on the thing. Tried 2 or 3 times to use it and just parked it and it sat all these years. I'm having some problems in a hay patch just now and about to give up on my JD 660 side delivery, parallel bar, 5 star or whatever they are called where you live due to the crop (lack of) and field conditions.

So in desperation I tune in to You Tube on the subject and lo and behold there's my dealer with several tutorials on how to use it.....Now why am I just now doing that? Daaaaaa. Dunno! Put it on my 2000 and went to the field and wala....works like a champ and solves the current problem. So there is my story...not the equipment, me!

 

[Texasmark]

Unless you rake it at the perfect (direction of cut raking into the heads or the angle of the rake arms) it will either ball it up and plug up the throat or stand it straight up and form a ball that clogs under the arms or wrap a wheel. Don't even try it at 90* to direction of cut. If raking from the cut end it won't start moving it till about halfway up the stalk. Then it gets between fingers and will wrap or fall out behind.
Disclaimer.
It rakes fine grasses like orchard or fescue and clovers as pretty and even as any rake. Johnson grass under say under 3 feet it does fine with also. It also doesn't mind spotty Johnson grass. It's when you have large patches (we have some fields with over an acre of solid Johnson grass) 6-10 feet tall that it hates.

Looks like we are talking about the same type of critter. My thoughts are that my basket rake is made for light grasses which is where the JD parallel bar is most efficient.

However. After Tx. Jim's comments, pictures, and background deserves, the sharp angles he mentions is the secret to it handling heavy loads which means if you are going to do more than move over one WW, the width of 1 WW you need lots of baskets and run them at a sharp angle.

So, now that I have educated myself, I have 2 functioning rakes and each has it's application....There are some good video's of folks raking and some illustrations of how not to use your equipment.....point of reference here is a MF TE20 and a 7' disc harrow.....geez mfgrs. and dealers and service guys and gals have to cater to such as this......no wonder they pull their hair out some times......no reflection on this post, just something I ran across while looking for haying videos and having had a TO-20 and still having a 7' DH I thought I'd view it. My. My.