Product Review: Jake Rake CU72
As a recent purchaser of the Jake Rake CU72, I would like to share my thoughts with others in the market for an arena rake, harrow or groomer. First, some background. I am the owner of an equestrian boarding facility (13+ years) in Northern California where our previous methods for maintaining our covered arena (60 ft x 160 ft) were admittedly subpar. Our footing is sand that has been well worn and compacts easily after use, especially when it is overwatered with the sprinklers.
Knowing that I had no room in my budget to make a mistake on my choice of equipment, I researched every available product I could find on the internet, and there are MANY options. At first it was overwhelming, with each product web site claiming to have perfected the art of arena grooming. I investigated all products offered by the brand name and the specialized implement manufacturers, reviewed every testimonial available, read about individuals that had artfully crafted their own custom arena rake with extra parts and scrap metal (I must say there are some very creative and talented people out there), contacted and visited other boarding facilities in my area to see what arena maintenance equipment they used and how well it performed. I spent hours at night (searching different criteria into my web browser), reading tractor related forums, and even inquired about an arena grooming product made in Europe (Landreus Manege Vlakkers) that looked interesting, until I considered shipping costs.
What I found were arena rakes, drags, harrows, soil pulverizers, etc. ranging from $900 to over $4,000, weighing from 200 lbs to over 800 lbs. I analyzed exactly how each arena rake was supposed to "work" (loosening, leveling, grooming, etc.). Many times I thought I had made my decision, but my instincts told me not to compromise and keep looking.
Throughout the process I developed a keen sense of what I wanted in form and function, that included a well constructed 3-point grooming attachment (easily to lift and transport from arena to storage barn, not a tow behind), clevis hitches (not pin hitch) for strength, not too heavy for my JD 3032e but heavy enough to tackle the task at hand, with aggressive front teeth to break up compacted sand to a depth of 3+ inches (I hoped to find something similar in design to the teeth on my box scraper, but smaller and spaced closer together), capacity to perform some form of leveling, ability to break up any clumps left behind, rear landscape rake to leave a nice groomed appearance, and I preferred a short length so I could make tight turns in the corners of the arena. I wanted ALL of this with an economical price.
When I first discovered the Jake Rake it was by chance while surfing this forum, after completing several weeks of research. The Jake Rake seemed to offer the product I had already envisioned in my mind, and the fact that it was priced affordably, could be painted to match my JD tractor, and was size-matched for a Quick-Hitch made the decision process easier. After a few email exchanges with Jake, drilling down on exactly how it was constructed and designed to function (my barn manager put him through a rigorous grilling over the phone, and he held his own like a seasoned veteran answering every question with subject matter authority), and watching the videos on his web site, I confidently placed my order. As a fellow entrepreneur, I looked forward to the opportunity to support his work, but could the Jake Rake really deliver the results as promised?
Order Process: Straightforward. I mailed a check for 50% deposit. Receipt of payment was confirmed by email. Then I received an email a week later informing me that it would be ready for shipment within a couple days, and then promptly mailed the remaining 50% payment plus delivery fee. Jake was kind enough to email me (at my request) pictures of the pre-assembled and final product. I really appreciated this level of service, a testimate to Jake's professionalism.
Delivery: My Jake Rake CU72 arrived via a UShip.com order exactly as scheduled and without incident. I received confirmation from Jake that it was picked-up and the driver called me that evening to schedule drop off for the next day. The hook on top of the rake I found very helpful in attaching it to my FEL with a rope for off-loading the CU72 from the trailer. The CU72 arrived on a custom-sized pallet made by Jake. It is worthy of a blue ribbon, as far as pallets go, and I am keeping it for storing implements off the ground;
see attached photo below).
Function: One thing I remind myself is that this is a fixed implement (not floating off the rear like a chain drag or wheeled attachment), and certainly doesn't have power like a PTO attachment. There is nothing magical about any implement, especially if you don't understand how to use it properly, and I set my expectations accordingly. The front teeth are depth adjustable, and the rear rake/leveling bar can also be adjusted in relation to the front teeth. Initially, we just attached the rake to the JD and took off around the arena without making any adjustments. While it was exciting to see it in action, it was clear we needed to think it through our needs a little more. With the initial hard packed arena footing we decided to leave the front teeth in their highest position (lowest depth) and adjust the rear rake so it was just above even with the front teeth depth. We found with that with the implement lowered as far as it would go, the front teeth in their highest position were still reaching a 3 inch depth, which is our goal. That worked great to initially rip up the hard packed footing and break up the clumps. Now that the footing has been loosened, our daily maintenance requires less front teeth and more grooming rake, so we adjusted the rake to be lower than the front teeth by a couple inches and this works perfect for fluffing the arena footing to a depth of approx. 3 inches while also leveling out the high spots. Our footing still gets packed with daily use and watering by the end of each day, and we understand that the CU72 is not a one-pass solution given what we are asking from it (maintaining very worn, easily compacted arena footing), nor could any implement except a rototiller. But with a couple passes and occasional circles with the tractor to cross cut the grain, the arena looks and performs outstanding. Note - Be sure to remove and store rake adjustment handle (the loose bar) in a safe location when not in use, as it can fall off with vibration.
Recommendation: I know that, had the Jake Rake not been available, I would not have been satisfied with any of the other arena groomers within my budget. I imagine I would have toyed with the idea of identifying a local metal shop to fabricate something for my needs. However, to my good fortune Jake has already done the design work and testing, and has an arena rake that represents (IMHO) the best combination of price-value and performance available for equestrian facility owners with needs similar to ours. It has been about a month since our Jake Rake arrived, and it has been put through the paces daily ever since without signs of wear or weakness. We could not be more pleased with, and proud of, our new arena rake. And most importantly our boarders are happy and have noticed a new spring in the step of their horses. Without question, I give this product, and the services I have received, highest honors.
Congratulations and thank you Jake, we appreciate all of your efforts!
Rich
TruNorth Stables
Walnut Creek, CA
(
TruNorth Stables)
