Rake Quality; York VS Woods

[Keuka]

I'm looking for a used landscape rake for my L35 Kubota. York has a great reputation but the tine beam doesn't look as rugged as the woods. How does the over-all quality compare between a medium duty Woods and a York in the 7' to 8" catagory?

The reason I'm asking is, I've seen a couple of used and abused York Rakes with bent tine beams. I Haven't seem many older used Woods so I can't honestly see how they hold up compared to the York.

When I bought my Kubota, I asked the seller for his opinion on landscape rakes. His answere was that if I wanted the best, go York. With that in mind, I started looking.

I've been to several auctions and the York Brand seems to go at a real high price. Even the ones with bent beams that look like they've been parked in a field for the last 50 years!

 

[MtnViewRanch]

One of the better rakes that I have seen is a Fred Cain rake. The tubing has to help the bending problems.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/132467-fred-cain-landscape-rake.html

 

[Thomas]

Yep,when I purchase my 6' York rake w/drop down grader blade about $60 foot 11 years ago...built strong and never let me down.

Woods would been my second choice.

 

[sixdogs]

Well, I have an 8' heavy duty Woods rake and it is bulletproof. I have seen a heavy duty York rake and I recall the two seemed somewhat similar. My experience has been that the heavier the rake the better.

 

[Goodluck w/ That]

Woods builds high quality items, if it's cheaper I would buy from them.

 

[art]

I don't worry so much of the frame! You can always reinforce them if needed or straighten them.

I've seen some pretty straight ones but it seems that they wind up putting YORK manufacturing tines on them because they don't break!

 

[djradz]

Just bought a Woods 7' LR107-2 for that very reason - very heavy beam, as well as otherwise very heavy construction. Woods' tines seemed to be a step up as well, but not sure how they compare to York. I do remember borrowing a friend's York rake a few years ago and several of the tines were bent but none broken.

 

[257NH]

I looked at both of their websites and checked the weight of both of their 7' heavy duty rakes and the york was basically 100 pounds heavier.That seems like a substantial difference to me,taking into consideration percentages it IS a substantial difference.Woods is a manufacturer of excellent products no doubt,and I don't think you'll go wrong with a woods,but I think york has a lock on the top spot in the rake department though.
Brian

 

[djradz]

I looked at both of their websites and checked the weight of both of their 7' heavy duty rakes and the york was basically 100 pounds heavier.That seems like a substantial difference to me,taking into consideration percentages it IS a substantial difference.Woods is a manufacturer of excellent products no doubt,and I don't think you'll go wrong with a woods,but I think york has a lock on the top spot in the rake department though.
Brian

Not that weight is necessarily the final determination of strength, but if that is truly important I'm not sure you are comparing apples to apples here, or what he was interested in. Note that the medium duty (which is what he asked about) Woods rake weighs in at 324 lbs. The York RW - 7' at 271 lbs.

If you move up to the heavy duty rakes, the York RI is 467 lbs while the Woods 405, and only at this heavy-duty level does York seem to do much to increase the beam strength.

Don't get me wrong, York makes an excellent product but they command a premium price (as does Woods to a lesser degree) but the main beam in most of the York units just seems as if it could have been beefier. I think thats why you occasionally see some of their older units bent up a little, in addition to the fact that they're otherwise build really sound and have been in use forever!

 

[sixdogs]

Just bought a Woods 7' LR107-2 for that very reason - very heavy beam, as well as otherwise very heavy construction. Woods' tines seemed to be a step up as well, but not sure how they compare to York. I do remember borrowing a friend's York rake a few years ago and several of the tines were bent but none broken.

The LR108 is the rake I have. Not sure if medium or heavy duty but I have used many of these rakes over the years and this is really a strong and heavy rake. I treat my equipment well but by nature these rakes get abused and mine looks great after many acres and much abuse.