Ratchet Rake - ever seen/used one?

[creekbend]

I grabbed one of the 72" rakes the other day for my 66" bucket. I accidentally had the bucket too low when I went across a section of hard packed caliche gravel parking pad and it took a good 2 inch gouge out of a high piece of ground before I even realize it was low enough to make contact. Rake teeth still have paint on them after the fact. I can attest they are tough. I would think the boxblade scarifiers would be much more durable however.

Will a 72 inch RR fit on a 66 inch bucket?

 

[IslandTractor]

Will a 72 inch RR fit on a 66 inch bucket?

Depends. There needs to be a clear area for the mounting straps and it is possible that the bucket to FEL mounting might interfere. I doubt there would be a mismatch at the bucket cutting edge but check to be sure the outside cleats on the RR are still inside the bucket walls. You'd need to map out the relevant measurements to insure there is no conflict. There is no problem having a bit of RR overhanging the outside of the bucket except for the risk of snagging and twisting while being used.

 

[Barnone]

Great thread.
Has anyone compared the RR to the Piranha tooth bar?
Thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

Great thread.
Has anyone compared the RR to the Piranha tooth bar?
Thanks

I'm not sure what a Piranha toothbar is but I've used both the RR and a regular toothbar. Very different tools with little functional overlap. A standard toothbar is used generally to break the surface more efficiently than a bucket cutting edge. You use it to dig. The RR actually prevents you from digging or even scooping dirt. As the name implies it is really something that converts the bucket into a strong rigid rake and prevents digging or dragging more than about two inches of topsoil.

 

[Barnone]

I'm not sure what a Piranha toothbar is but I've used both the RR and a regular toothbar. Very different tools with little functional overlap. A standard toothbar is used generally to break the surface more efficiently than a bucket cutting edge. You use it to dig. The RR actually prevents you from digging or even scooping dirt. As the name implies it is really something that converts the bucket into a strong rigid rake and prevents digging or dragging more than about two inches of topsoil.

Thanks for the info. If I wanted to clear very small trees, brush, and vines for example which of the two would be better?

 

[BXpanded]

Piranha by BXpanded

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thanks for the info. If I wanted to clear very small trees, brush, and vines for example which of the two would be better?

I've never used the Piranha for what you asked but I have the RR and it does an incredible job. Full even front row of big teeth that come together which catches the weeds, trees and brush and just pulls them out and the Piranha may do the same thing as well but then the RR also has the lower row of smaller teeth for raking and finishing dirt/ground for a finish job which is what I use the RR for 95% of the time.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks for the info. If I wanted to clear very small trees, brush, and vines for example which of the two would be better?

I've never used the Pirhana so I can only reiterate what JohnThomas said. I would say, based on the photos, that the Pirhana looks like it would cut through small saplings and brush as it seems to have an angled blade. The RR will uproot instead. I'm sure the Pirhana would uproot bigger brush and trees too but it might act more like a scythe on smaller stuff. It is better to uproot generally to minimize regrowth although regular mowing will also work. The Pirhana seems more unidimensional in that it isn't designed to level dirt etc which the RR does. Again I haven't even seen the Pirhana except in the photos BX posted but it seems to be kind of in between a true toothbar (aimed at digging ) and the more versatile RR. If I had a Pirhana I would use it to clear land but I'd personally lean towards the RR if I had to choose especially if i needed to prepare land for grass seeding.

 

[johnrex62]

Will a 72 inch RR fit on a 66 inch bucket?

Go to the Ratchet Rake page and look at the product brochure. The specifications for the 72" rake say it fits 66-78 inch buckets.

www.ratchetrake.com/images/ratchet_rake_brochure.pdf

The 72" rake fits my 66" QA bucket just like the center unit with the 68" rake attached. There is one tooth beyond the outside bucket wall on my unit. It does not appear that part of the rake extending beyond the bucket width is a bad thing. I know it has not shown any indication of flexing or bending when pushing the caliche or digging down in the hard packed pad on the corner of the rake. It seems really solid and secure.

 

[AHNC]

One of the things that held me up on the RR purchase was the idea of loosing the FEL for loader jobs. What I found with the RR is that I can have it off in less than a minute and back on in less than two, so it was a complimentary implement to the FEL.

My hard packed driveway, which was dry, dry, dry and packed, packed, packed came up better with the BB. The RR was the grading tool. In addition to the driveway, I had had a pro come in and I had about 400' of trench for water line put in. I ended up using the RR on a finish grade in an area 50x150 and 20x80. It did a lot better job than the operator at first, but I'm very comfortable with its use now. It also did a job on the blackberry roots. I put it in the good value category.

The Pirranha looks interesting to me, but again the ability to have the RR on and off so quickly and securely wins the day for me.