Aerators

[94BULLITT]

I have been wanting a core aerator for quite sometime. I have been thinking about making my own but I found a Woods PL60 that I may be able to get at a decent price. Would my BX handle it fine? It has 96 spoons. If they are dull can I sharpen them to get some more life out of them? Everything Attachments has 10 spoons for $45. I would have $450 if I had to replace the spoons and if those are the correct size.

 

[DJ54]

Weight would be the deciding factor. They don't pull that hard, but do take ballast to make them work properly. I have 8 solid concrete blocks on my Bush hog 6 footer.

Spoons are designed to be self sharpening, so unless they are bent/broken, they should work fine.

Just be sure and pick it up, when turning. That's when spoons get bent, or broken.

I've had mine for 7-8 years, and still no broken/bent spoons, and has been over approx. 9 acres every year.

 

[LHS Inc]

I have been wanting a core aerator for quite sometime. I have been thinking about making my own but I found a Woods PL60 that I may be able to get at a decent price. Would my BX handle it fine? It has 96 spoons. If they are dull can I sharpen them to get some more life out of them? Everything Attachments has 10 spoons for $45. I would have $450 if I had to replace the spoons and if those are the correct size.

The Woods PL60 is a good one. I have the Frontier version. If you can get it cheap enough to make it worth buying all new spoons I'd do it.

Make sure the spoons from EA will fit the Woods. I don't think they are all the same. I know John Deere parts are high but the Frontier is made by Woods so that is a place to check parts and prices.

Not sure about the BX pulling it. Most times you have to add weight to the aerator to get it in the ground so you'll need some power to pull it.

I run mine behind my JD 3520 37.5 hp with about 250 lbs. of weight and its no problem.

Its not much weight for the 3pt to lift but I'd still make sure your BX will lift it. I say that because I don't know what size a BX is.

Cover all your bases.

 

[gwdixon]

My BX2200 pulls both of these core aerators just fine. (Everything Attachments used to be Corriher Implement Co.)

 

[94BULLITT]

Also what do I with the plugs after I have aerated? Do I need a harrow to bust them up? I guess I need to figure out how much the spoons are so I know how much to go on it.

Weight would be the deciding factor. They don't pull that hard, but do take ballast to make them work properly. I have 8 solid concrete blocks on my Bush hog 6 footer.

Spoons are designed to be self sharpening, so unless they are bent/broken, they should work fine.

Just be sure and pick it up, when turning. That's when spoons get bent, or broken.

I've had mine for 7-8 years, and still no broken/bent spoons, and has been over approx. 9 acres every year.

I think this one weighs 537 pounds. I will be sure to pick it up when I turn, if I get it.

The Woods PL60 is a good one. I have the Frontier version. If you can get it cheap enough to make it worth buying all new spoons I'd do it.

Make sure the spoons from EA will fit the Woods. I don't think they are all the same. I know John Deere parts are high but the Frontier is made by Woods so that is a place to check parts and prices.

Not sure about the BX pulling it. Most times you have to add weight to the aerator to get it in the ground so you'll need some power to pull it.

I run mine behind my JD 3520 37.5 hp with about 250 lbs. of weight and its no problem.

Its not much weight for the 3pt to lift but I'd still make sure your BX will lift it. I say that because I don't know what size a BX is.

Cover all your bases.

My BX will lift it, it is a SCUT comparable to the 1 series JD. I really want a 4' but I have never seen any used around here before. Do you know what size spoons your has so I can see if I can see how much they are. I check one place that sold Wood online and they were $9 a piece. I have never pulled a real areator just those junk ones from Lowes and is spike aerator so I don't know how hard it will pull.

My BX2200 pulls both of these core aerators just fine. (Everything Attachments used to be Corriher Implement Co.)

How big are those?

 

[94BULLITT]

A light bulb just went off in my head. If a 60'' pulls too hard to if it requires too much counterweight and made the BX unstable I could remove a few row of spoons to get it down to a 48" or something close. So now I am just up in the air about the spoons on it.

 

[jenkinsph]

Roger,
I am not sure that removing a row of spoons is going to make the aerator easier to pull. For a given weight the spoons will dig in and offer the same or similar resistance to rolling. The combination of less weight overall and less penetration would make it easier to pull.

 

[LHS Inc]

Also what do I with the plugs after I have aerated? Do I need a harrow to bust them up? I guess I need to figure out how much the spoons are so I know how much to go on it.



I think this one weighs 537 pounds. I will be sure to pick it up when I turn, if I get it.



My BX will lift it, it is a SCUT comparable to the 1 series JD. I really want a 4' but I have never seen any used around here before. Do you know what size spoons your has so I can see if I can see how much they are. I check one place that sold Wood online and they were $9 a piece. I have never pulled a real areator just those junk ones from Lowes and is spike aerator so I don't know how hard it will pull.



How big are those?

You don't have to do anything with the plugs, they will break down over time. I'm not sure of the spoon size on my Frontier. How much are they worn down? If there is anyway you can get it and try it out that would be the best thing to do.

If you can at least pull out a 2"-3" plug than you don't have to get new spoons for it right away.

I got mine from my local JD dealer and tried it out and never took it back. It was used so that made a difference in trying it out.

 

[94BULLITT]

Roger,
I am not sure that removing a row of spoons is going to make the aerator easier to pull. For a given weight the spoons will dig in and offer the same or similar resistance to rolling. The combination of less weight overall and less penetration would make it easier to pull.

I think I get what you are saying, basically a 5' does not pull much harder than a 4'. DJ45 said he had 8 soil concrete blocks on his 6' and LHS Inc said he had 250 lbs on his 5 footer. I have very hard rocky poor soil where I live so it is going to take some weight for it to work. I know you are supposed to aerate when it is wet. I know it is going to X amount of weight per foot to get a good penetration. I thought if the weight was too much for the BX (I have some pretty good hills) I could take some rows of spoons off so I would not have to counter weight it as much. That was just my thought process.

You don't have to do anything with the plugs, they will break down over time. I'm not sure of the spoon size on my Frontier. How much are they worn down? If there is anyway you can get it and try it out that would be the best thing to do.

If you can at least pull out a 2"-3" plug than you don't have to get new spoons for it right away.

I got mine from my local JD dealer and tried it out and never took it back. It was used so that made a difference in trying it out.

I had a guy tell me that he picked up all of his, that would be tedious. I don't know when are how often he aerates. He said he would hit them with his mower, he must mow low. I would do it in the spring and fall. I'll post a picture of it later, I'm a busy right now.

 

[wrooster]

Here is a 48" Feldman...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/199991-feldmann-turf-vent-aerator-stand.html

ps
Leave the plugs right there, they will be gone in a couple of days anyway. Tidying them up is just taking good topsoil and putting it somewhere else...

 

[94BULLITT]

It is actually a Frontier but the same as a Woods PL60. My two main concerns are the spoons and the bearings/ bushings. I have read conflicting information on whether it has bearings or bushings. Either one should last forever if they were greased. Everything else I can see looks fine. Here are some pictures of the spoons. Tell me what you guys think about the spoons.

Here is a 48" Feldman...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/199991-feldmann-turf-vent-aerator-stand.html

ps
Leave the plugs right there, they will be gone in a couple of days anyway. Tidying them up is just taking good topsoil and putting it somewhere else...

I have looked at your thread a few times before. It looks like it does a nice job. According to Lowes those deck block weigh 42lbs so you had 168lbs of weight on it. I also looked at the trufvent website, they have really good prices on spoons. I don't know if they will fit a Woods.

 

[wcampbell47]

I read all the posts so now feel like I can respond. I purchased a core aerator that has 96 spoons and eight wheels that weigh 96 lbs each. It is a heavy duty unit in excess of 1000 lbs. I live in an area that has clay that gets hard packed. As heavy as it is I have to wait until I get a good soaking rain then a couple of days of sun before I can pull it and get 2-3 inch cores. My B7510 strains to handle it. Even with the FEL in place I have to steer it with the brakes because the front end is light when I pick the unit up. My B3200 handles it much better and the front end stays on the ground. So based on my use I'm thinking the BX will be too light to handle it with any added ballast. The unit itself is 500 lbs. If you have hard ground the extra ballast will almost certainly be needed.

So only you can make the final determination. I'm thinking it takes at least a 30hp tractor to successfully lift the unit with ballast. If your area can be aerated without ballast and your BX can handle 500 plus lbs on the 3 point you might have a viable option.

 

[94BULLITT]

I read all the posts so now feel like I can respond. I purchased a core aerator that has 96 spoons and eight wheels that weigh 96 lbs each. It is a heavy duty unit in excess of 1000 lbs. I live in an area that has clay that gets hard packed. As heavy as it is I have to wait until I get a good soaking rain then a couple of days of sun before I can pull it and get 2-3 inch cores. My B7510 strains to handle it. Even with the FEL in place I have to steer it with the brakes because the front end is light when I pick the unit up. My B3200 handles it much better and the front end stays on the ground. So based on my use I'm thinking the BX will be too light to handle it with any added ballast. The unit itself is 500 lbs. If you have hard ground the extra ballast will almost certainly be needed.

So only you can make the final determination. I'm thinking it takes at least a 30hp tractor to successfully lift the unit with ballast. If your area can be aerated without ballast and your BX can handle 500 plus lbs on the 3 point you might have a viable option.

Thanks for the reply. My BX will lift it with out a problem. I have a MMM and I will have it on at when I use it, believe it or not it really helps hold the front down. I also want to get a few weights for the front to hold it down better. I know if I tried to pick a heavy one like your up the front would come off the ground. I am hoping that it will not require to much ballast but I don't know. I guess as a last resort I could use the 4240 on the hilly portion of the yard but it is a heavy tractor to be running on a yard. So basically it does not take much to pull a aerator you just have to have a tractor that can lift it?

 

[jenkinsph]

Roger,
Aerating is such a quick process I would think if your tractor has a hard time pulling it up hill them just pull it down hill instead. Might make a few more passes but still quick anyway.

 

[94BULLITT]

Roger,
Aerating is such a quick process I would think if your tractor has a hard time pulling it up hill them just pull it down hill instead. Might make a few more passes but still quick anyway.

I have thought about that too. I know 1 spot will be that way for sure because that is how I mow it. I guess my biggest concern right now is if the spoons are any good.

 

[DJ54]

Like another poster said, I have no idea how big you BX is. My little IH 240 weighs in at about 3600 lbs., according to Tractor Data. Maybe a little more, as the rear tires are loaded. None the less, it is approx. 28 hp. There is no front ballast, and it has no problem handling the 6 footer with additional weight. Being it does not have power steering, it just makes it steer nice. It only has a 4-speed trans., and I pull it easily in 3rd gear, about 3/4 throttle.

I only use it in the pasture's and hay field. The hay field I prefer to do in late fall, and pasture's in the spring. A couple good rains, and the plugs melt away. The faster you run, within reason, the more they break up.

I found a spec sheet on mine online, and posted below. Looking at prices on them online, can't believe how much they have gone up. Although, at the time I got a bit of a deal on mine, as he was wanting to clear inventory in Feb. so as not to pay inventory tax. At the time I bought my NOS plugger for $850.00 out the door.

 

[94BULLITT]

Like another poster said, I have no idea how big you BX is. My little IH 240 weighs in at about 3600 lbs., according to Tractor Data. Maybe a little more, as the rear tires are loaded. None the less, it is approx. 28 hp. There is no front ballast, and it has no problem handling the 6 footer with additional weight. Being it does not have power steering, it just makes it steer nice. It only has a 4-speed trans., and I pull it easily in 3rd gear, about 3/4 throttle.

I only use it in the pasture's and hay field. The hay field I prefer to do in late fall, and pasture's in the spring. A couple good rains, and the plugs melt away. The faster you run, within reason, the more they break up.

I found a spec sheet on mine online, and posted below. Looking at prices on them online, can't believe how much they have gone up. Although, at the time I got a bit of a deal on mine, as he was wanting to clear inventory in Feb. so as not to pay inventory tax. At the time I bought my NOS plugger for $850.00 out the door.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=297101"/>

Wow that was a good deal. It makes sense that the faster you go the better they bust up

 

[wcampbell47]

Thanks for the reply. My BX will lift it with out a problem. ... So basically it does not take much to pull a aerator you just have to have a tractor that can lift it?

According to my experience that is a valid assumption. I'm on the Gulf Coast of Texas where the clay gumbo can get as hard as concrete. I have had the aerator just bounce over a dry yard. If your soil is not as compacted then just the unit alone will probably work for you. I am a believer in aeration. Every thing I read on it prior to acquiring the unit was that it is very beneficial for your yard.

 

[94BULLITT]

According to my experience that is a valid assumption. I'm on the Gulf Coast of Texas where the clay gumbo can get as hard as concrete. I have had the aerator just bounce over a dry yard. If your soil is not as compacted then just the unit alone will probably work for you. I am a believer in aeration. Every thing I read on it prior to acquiring the unit was that it is very beneficial for your yard.

My soil is not that hard. Aeration does help.

 

[94BULLITT]

Well I did not get it. It brought $700. You have to pay a 10% buyers fee on top of that and VA sales tax which is 5%. So in reality it brought $805. It was pretty far away, I would have had $80 in gas to get it. It was too risky for me to go that much without being able to see it in person.