Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple?

   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #1  

missesalot

Bronze Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2017
Messages
99
Location
Brockport NY
Tractor
tc45d
Hey all, seasons greetings!
I have a 45hp tractor with a backhoe, FEL and bucket, and a grapple. I do a lot of brush clearing. I'm considering a ratchet rake for light weight grading of lawn areas, as well as stone driveway, in addition to its purported capabilities around brush grubbing etc. My question is, will a ratchet rake end up being very redundant to the capabilities I have in the grapple? The grapple I have is pictured here.
tc45d.jpg
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #2  
I don't have a ratchet rake. I DO use my grapple to back drag as jumpin does. I have to keep my eye on the ball when doing this. My grapple is quite heavy - 800 pounds - tends to dig in if I'm not on the ball.
IMG_0011.jpeg
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #3  
I have done some land clearing of tree tops and small trees. I used a grapple and also a mini ex. If I didnt have to drag the brush far I would just use the mini ex.
Either way a landscape rake followed by a chain harrow worked really well for getting something decently flat that a normal residential lawn mower can mow.

My landscape rake has every other tooth removed and after useing it like this il never put the other half back in.
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #4  
I have done some land clearing of tree tops and small trees. I used a grapple and also a mini ex. If I didnt have to drag the brush far I would just use the mini ex.
Either way a landscape rake followed by a chain harrow worked really well for getting something decently flat that a normal residential lawn mower can mow.

My landscape rake has every other tooth removed and after useing it like this il never put the other half back in.
I did the same thing with my landscape rake, using it for the exact same purpose.
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #5  
Hey all, seasons greetings!
I have a 45hp tractor with a backhoe, FEL and bucket, and a grapple. I do a lot of brush clearing. I'm considering a ratchet rake for light weight grading of lawn areas, as well as stone driveway, in addition to its purported capabilities around brush grubbing etc. My question is, will a ratchet rake end up being very redundant to the capabilities I have in the grapple? The grapple I have is pictured here.
View attachment 834750
No
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #6  
I use my ratchet rake for ditch cleaning, gettin leaves and rocks out. Good tool for that issue.
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I ended up buying a Ratchet Rake following the responses here. I was confident that it would be great, but after using it for the first time this afternoon I can say it’s significantly better than I thought it would be.
IMG_2754.JPG
 
   / Is a ratchet rake redundant to a grapple? #8  
I plan to dig my ratchet rake out of the corner of the barn and see how well it works on a rear blade. I hate the fact that with it on the bucket, you can't pick up dirt or debris.

 
 

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