Chain/Drag Harrow

[Industrial Toys]

All the years on here and chain harrows are something I don't ever read about.

Always wanted one, but not a really Big aggressive Ag unit.

Finally bought one. Had to drive to Lockport NY TSC to get one.

What sole me? Smaller Size and shorter tines. Two pieces so you can have one spike down and the other spike up for smoothing. You also have two tine options for more or less aggressive operation.



Loyal 6X8 (2 of 4 feet long) $529.00 USD

 

[Ricn]

Nice! you will like having this, lots of uses. Ours is two piece looking much like yours and from TSC as well; it can go into tight spaces if needed then get bigger for driveways and all else. It can be turned over for lighter scraping like in fields and such or, be aggressive on the other side like when we use it for tearing up the pasture getting some aeration to the grasses while helping destroy some of the weeds..Changing from large to small and back again takes a few minutes each way or like you mention, one up and one down. Mostly we use it for our large gravel turnaround being 200 by 150 feet to smooth out the ruts and gravel piles from heavy equipment loads. Also works on the few trails and walkways using one section only and for the tighter turns..We pull it using the JD Gator diesel but any larger ATV will work just as well. Great tool around the farm or any large space needing to be surfaced smooth.

Ricn

 

[Wagtail]

It was one of my first question/threads on TBN, only I was so new to 'the game' that I didn't even know what to call it... something to break-up horse manure.

TBN put me right with commercial/home-made drags. I immediately rang my dealership and had them include a chain harrow with my (yet to be delivered) 4105.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I wanted to build a frame for the harrow with trailing wheels. Probably a 12 volt actuator to raise and lower the drag. This is going to be a problem with the the mixing up arrangement of the drag.

Anyone know how badly the spikes get worn down on a gravel driveway? I drove up and down our 1000' driveway six round trips and was surprised to see the tips still looking like new. It's limestone, maybe not as hard on steel.

 

[two_bit_score]

Good deal!

 

[MESSMAKER]

I wanted to build a frame for the harrow with trailing wheels. Probably a 12 volt actuator to raise and lower the drag. This is going to be a problem with the the mixing up arrangement of the drag.

Anyone know how badly the spikes get worn down on a gravel driveway? I drove up and down our 1000' driveway six round trips and was surprised to see the tips still looking like new. It's limestone, maybe not as hard on steel.

Have seen photos of people using a rear boom and the 3 point to raise the harrow when necessary.

 

[Ricn]

Been dragging ours for 2 plus years and still working as new.

Ricn

 

[Egon]

[video]https://www.google.ca/search?q=three+point+diamond+harrow&client=safari&hl=en-ca&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy7ZPuroTXAhUi0oMKHdmYDcMQ_AUIEigB&biw=1024&bih=681#imgrc=LOojN_36gfRy0M:[/video]

Three point lift.

 

[Texasmark]

All the years on here and chain harrows are something I don't ever read about.

Always wanted one, but not a really Big aggressive Ag unit.

Finally bought one. Had to drive to Lockport NY TSC to get one.

What sole me? Smaller Size and shorter tines. Two pieces so you can have one spike down and the other spike up for smoothing. You also have two tine options for more or less aggressive operation.

View attachment 525398View attachment 525399

Loyal 6X8 (2 of 4 feet long) $529.00 USD

I bought a different brand which had pipe on both ends allowing you to pull it from either direction with the spikes leading for aggressive harrowing, or trailing. Originally I thought the one like yours was a cheaper design leaving out the second pipe but found out that the second pipe collects piles of dirt, like my JD fixed spike hard frame did and doesn't do that good of a job.

I removed the pipe for the reverse tillage, where the spikes pointed forward...just a catcher for crop remnants, and left that end open like yours. The other thing I do is for smoothing after broadcast seeding or fertilizing, I hook my FEL to it and flip it over to where the spikes are pointed up. Does a really fine job with minimum soil disturbance.

 

[hslogger]

I wanted to build a frame for the harrow with trailing wheels. Probably a 12 volt actuator to raise and lower the drag. This is going to be a problem with the the mixing up arrangement of the drag.

Anyone know how badly the spikes get worn down on a gravel driveway? I drove up and down our 1000' driveway six round trips and was surprised to see the tips still looking like new. It's limestone, maybe not as hard on steel.

I wouldn't give wear on your chain harrow spikes a second thought. Run it and run it. Dependent on the price and quality of the unit they will last a long long time. I have an 80's era Fuerst chain harrow and it was made from a high carbon steel. It is bombproof. Worst thing though is cutting a corner or something you misguide and you wrap a corner around a fence post or something like that.

Fuerst I think is a property of Rhino or some one else but the key to long life of these things is construction and steel. Not low price.

 

[cqaigy2]

I've been using a blanket harrow on my drive for a number of years, it holds up pretty well. Let my BIL borrow it, first time i've seen someone break a blanket harrow. :confused2:

Nothing a welder couldn't fix but....

 

[Creamer]

Nice! you will like having this, lots of uses. Ours is two piece looking much like yours and from TSC as well; it can go into tight spaces if needed then get bigger for driveways and all else. It can be turned over for lighter scraping like in fields and such or, be aggressive on the other side like when we use it for tearing up the pasture getting some aeration to the grasses while helping destroy some of the weeds..Changing from large to small and back again takes a few minutes each way or like you mention, one up and one down. Mostly we use it for our large gravel turnaround being 200 by 150 feet to smooth out the ruts and gravel piles from heavy equipment loads. Also works on the few trails and walkways using one section only and for the tighter turns..We pull it using the JD Gator diesel but any larger ATV will work just as well. Great tool around the farm or any large space needing to be surfaced smooth.

Ricn

Interesting comments. I have been thinking about a drag or harrow for taking the roughness out of my yard. In a pasture setting I figured one of these would jsut plug up right away so i was looking for a coil spring tooth that has longer teeth allowing more clearance for grass to go through.

You mentioned using yours in the pasture - was the grass really short when you did it? Do you notice an immediate difference?

 

[Ricn]

Pastures can be different than lawns where we like things pretty. Lawn grass is often short, tight and with shallow roots so not sure if you would be happy with the results using a heavy chain drag harrow but not having used ours for that, I can't be sure. It will tear up things especially some grass. Pastures, at least ours, is rough, hard in places, and with some rocks too so the chain harrow, with tines facing down and forward really do dig into the ground scratching things up. Results are not what I'd call pretty as some of each grass, weeds and rocks are churned up. I do this spring and fall when there is a good chance of rain coming as the drag creates some aeration to the soil; I then reseed using my Gator and seeder before it rains. I do have rocks to clean up afterwards getting the bigger ones is all. In your situation you may only have nice deep dirt with lawn grass rather than pasture grass so results might not look pretty right away but the drag will help reduce clumps of dirt and such plus will smooth the surface but will not flatten ground like a pool table so much. Setting the drag on it's least invasive position (what I did) will tell you lots about how it will do for your situation, then go from there if wanting more aggression. We ended up using the most aggressive setting for everything accept places having bigger rocks, I don't bother there...Drag harrows have their place and It's my opinion gravel areas, horse arena's and any place already pretty flat and needing grooming they work great but can also create some work after the fact if wanting things to look real pretty.

Not sure any of this helps you, all one can do is to try one, see if it works in your situation. good luck!

Ricn

 

[Texasmark]

Interesting comments. I have been thinking about a drag or harrow for taking the roughness out of my yard.

First you need a surface that will accept an implement....aka soil will move when you excite it. Second, take this guy and pull it with the tines pointing away from the direction of travel (towards the rear). Will work fine for you.

 

[TheMan419]

They work well for dragging a horse arena too. Only issue is that you cannot back into the corner to get the corner well. I need to get a 3 point lift for mine.

 

[Industrial Toys]

So far, I am not regretting my purchase. I do notice on the driveway that the drag harrow is better at ripping down bumps then filling in low spots, and that's usually what you have as in pot holes and wash outs.

I do like that the drag doesn't throw the material sideways onto the grass as much as a solid drag.

 

[Ricn]

The drag won't move material from here to there much, more they smooth over the tops. Mostly I run a Land Plane over the driveway to move material into the holes and ruts then if needed, pull the drag to smooth things out. Having a rough driveway that goes up and down hills this method works pretty well for our situation. On the flat ground the drag is all I use for the most part.

Ricn

 

[TxSteveS]

I know that this is an old thread, but I have a question. I 'inherited' an old Fuerst drag harrow. It comes with an old 3 pt. boom but I'm confused on the top link.

How would I attach it on the top link. I'm fairly new to the tractor world, so this might be a basic question. Is there a bracket I'm missing?

Thanks and Hello!

 

[Gee Ray]

Try the pin from the tractor end of the top link. I believe it will fit the hole on the drag. If it does attach the two pins to the drag arms and attach the top of the drag directly where the top link attaches to the tractor. This is the way a post hole digger would attach to the tractor.

 

[two_bit_score]

Welcome to TBN @TxSteveS!