Harley Rake Revisited

[crbr]

What makes this implement fetch a price of ~US $6000.00?

I see what it is and what it does, but what components or mechanisms make this reach the level of it's price tag?

Does this gadget do the good things that I have been reading? I mean, does it transform an average country type yard (such as mine) into a putting green?

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

PTO shaft, gearbox, machined shafts, bearings, sprockets, an oil bath for the chain, not to mention a roller with expensive carbide teeth. Manufactured items of all types have prices that are usually simply determined by weight and content. This type of machine has a lot more manufactured content in it than a simple box blade. A product of this type usually costs about $6 per pound.

To answer your other question, yes...if you use it right. A Harley rake is just like any other tool. Put it in the hands of a hack and you can get ugly results. Put it in the hands of a craftsman (good operator) and it will provide putting green results.

 

[hazmat]

There are two ways to price a product:

1- What it costs to make + a profit

2- How useful it is to a comercial operator - ie how much more productive can it make a landscaper.

I tend to think the Harley rakes fall more into catagory 2. From what I hear, they are that good/fast at prepping a yard.

 

[crbr]

Thank you. I have just been reading about these gadgets and wanted to inquire within the subject matter experts here.

Thank You Again,

:tiphat:

 

[John_Mc]

There are two ways to price a product:

1- What it costs to make + a profit

2- How useful it is to a comercial operator - ie how much more productive can it make a landscaper.

I tend to think the Harley rakes fall more into catagory 2. From what I hear, they are that good/fast at prepping a yard.

I agree with the two basic pricing methods. In the long run, however, you won't be able to get away with the higher markup in category two... someone else will come along willing to accept a little less margin, causing the established manufacturers to drop their prices a bit, until eventually the price is driven down to about what you'd get in category 1.

John Mc

 

[AndyMA]

Harley rakes do excellen twork in the hands of a skilled operator. The 8 foot pro model is closer to $8k the last time I looked.

Andy

 

[ducati996]

I agree with the two basic pricing methods. In the long run, however, you won't be able to get away with the higher markup in category two... someone else will come along willing to accept a little less margin, causing the established manufacturers to drop their prices a bit, until eventually the price is driven down to about what you'd get in category 1.

John Mc

Im waiting for that day to happen - and bring the cost down for Harley rakes.
However they are the benchmark in this area, and have the name recognition almost to the point of it being a brand name (like band aid). They have been doing it for a while now, and I dont know of any threats towards their market position, that Im aware of...

Duc

 

[Ductape]

Anyone got any pictures of what exactly they do? I assume they mechanically remove high spots, and level the area they are run across. Do they also remove rocks? Forgive me for my ignorance ! I've seen them for rent, but never seen one in action.

Scott

 

[crbr]

Anyone got any pictures of what exactly they do? I assume they mechanically remove high spots, and level the area they are run across. Do they also remove rocks? Forgive me for my ignorance ! I've seen them for rent, but never seen one in action.

Scott

Harley

 

[shaley]

Anyone know where to get just the carbide nubs on the drum.

 

[dqdave1]

hARLEY WILL SELL YOU THE CARBIDE NUBS

 

[FULLPULL]

Look at the Wood's equipment web site they have a video of one in action it look's like the Harley rake.When i bought mine i found out for dirt work and sweaping rock off a yard it will save you laybor . You can winrow rock's like hay and pull them to the end of the yard where you can scoop them up with your fel. It bust up clod's and tear's weed's out . Yea it's worth it in laybor and time over the long haul on bigger job's. The working depth is only from 0 to 2 or 3 inches so you dont dig up more rock than you need to .

 

[DaddyRabbit]

I have used quite a few Harleys and can tell you if you wear out those carbide dimples you've done a days work. It might even be time to retire.

hARLEY WILL SELL YOU THE CARBIDE NUBS

 

[John_Mc]

Im waiting for that day to happen - and bring the cost down for Harley rakes.
However they are the benchmark in this area, and have the name recognition almost to the point of it being a brand name (like band aid). They have been doing it for a while now, and I dont know of any threats towards their market position, that Im aware of...

That competitive pressure on prices can be delayed a good bit if they've got a patent that others haven't figured a way around. I'd also imagine that the market for these is fairly limited (compared to say, a brush mower or a FEL), so they don't get much in the way of economies of scale.

I rented one to smooth the area around a freshly dug pond, clear the rocks and prepare for seeding. It took me a little bit to get the hang of it, but I was impressed with what they can do... not enought to own one, though. I might eventually have been able to get the same result with my box blade, but it would have taken me a couple of days (instead of a couple of hours) to even get close, and I would probably still be picking rocks by hand. If I were in the landscaping business, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

John Mc

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

You should be able to purchase the carbide teeth individually. Be aware that they are not cheap. The carbide insert is brazed (fused) onto the base and will not come off.

 

[FULLPULL]

If you wear out the bolt teeth on the roller the roller itself is ready to be replaced because it is softer steel. I cant see that happening in a short period of time . The roller is good steel but the bolt teeth show no wear after a year of use.

 

[Reg]

PTO shaft, gearbox, machined shafts, bearings, sprockets, an oil bath for the chain, not to mention a roller with expensive carbide teeth. Manufactured items of all types have prices that are usually simply determined by weight and content. This type of machine has a lot more manufactured content in it than a simple box blade. A product of this type usually costs about $6 per pound.

To answer your other question, yes...if you use it right. A Harley rake is just like any other tool. Put it in the hands of a hack and you can get ugly results. Put it in the hands of a craftsman (good operator) and it will provide putting green results.

In what you wrote I see a lot of commonality with rototillers.
It might be reasonable to expect that a company already making rototillers could adapt a design fairly cheaply to produce a power rake using many of the same parts - economies of scale having already been achieved on many of the components.
LandPride and Woods seem to have sufficiently different products to not infringe.

Methinks an offering from someone like King Kutter would be much closer to my price range (-:
OTOH, I could probably learn to use my KK II tiller to a depth of ONLY 2 or 3 inches and just LEAVE IT AT THAT ! to produce similar results ?
I do tend to over til, no excuse.
Just because the tiller CAN go to that depth isn't a good reason for me to actually GO to that depth, etc.

 

[lcisled]

A rototiller fluffs the soil and leaves basically a flat surface underneath the fluff which makes it easy for the soil to erode during a rain.
A Harley(power rake) does not fluff the soil, and leaves a dimpled surface under the worked surface. (like a golf ball) which does a better job of holding the soil in a rain.
Don't ask me how I know(like the song).
If you do any amount of ground prep work, a Harley pays for itself, even at the outlandish price. If you do bid jobs, and time is money, your best bang for your buck is a power rake.
I thought the price was nuts, until a buddy bought one. He was very happy. The next buddy bought one - said his time savings on jobs paid for itself. We finally broke down and bought one. Time and quality of job both improved on our jobs. Wouldn't consider going back to our previous machine-it makes us money faster than we can wear it out. Look for a cheap one on e-bay, they always bring good money used.

 

[Reg]

Is there a Harley rake specific web site where I could look up the specs and details of older models ?
Some kind of "Owners Club" web site ?

I know ownership of the company (or the patents, manufacturing rights, "Name", whatever) has changed from Glenmac through to the Paladin group, etc.
So asking "the factory" about older models is probably futile.

Obviously I am browsing the used market and want to know some of the details and features of the older models that I am coming across - also parts availability for the Glenmac built machines and the feasibility of upgrading.
{Yeah, whole buncha questions about non current models}

 

[Folically Challenged]

Just found the site. Who knew!

I left Harley 5 years ago for family reasons. Greatest company I've ever worked for.

Marlow Schmidt is still the parts guy, even with the Paladin sale. Give him a call, & he'll set you up with whatever you need. He's super sharp.

If memory serves, we went to the carbide tips in late '98, on the "F" skid steer models. The G skid steer models were much heartier throughout, & the M's are a quantum leap up from there. If you're looking for a used rake, start with the F's. If it's just YOU running it, & not an employee who doesn't care about abusing your stuff, a F model will work just fine.

FC