Harley Rakes and "objects".

[Reg]

I don't have one, but have been thinking about what might happen if/when a Harley (or similar) rake encounters rocks, ledge, roots, etc.
I doubt that those carbide tips would chew through BIG rocks, i.e. just shave the top off to make them level with the rest of the ground and I don't think they would win every time against thick shallow roots left over from tree felling.
So, anyone care to share their experience of what happens ?
Does it just skip up and over with a lot of noise and bouncing ?
Does it dig under and stall ?
Does the rotor bend, or worse ?

I know there are mulchers that will grind roots, stumps, rock, etc., but those are a whole 'nother class of machinery.
What happens when a Harley rake just finds an isolated big hard nasty object ?

 

[ManAtArms]

The ones I've used have a float setting and a fixed setting. I run them in the float mode most of the time, and it SHOULD ride over top of larger rocks leaving them in place. However, be careful, you don't just want to drive this thing into an immovable object. It will not grind it down. It's not a grinder, although it does sort of grind soil. It really is what the description says, a power rake. It will rake any suitable sized material forward or to the side, grooming the soil as you go.

You should try to rent one and see how it operates to make sure it meets your expectations. Hope that helps.

 

[Reg]

Yep, "Power Rake" is the key description and would be my intended use.

I was just wondering what happens when they DO meet large rocks or hidden shallow roots.
Obviously not GOOD for them, but I don't imagine they crumble into a thousand fragments either (-:

Half rotted roots MIGHT break up, very rotted low stumps MIGHT crumble, but I wasn't expecting any sort of stump grinding capability - THAT is work for a different tool.

I have no doubt that SOMEONE has tried lowering a Harley rotor onto a fresh cut stump, kinda curious if they would admit it here and reveal the results - other than EXPEN$IVE !!!

 

[beenthere]

The Harley rake will just bounce on/off the object and a prudent operator wouldn't try to grind it out of existence (such as stumps and large rocks).
The bounce is less dramatic than a rototiller. The carbide Harley teeth are not indestructible but do take quite a beating.
Some stringy roots may get wrapped around the cylinder and require cutting them off.

A good combination is to have forks on the FEL to pop large rocks out if encountered, and could even be used to root out some underlying stumps and large roots.

 

[Happyman]

I used a Harley rake on 5 acres that had just been timbered. Stumps were removed but roots still were evident. Rake would bounce over the big stuff and once in a while a root would get wraped around the drum. All in all it worked great. Smoothed out all the ruts from the timber equipment and now I can drive my tractor over the land without loosing any teeth (read, no bouncing and bumping). :thumbsup:

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

The carbides on mine will destroy ledge and the slip clutch(when properly adjusted) takes care of the rest. It will also float up depending on ground speed.

Matt

 

[Builder]

Mine generally just shreds roots into well, shreds. It'll kick rocks forward or to the side when power-angled. It'll score the top of bigger rocks or hop over them. mine is a heavy 8-footer and doesn't get pushed around easily.

I just got a lead on power raking 5 acres of tilled soil to prepare for seeding. :thumbsup: