Harley Rakes - buying used.

[Reg]

I have been looking at a few and would like a little help from folk who already have them.

What symptoms should I be looking for as signs that the current owner is trying to dump it rather than repair it ?
I am thinking of the "not worth fixing, put it up on Craig's list for $xxxx and see what offers are made" situation.

One little "trick" might be to grab the PTO shaft and try to turn it back and forth to see how much play there is between the PTO shaft and the roller.
It might be obvious if the play is in the bevel gears at the top, or in chain slack - maybe ?
Of course if it spins freely.... bad news (-:

Thoughts, comments, hints, clues, all welcomed - other than I must be nuts to buy a used Harley Rake.

tnx.

 

[RickB]

Most common Harley failure is the sealing elements where the drive exits the chain case. There are three o-rings that can and do fail. Make sure the bevel gearbox has lube in it. Make sure the bits aren't worn off the roller. Look at the slipclutch.
Generally speaking there are more folks out there looking for used Power Rakes than there are used Power Rakes to be had.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've been toying with the idea of renting mine out to fellow TBNer's. They are impossible to find at rental yards in the pto versions. As for wear items the fluids are a good starting point and I'd look closely at the cv joint yokes and zerks. Most rakes have guards over these items and won't get the proper maintenance. Also if you buy one be sure to follow the instructions on burning in the slip clutch. Even if it's used this NEEDS to be done at least yearly. I neglected to test mine last year after sitting for the winter. Hit a good size rock and the clutch didn't slip. Well that $500 lesson learned the hard way.

Matt

 

[Reg]

Thanks guys,
Any thoughts/opinions on the earlier ones with the bars on the bottom roller and a smooth roller over that ?
I'm looking at a Pro-6 like that, it also has a set of 6 S-tines that run ahead of the rollers to pucker up the soil ahead - there is hydraulic lift/lower on those.

BTW, factory guy told me by phone that they ALL leak and there is no seal made that will hold OIL in, so now they spec 00 grease.
I saw that on the sticker on a new one two days ago, so I guess that confirms it ?

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Mine has grease as well. The seals just get eaten too fast with the tough conditions they operate in. As for the other style, I have no experiance with them. But they don't make them anymore so to me that indicates a poor performance. The results of harley raking are amazing. I was a non believe before I owned one. People like to compare them to rockhounds but there not all that similar. A harley is more versitle but the rockhound has an advantage to also pickup an remove rocks an other debris. In the tough soil around NE the harley is a must have. But if I had less rocks I'd try a pulverizer first. Alot less and similar in function. Though a pulverizer would lose to a harley in lawn renovations. Just out of curiosity what are you looking to spend? I've thought of selling but keep finding uses for mine.

Matt

 

[Reg]

Mine has grease as well. The seals just get eaten too fast with the tough conditions they operate in. As for the other style, I have no experiance with them. But they don't make them anymore so to me that indicates a poor performance. The results of harley raking are amazing. I was a non believe before I owned one. People like to compare them to rockhounds but there not all that similar. A harley is more versitle but the rockhound has an advantage to also pickup an remove rocks an other debris. In the tough soil around NE the harley is a must have. But if I had less rocks I'd try a pulverizer first. Alot less and similar in function. Though a pulverizer would lose to a harley in lawn renovations. Just out of curiosity what are you looking to spend? I've thought of selling but keep finding uses for mine.

Matt

Hmmm, Eastern CT Eh ?
Well, as the saying goes, "I'm nothing if not Cheep".
I've seen prices all over, guys claiming they have less than 50 hours on them asking a few percent over what I can get a new one shipped to my door for, down to $1500.

Since you HAVE it, have already undergone the steep part of the depreciation curve and keep finding uses for it, you probably want to keep it more than you would want what I would offer - as I said, ININC.

Have you thought about finding even more uses for it, to make it more worth keeping ?

BTW, I just noticed that yours is a Woods.
I think I saw minor differences between those, LandPride and Harley when I looked in detail a couple of years ago.
Do the seals get eaten out the same on ALL of them due to soil abrasion ?

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

The woods and almost all others are made by Harley. The landpride is the exception, they make there own. It's a well made unit as is the Harley. I've had no seal issues but have run grease since I got it. I bought it used from SC so it never saw any rocks just clay. So it was in like new condition. It's tough to find other uses. I do brush mowing on the side an thought or adding raking to my services. But most people don't know what a harley rake is so they don't want to pay for the attachment.

Matt:thumbsup: