Landscape Rake, should I get Gauge Wheels?

[JDGreenGrass]

I have a rake without gauge wheels and i think it does a great job. Then again i have never tried them. I can make them myself cheap enough so maybe I will this summer if time allow's. I think if your ground is already pretty smooth to begin with a rake without wheels will do fine and maybe you don't require them. But if everything is uneven and rutted up wheels will help. So keep in mind everyone's condition's may be different. K.H.

Excellent points all the way around.:thumbsup:

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I bought a new ETA rake without the wheels. I have i a quick hitch with an adapter plate welded to it so i take my bucket off and use the rake in front of the tractor in reverse. Works pretty good.

 

[kubotakid USA]

If you want a real nice drive ,..You need to control the depth of the blade, only a gauge wheel can do it right, Eric

 

[foggy1111]

I have a Ford Industrial duty landscape rake and use it on rough ground for branch clean-up, for light leveling, and on driveways. I dont see how gauge wheels would be of any benefit for my use. But I can see using em on a lawn.

 

[greg_g]

If you want a real nice drive ,..You need to control the depth of the blade, only a gauge wheel can do it right, Eric

Blade?

//greg//

 

[WM75Guy]

I have the Landpride 7' landscape rake with the dual wide gauge wheels. At the lowest position for the wheels the rake is 2" above grade. It is fine for leveling soft dirt but not good for raking existing pasture. I leave the wheels off. Get the stand if it does not come standard.

 

[IslandTractor]

I bought a new ETA rake without the wheels. I have i a quick hitch with an adapter plate welded to it so i take my bucket off and use the rake in front of the tractor in reverse. Works pretty good.

I do the same with a front mounted 3PT. Very convenient and more precise control for small areas compared to tradional rear mount. However, I managed to bend the rake last weekend by catching it on an unseen stump.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Wow I T. Thats an expensive stump now!

 

[IslandTractor]

Wow I T. Thats an expensive stump now!

Yep. It wasn't even a big stump or I would have avoided it. Just about three inches or so in diameter and hidden in debris.

It's not a cheap rake either: Woods LR72. I was surprised though when I looked at the landrake to realize that while it is made of 4x4 angle iron, it is only about 1/8 inch thick. I will disassemble the rake this weekend and figure out if I can straighten and reinforce it or whether I should just get a piece of 1/4 inch 4x4 angle and drill all those holes instead.

 

[sixdogs]

I don't have gauge wheels and over the years have learned to use draft control on a smaller tractor to do an excellent job on fields and lawns.
They look like a pancake.
On my 500' driveway, however, I think the gauge wheels would help. It's 1/2 inch crushed stone and I can't get it exactly smooth but rather have some humps.
If it were bank run gravel I'd be fine but this 1/2" crushed limestone has me stumped. Would gauge wheels be the answer?