landscape rakes?

   / landscape rakes? #41  
zzvyb6 said:
The most important feature (other than the gauge wheels) is the width. I recommend an 8' rake because when it's set to 45 degrees, it covers your rear wheels. Don't use a top link, use a chain so that the teeth stay at a set position while the tractor roller coasters up and down. You can still raise it up for transport. My ARPS rake used teeth commonly found at many sources. You will probably bend 1 or more and it takes some heat to return them to correct position. Otherwise will need to be replaced.
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I found on my Woods rake that I was better off replacing teeth than heating & re-bending them. That was back when I was still trying to get it to de-rock an acre. No go....
I'll accept some bend as you can see in those old photos of our Woods in earlier posts.

Hey! All all rake teeth the same or interchangeable? The teeth on the Woods rake have about half their width flat and parallel top and bottom, are fairly thick metal, but the sides are oval rather than flat..... does any of that matter?

Maybe EA could tell us about rake teeth and more info on why they think theirs is better Facts mean a lot here on TBN, where we are hands on kind of people. Just saying one brand is better than another is something we see all too often & tend to dismiss.

I will say that the EA model with adjustable offset as well as adjustable angle sure catches my eye. I wish that the Woods rake had that feature. It would be very handy. All of our back blades have offset, but not our rake. The Woods does have a flip down blade...but no offset.

I'll give that chain idea a try. Thanks for the idea In the past we use a standard top link along with a couple of bags of sand for weight - but even with the wheels the rake still bounces too much.
rScotty
 
   / landscape rakes? #43  
scootr said:
That Tarter rake looks good.
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There not that good. I have the same one but a 7'. The horizontal C channel starts to do a lateral twist after some use. I had to completely cut my rake off the mount and re design it to spread that twisting force out.
 
   / landscape rakes? #46  
nyone said:
There not that good. I have the same one but a 7'. The horizontal C channel starts to do a lateral twist after some use. I had to completely cut my rake off the mount and re design it to spread that twisting force out.
Click to expand...

I'll second this, I bought one and the first day it looked like a pretzel and I was only raking up downed limbs at the edge of a tree line.
 
   / landscape rakes? #47  
I have a 7' EA rake with the older style gauge wheels and have used it a lot with no damage. Get it large enough to have a 45 angle cover the tires unless you need one smaller for working in the trees. It feels like the older York Rakes pretty much nailed most of what you need in a rake if you can fine one used.

Gauge Wheels
- Useful for finer control in grading or skimming a surface such as trying to remove branches from a finish mowed lawn.
- Can't spin the rake around to push vs. pull with wheels on (old style) so you have to make a choice and wrench these heavy wheels on and off per job.
- If you get wheels, make sure they are as easy on/off as you can afford if you plan on using them much.
End Caps
- Without an option to use end caps, your windrows will spill over into areas already raked which means more passes and more spillage.
Tine Removal
- I have found I need to remove tines to do my work of removing stones from a field. Passes with every other tine removed and then replace them if you want the smaller stuff gone.
- EA's design is pretty easy to remove and add the tines back. If you could pull a pin and flip them out of the way that'd be great, but not worth the hassle when a cordless impact will zap them on and off quickly.
Offsetting Rake
- I got this to get rock off the side of the driveway, out of the grass. I offset then angle the rake back toward the center of the driveway. Might not need this if you can easily drive under everything. I figured a couple hundred extra when you were talking 2K wasn't the end of the world for options. Most of the time you don't use it.
Floating Style Top Link EA
- I may not be smart enough to make this work as efficiently as I thought it would work
- Using this is the difference between using the quick hitch or taking it off and hooking it up like normal (I leave the quick hitch on as much as possible, but have the option).
 
   / landscape rakes? #48  
JohnnyMX said:
SNIP.......
Click to expand...

JohnnyMX said:
Floating Style Top Link EA
- I may not be smart enough to make this work as efficiently as I thought it would work
- Using this is the difference between using the quick hitch or taking it off and hooking it up like normal (I leave the quick hitch on as much as possible, but have the option).
Click to expand...
Does this floating style top link work like a chain toplink? I never did understand what good using a chain would do, but tried it.

With the rigid top link, when the trailing wheels go over a bump the whole rake goes up but stays parallel to the ground. The rake is harder to lift this way, so it tends not to bounce so much.

When I tried using a chain for a toplink, running over a bump caused the rake to pivot up around the 3pt arms which takes less effort and makes the rake more lively.

Result was about the same each way except the rigid top link worked better to keep the rake pulling level.
I think the standard rigid top link is the way to go on mine.

rScotty
 
   / landscape rakes? #49  
The slot give the rake a bit more wiggle room to help absorb change before translating it to the rake, but I don't know if it is worth taking the quick hitch off to use. Maybe on an absolute final grade, but that isn't how I use the rake most of the time.

I have a homemade gravel spreader/reclaimer that runs a chain instead of the top link full time. tt basically drags exactly as the countour of the road but also has a longer contact patch with the road. The rake is riding on the tines and maybe wheels if installed.
 
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