Pasture Retorvator

[chowl]

Can anyone tell me if my JD 4720 Hydro could pull a four shank pasture retorvator. I was told it would be a bit tuff
on the tractor.

I found a Hayking three shank used ( looks new and well keep) for $750.00. Is this a fair price.

Thanks
Les

 

[heehaw]

i thought about not making this post, but then i decided i might not be the only one around that has no idea what that device is??? especially when you put a $750 price tag on a used one??
heehaw

 

[JESSE1]

I think the 3 shank pasture renovator would be okay to use with your tractor. You could probably pull the 4 shank if you ran it shallow but then you'd not get the benefit from it.

If the 3 shank has the rolling coulters in front of the shanks it's probably worth $750 but I'd check with a dealer in the area to be sure.

HeeHaw-- a pasture renovator is actually a sub-soiler that runs fairly shallow. It creates channels in the soil so the grass roots can grow and allows fertilizer to penetrate faster. Very common to use these on bermuda grass pastures and coastal bermuda hayfields.

 

[RonR]

Maybe I'm too cheap and/or don't understand exactly what this machine does, but wow, what I envision as a 3 chisel plow type shanks on a tool bar, sounds a LOT expensive for $750. I guess I would look to see if I could buy the shanks, then some box beam to mount them on. Even if you had to pay a welder, a coupla hundred, seems one could build one for less (using surplus iron of course).

I have built one tool bar type device, and plan to build one more (or mod the first one). I want to be able to mount my box blade scarfiers on it to make a similar ripper. To me, having a multi-functional tool bar I can add or swap tools to makes more sense to me.

Pic is the original toolbar set to rip in lines.

Ron

 

[JESSE1]

The HayKing renovators usually have a rolling coulter that penetrates about 2 inches and slices the grass and roots in front of the shanks and helps prevent tearing of the roots out of the ground. The shanks can be spring-loaded or have a shear bolt for protection from rocks. These renovators work real well in a hay meadow to loosen the soil without tearing up the ground too bad.

New ones usually cost $1000 upwards depending on the # of shanks and whether they have springs or shear bolts. Go to www.hayking.com to see what they are.

 

[heehaw]

ok, so other than not having the cutting wheel in front, why wouldn't a good box blade, with the teeth lowered as far as they would go, and the blade not hittin the ground, do the same thing?? i have a 7 tooth somethingorother, that i am going to take a pic of, so someone can tell me what its called. the teeth are spring loaded, but i have heard it called a pasture renovator, and a spring tooth harrow: so i don't have a clue what it is, but if its worth $750 its about to be sold.
heehaw

 

[JESSE1]

The box blade may work if the shanks aren't too close together. They would tear up the grass pretty bad if they're closer than about a foot apart.

I use a 10' disk set so it slices straight into the ground and pull a steel drag behind it when I go over the pasture. It won't penetrate as much as a renovator but still loosens and smoothes the pasture.

 

[RonR]

Ok, Jesse1, I'm smarter now thanks to the info you sent. Yes, the coulters would both help keep the clods down and add to the cost, so $750 might not be bad. For around here, I think 10HP/shank would be a minimum; 15 would probably be better.

The disadvantage to a box blade IMHO is that you would only get about 4-5" of pentration before the blade hit. And in use, I'm sure the blade would occasionally catch the sod and that would leave a bigger mess. Only if you had a stand alone tool bar would the scarifiers work as I see it.

One tool I've seen the hiway construction crews use to seed the new roadways appears to be a single row of straight coulters about 6-8" apart. After the dirt is leveled and worked, they spread seed, then mulch type hay. The coulter disk helps bury the seed and anchor the hay. I'd like to try a disk like that to loosen my fescue/clay soil........

Best wishes,
ron

 

[chowl]

Thanks to everyone that had input on the pasture retorvator.

I've had my eye on one of these for sometime now. The thing
that keep me from getting one of these was due to the cost. I check into the cost of a Hayking four shank retorvator for
$1,400.00. My dealer was going to be able to get me a Armadillo four shank for $1050.00.

I came across a three shank by Hayking that was like brand new looking to me. The guy asked $750.00 for this three shank retorvator. So I payed him cash and took it that same night. I felt the retorvator cost new was around $1,200.00 or so.

I think that I could make it a four shank very easy if I wish to in the future. I would have to make the retorvator go from 46 inches to 66 inches or add 10 inches on each side. Then I
would have to add a extra shank and disk. This would give a 5ft. 10 inch wide.

I'm very glad to be able to get a retorvator. My ground over the years has gotten pack down hard over the years.

Thanks
Les

 

[beenthere]

chowl
Where does the name "retorvator" come from? I thought it was a typo but you keep using it for what appears to be "renovator".
Just curious.

 

[chowl]

beenthere

You're are correct about the spelling. It's renovator. I was trying to make sure I was getting my points across and didn't
check the spelling.

Thanks
Les

 

[HobbleCreek]

I didn't know either HH, and I wouldn't have even if the spelling had been correct. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

What's the purpose of this device? Is it basically like aeratiing the lawn? We have a device similiar to the one on hayking's website (with a bunch of springs) on the farm, but in thirty years I never saw my grandfather use it. It's just sitting now rusting in the (now also unused) siliage pit. Maybe I can use this renovator (if that's what it is) on my pastures. I'll try to get a picture of it and you can help me figure out what it is.

-- Grant

 

[beenthere]

It is not like an aerator, but tears up the sod. See the site mentioned and click on the 'pasture renovator' for a great picture. An aerator punches holes.

Your farm 'find' sounds like a spring-tooth harrow. It may not penetrate pasture sod very well. We used to use it to work up tilled soil and weed spots. Might give it a try however, and see if it will work for you.
Pics if you do /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Also check out Sweet Equipments website, and look at the Farnham renovator (If it's still on his site) It was an earlier attempt at what HayKing is marketing now, but with a fertilizer/lime spreader built on to the unit.

Pastures tend to get VERY compacted. Grass can't root, water can't drain through the soil, which compounds the problems. A "renovator" is simular to a zone builder crossed with a chisel plow. They do an excellent job of improving soil structure.

 

[HobbleCreek]

I took the camera to work with me so that I could stop and take pics of that implement. Too bad the battery was at home in the charger. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I think you're correct about it being a harrow. That's what I've always considered it to be. If I get a chance to take some pics in the next couple of days I will post them.

-- Grant