Rake Power Rake - "End Caps" needed?

[Spudland_Dave]

Still working on building my Power rake..its coming along nicely...Question, How necessary are the "end Caps" for them?
From a user standpoint who has never used a power rake, I cant see the need for them...but I sit here saying "most of them come with the end caps so they must be helpful/needed"

Experienced Power Rake Operators...what do you think?

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

A harley rake has multiple uses and depending on yours will dictate the need for end plates. If your going to be skimming the soil for rocks and want to make straight runs and then deposit the rock the end plates keep the rocks moving forward and don't windrow off to the side. If you're going to bury the roller 6" in the dirt the end plates aren't needed since your really tilling the soil rather than separating debris. For me i like to remove one side plate and angle the rake so the rocks exit out the side without the plate. This way I've got a neat windrow of rocks easy to pick up. The long and short of it is the end plates keep material in front of the roller so it really depends on how your using your rake as to whether you need them or not.

Matt

 

[Spudland_Dave]

My intended use is/was to use it to rejuvinate my current yard, and use it for future expansions...

So I can see myself using it for cleanup, and spreading new Loam etc... so yeah, I'd want to be windrowing rocks, root pieces, etc...

Let me ask this...if you broke/lost the wings off your harley rake, would you replace them?
What it boils down too is I dont want to build the wings and related hardware only to find them collecting dust in the garage. From my research seems like the old ones didnt have wings, and now all the new ones do.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Yes I would buy them if they were lost. But that said I also use the rake commercial so my needs change depending what job I'm doing. I feel the sides are worth having.

Matt