Rake power rake question

[jenkinsph]

Builder, thanks for the reply



Steve

 

[Builder]

No problem guys. Happy to help out!

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Ati corporation makes a 3ph model, go to ATI Corporation - Home

I have the 84" Erskine model for skidsteers and am vary happy with how it works. As has been mentioned it is more of a surface treatment then a tiller. It grinds the humps into fines where as a tiller cut out chunks.
I still tend to till first if the soil is real tough like virgin clay or stony. If the stones are real bad I will rake it with the teeth on a bucket to loosen it up first and save the rake pounding on the stones. Once the stones are loose they won't hurt the carbide teeth and it windrow the nicely. But a 12" plus rock stuck tight in the ground can break the carbide tips off.

If your site is real uneven you may want to work it close to grade with a land plane or bucket. Power raking is more for taking the last few inches of humps off and dropping the fines in the holes, gathering debris and finishing the surface.
Drum diameter is 10" and it have 4 spiral wrapped rows of teeth. This reduces the torque to turn the drum and aids in wind rowing compared to a straight line of teeth.
Rpm is aprox 250 depending on hydraulic flow and I don't find running it at max rpm helps any.
These rakes also do a excellent job of shake soil out of sod clumps and breaking up balls or hard soil. The yard or driveway will look like you put it all though a screener.
Ken

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've found here in rocky New England that I almost always need to first run my box blade with the scarifiers down to bust up the hard pack and displace the rocks. Then the harley rake easily windrows the rocks and grinds up the soil. A local hydro seeder I do site pre for actually likes to add in any soil ammendments (like lime etc.) while I'm raking the soil. He claims that soil test conducted at Umass show how effective this method is? It makes sense after seeing the end results of the established lawns. There is one area that I've found the rake to be lacking. It is supposed to be able to be run on exsisting lawns and reduce the thatch and grass back to dirt and compost. I've found it takes way too much time with the rake to get the results I'm after. I'd much rather run a tiller over the area then run the rake. The tiller does a better job of breaking the soil clots down.

Matt

 

[Builder]

I've found here in rocky New England that I almost always need to first run my box blade with the scarifiers down to bust up the hard pack and displace the rocks. Then the harley rake easily windrows the rocks and grinds up the soil. A local hydro seeder I do site pre for actually likes to add in any soil ammendments (like lime etc.) while I'm raking the soil. He claims that soil test conducted at Umass show how effective this method is? It makes sense after seeing the end results of the established lawns. There is one area that I've found the rake to be lacking. It is supposed to be able to be run on exsisting lawns and reduce the thatch and grass back to dirt and compost. I've found it takes way too much time with the rake to get the results I'm after. I'd much rather run a tiller over the area then run the rake. The tiller does a better job of breaking the soil clots down.

Matt

Why don't you just buy the optional scarifier that mounts in front of the power rake?

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

What optional scarifier? I've got the Woods unit(made by harley).

Matt

 

[tractorski]

I have a 6 foot Harley Rake and wouldn't trade it for anything. It has 114 "spikes" (2 per row, 57 rows) and each row is about 1 3/8 inches center to center. I used it alot for gravel driveway and parking lot resurfacing. The drum is approx. 7 inches in diameter. I too would like to know about the scarifier.

 

[Builder]

Harley rakes have an optional scarifier tooth bar that goes in front of the rotating drum. They are used to till the ground up & bust up the crust so the rake can dig down further.

I have also seen them with a leveling screed that drags behind the drum, too.

I don't think my 7'-6" Landpride Power rake has that option, but I hope it does because I need it for a big upcoming job-lots of clay & hard soil.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Harley rakes have an optional scarifier tooth bar that goes in front of the rotating drum. They are used to till the ground up & bust up the crust so the rake can dig down further.

I have also seen them with a leveling screed that drags behind the drum, too.

I don't think my 7'-6" Landpride Power rake has that option, but I hope it does because I need it for a big upcoming job-lots of clay & hard soil.

I search today and can't find any rake with the options you listed. Are you confusing the rake with a pulverizer? I've seen older rakes with different drums and a spring tooth harrow type thing on the front. But there's not site that has a setup like your talking about.

Matt

 

[Builder]

I search today and can't find any rake with the options you listed. Are you confusing the rake with a pulverizer? I've seen older rakes with different drums and a spring tooth harrow type thing on the front. But there's not site that has a setup like your talking about.

Matt

Nope, no pulverizer, that's what I'm talking about. I guess they stopped offering it. Harley used to offer it with a hyraulic lift so you could raise/lower it with a remote.

Wonder why they dumped such a useful, thoughtful option

I'd love to have that!