Using a Chain Harrow?

[Starboard]

Howdy, guys. I am a newbie here, so ya'll go easy on me, will ya?

I bought an 8' chain harrow when I got my new John Deere 3038e. The harrow works great with the teeth down, even pulling it behind a disc. My problem comes in flipping it over to use it without the teeth down. Not sure what that thing weighs, but I can't lift it on my own. How do you guys do it?

I first thought about picking it up with a chain wrapped around the bucket. The thought was I could kill two birds with one stone and not only flip it over, but get the trash out of it at the same time. Instead I decided the easiest thing was to just put a chain on it and pull the front back over the top. That didn't work out so well. Now I have a tangled mess. Help!

 

[ChuckinNH]

I have a much smaller one that I can manage, but they are difficult to turn over. Northern Hydraulic does sell a 3pt lift for the different sizes of them pretty cheaply, but I would think the loader with a chain from both sides would work too.

 

[jenkinsph]

Consider having a couple of hooks welded to the bucket, would make this process a lot easier. With a lot of trash you may find yourself cleaning the harrow often.


Steve

 

[Soundguy]

should be no problem with a loader.. just chain and lift it up and spin around and lay back down.

soundguy

 

[NuBota]

My eight footer is actually two pieces - so I separate 'em and do the fold/roll over thing - works pretty well.

 

[whistlepig]

should be no problem with a loader.. just chain and lift it up and spin around and lay back down.

soundguy

That's the way I do it.

 

[Soundguy]

seems like the least manual labor involved.. etc.

soundguy

 

[Mike120]

I've got a 8' pipe (2") on the front and back of mine and use a 3pt boom to carry it around. Flipping it over or shifting it front to back is no problem with the boom.

 

[greg_g]

Mine's here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-harrow-lift-how-use-745989-harrow-lifted.jpg . I bought four 4x4 sections > mated them > built a frame from drill pipe > added a 6' extension to my boom pole - added lift chains > went to work. Teeth face forward. Cleaning is accomplished by raising the boom pole slightly while reversing.

//greg//

 

[Starboard]

When I got back at it I found that this chain harrow was actually in four sections. The sections were wired together latterly with very light wire. I removed those little wires and separated the sections. It was then easy to handle. I did use a chain to suspend the front sections from the bucket to work on it.

Thanks to all for your ideas and help. Now, I need to figure out how to store the thing off the ground so that I can get to it when I need it.

 

[Soundguy]

if you got a board fence, could hang the individual sections from it.. that or make a sawhorse.. or similar arangement out of a couple fence posts and a 2x6 and hang them over.

soundguy

 

[greg_g]

If yours is 5/8" steel like mine, don't worry about storing it on the ground. Mines 10 years old, and is parked right in the pasture when not in use. Hasn't hurt it a bit.

//greg//

 

[Soundguy]

that's wher emine lays.. and it's one I inherited from my stepdad.. it's oldold.. and still fine with a light rusty patina. I store it wherever I unhitch it from the tractor after pulling it..

soundguy

 

[Starboard]

That sounds great Greg and Soundguy. Makes sense to me. If it's good enough for you, it is good enough for me.
That is what I am going to do with it, let her lay. Thanks.

 

[Soundguy]

Just don't hit it with your batwing mower after your friend borrows it and leaves it inthe middle of the pasture, vs along a fence.. it makes a terrible clatter!

soundguy