Rake Using a landsacpe rake without a toplink

[seapea]

Has anyone tried using their landscape rake without attaching the toplink? I just gave it a try and it seems to work pretty well. I have guage wheels, and usually I would use the toplink to control how much the tines dig in. Problem is that I don't have a hydraulic toplink and find I need to adjust way too often.

I found that if I removed the toplink, I could use the 3PH lift height to control how much the tines dig in. If the load is getting too light, I lower the 3PH a bit. If the load is getting too big, then I raise it a bit. You can do the same to bite more into high spots and leave more dirt in low spots, although the guage wheels already pretty much take of of this for you. For transport, just lift the 3PH way up and the tines don't engage.

Of course this only works if you have guage wheels. Otherwise your rake tines will be fully weighted on the dirt the whole time

You might be able to do same with a boxblade, using the rear blade like guage wheels, although with a heavy load it may start to tilt forward, causing the front blade to dig in even more, possibly leading to a full 90 degree rotation.

Chris

 

[greg_g]

I found that if I removed the toplink, I could use the 3PH lift height to control how much the tines dig in.

I'll try not to offend Chris, but it's clear you simply don't understand three point hitch geometry. Take note that your toplink is adjustable; turn it one way it gets longer, turn it the other way it gets shorter. It's designed that way on purpose. When attached to a rake, lengthening the toplink makes the tines more agressive. Shortening - obviously - does the opposite. If your tractor has draft control, it gives you even more control over the rake.;

I understand that it's frustrating that these things don't wanna work the way you want right outa the box. But once you get a feel for the geometry of tractors versus ground engagement implements, there's a good chance you'll wonder why you even wasted money on training wheels.

//greg//

 

[srjones]

Has anyone tried using their landscape rake without attaching the toplink? I just gave it a try and it seems to work pretty well. I have guage wheels, and usually I would use the toplink to control how much the tines dig in. Problem is that I don't have a hydraulic toplink and find I need to adjust way too often.

I found that if I removed the toplink, I could use the 3PH lift height to control how much the tines dig in. If the load is getting too light, I lower the 3PH a bit. If the load is getting too big, then I raise it a bit. You can do the same to bite more into high spots and leave more dirt in low spots, although the guage wheels already pretty much take of of this for you. For transport, just lift the 3PH way up and the tines don't engage.

Of course this only works if you have guage wheels. Otherwise your rake tines will be fully weighted on the dirt the whole time

You might be able to do same with a boxblade, using the rear blade like guage wheels, although with a heavy load it may start to tilt forward, causing the front blade to dig in even more, possibly leading to a full 90 degree rotation.

Chris

I've found the same thing too. Especially over uneven ground where you want to rake it but not dig into the ground too much. The challenge though is when you need to raise it all the way off the ground (like when to backing into a rough spot)

To get the best of both worlds you might make up a top link made at least partially of a length of chain. This ridid only in tension, whereas a normal toplink is rigid in tension and compression.

-Steve

 

[seapea]

I'll try not to offend Chris, but it's clear you simply don't understand three point hitch geometry. Take note that your toplink is adjustable; turn it one way it gets longer, turn it the other way it gets shorter. It's designed that way on purpose. When attached to a rake, lengthening the toplink makes the tines more agressive. Shortening - obviously - does the opposite.

You've got it backwards. Shortening the toplink makes it bite more aggressively when you have guage wheels. I understand it is the opposite for rakes and blades without guage wheels, since lengthening gives you a steeper angle to bite into the soil. However, when you have guage wheels or a box blade with fixed rear blade, lengthening the toplink lifts the blade/tines up. Lengthen it enough and you get no contact with the soil at all because all the weight is on the guage wheels or rear blade.

If your tractor has draft control, it gives you even more control over the rake.;

I understand that it's frustrating that these things don't wanna work the way you want right outa the box. But once you get a feel for the geometry of tractors versus ground engagement implements, there's a good chance you'll wonder why you even wasted money on training wheels.

//greg//

I think you've misunderstood how/why I'm doing this. I want to continually make adjustments as the rake fills too much or too little. I also want to take bigger bites out of high spots and dump extra soil into low spots (I'm not talking about potholes and bumps that the rake will pretty much take care of on its one). I can't get out of the seat every 30 feet to adjust the toplink. The 3PH lift arms allow my to adjust the rake bite on the fly just like a hydraulic toplink would. If you've ever seen a tow behind rake with a hydraulic height adjustment, it's pretty much the same principal.

 

[seapea]

I've found the same thing too. Especially over uneven ground where you want to rake it but not dig into the ground too much. The challenge though is when you need to raise it all the way off the ground (like when to backing into a rough spot)

At long as you have guage wheels, you should be able to get the tines 3-4" off ground, but this won't suffice for a big pile of dirt, or for brush that you want to get the rake behind.

To get the best of both worlds you might make up a top link made at least partially of a length of chain. This ridid only in tension, whereas a normal toplink is rigid in tension and compression.

-Steve

Good idea.

Chris

 

[Justaplain]

Who cares about the theory. Just use a short length of chain so you can pick the rake up and then start experimenting.Good luck bcs

 

[amigauser]

If you angle the rake it will do a better job of removing high spots and filling in the low spots without any adjustment. I have found that works best on my gravel driveway to get is smooth.

If you do not angle the rake it basically follows the contour of the land, especially with the toplink connected. When the tractor goes up on a hump, so does the rake. Angling the rake helps offset this affect.

 

[Cidertom]

I made up a dual link like that found on my mower. Two flat bars about 6" long with top link sized holes. adjust top link to keep them slightly loose then you get the easy grading you want and still be able to pick it up.

 

[Woody_NH]

Interesting idea, Chris. I'll give it a try next time I am working on the gravel driveway.

BTW: We have about 25 miles of gravel roads in town and the highway department has a rake that they pull behind a truck via a trailer hitch. They use the gauge wheels and angle setting to get the results they want. Maybe they have the advantage of not knowing about 3 point hitch theory.