Rake Harley rake buy or hire?

[GreatWhitehunter]

I've got the oportunity to buy a used Woods Harely rake. I looks like I'll be getting it for $2500. I know how much they are new so I feel pretty good about it. It's 6" model and the carbides are almost new as is the entire unit. It also has the hydralic windrowing option. All in all the unit is in really good shape. I'm having a new lawn installed in the spring and I've done all the clearing and grading myself and really only need to rake, install the sprinklers and hydro seed. The guy who's seeding has a guy with a tak tracked skid steer and harley. After I talked to him he seemed kind of carefree and was all about what "he's not doing" after he rakes. So when I found the harley forsale I figured the **** with him I'll buy the rake do it myself and sell the rake after for a small profit. Well I was explaining the plan to the war dept. and she thinks I'm crazy to spend 2500 when the guy will do it for 1k. I think my plan is better and want to hear some of YOUR opinions. Thanks

Matt

 

[firemen122]

If you have the extra 2500 bucks and feel you can get 2500 or 2000 when your done go or it. You could go down to 1500 and still break even cause you would pay 1000 to other guy. If ya get 2500 for it you made 1000 in my book. Pretty good pay for less than a days work. Now could ya rent one for a few hundred? Then no possible repair costs just a thought..

 

[IslandTractor]

I've never seen a PTO powered Harley rake for rent in New England. $2500 for a very good condition 6ft unit would be a pretty darn good price and you could use it for your job then probably sell it for just about as much.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

Island your right, you can't find a harley for rent in NE. Sunbelt's website says they have them but only the southern stores actually do. This rake new is almost 9k. I was bidding on a 5' on ebay it had a bin of 3500 and sold quickly for the bin. So I figure I really can't lose. Since they're so rare in NE I figured a fellow NE TBNer would be pretty happy to rent or buy mine. It just seems to me that this is a good deal all the way around. But I have been known to get carried away with my toys. So I appreciate the third party feedback.


Matt

 

[McCaskey]

Look at the weld joints at each end of the carbide roller. If these welds are new or cracked, walk away. They don't use a solid shaft thru the entire roller, only 2 stubbed ends. These drive stubs are welded internally to 2 plates, one foot inside each roller end. When they crack and break, it's almost impossible to fix and keep balanced. Removing, fixing & installing the roller is a major PIA.

Speaking from experience, I also paid $2500 for a used PTO Harley Rake. But after trying to fix the roller welds, then purchasing a new replacement, it would have been cheaper to purchase a new rake.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

MC, what brand rake was it? I believe the Woods unit is made for them by Harley. Was it a skid steer unit? If so I was told buy a friend that the skid steer models take more of a beating due to the ability to reverse the direction of the roller. As far as the welds, couldn't you have made the axle shaft full length instead? Are you saying the roller replacement cost as much as a new rake?

Matt

 

[McCaskey]

My rake was made by Harley. It's a tractor PTO style. The replacement carbide roller was $1800, including shipping & tax. Took me 8 hours to swap out rollers. Replacing the shaft in the failed roller was expensive because of the machining on the drive end. Balancing is also difficult, so replacement was less risky.

Inspecting the welds at the drive end is hard because there is a steel shield around the bearing end plate.

It's a good rake, just be wary of the roller joints.

 

[IslandTractor]

Since they're so rare in NE I figured a fellow NE TBNer would be pretty happy to rent or buy mine.

Count me in.

 

[TCBoomer]

Greatwhite...
while I cant offer any input about the rake...I'd like to make a suggestion about putting the new lawn in this coming spring.

Any chance U can wait til fall? I too reside in CT...SE CT in fact...and have seeded both in the spring and fall. When I seeded a new lawn in the spring, it took several yrs to get full growth and no bare spots. I fought the heat and drought of summer with a daily watering and still couldn't keep it from burning. Of course my hilltop setting may have contributed to the problem.

Several yrs ago, I plowed under my 2.5 acres of lawn and started from scratch again. This time I seeded in the fall with outstanding results. And this was the result from using a broadcast hopper...maybe hydroseeding will give U better results? Never again will I seed a new lawn in the spring

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

The fall seeding has been discussed. The hyroseeding contractor and I agreed that fall is the best time to seed and your experiances are echoed from many. The down fall is if I don't plant is spring I'll be staring at dirt for most of the warmer months and I'll have to fight weeds. If I seed in spring the contractor adds a weed inhibiter that won't 100% eliminate weeds but pretty close. That's were the sprinklers come into play. New lawns need to be watered atleast 3 times per day. So I know that the lawn will be fuller in fall but it's a toss up. My yard is slightly down hill so without grass I end up with erosion issues. If I do buy this rake I most likey will wait till fall since I can just use the harley to remove any unwanted plant growth and then add topsoil and seed. This is the last lawn I ever want to install at this house.

Matt