Ratchet Rake - ever seen/used one?

[IslandTractor]

:confused3:You guy's make is sound so easy because I might have the rake on and doing a job but will see something that also needs to be done and have to run and change the setup like move those logs and put the forks on. Or see after moving the logs I need to take the forks off and just use the FEL I am so confused that I can not do one thing at a time and stuck with on and off multi tasking.

Easy way to do it is to make piles with the RR, then remove the RR temporarily (3 minute task) then use the bucket to move the piles and when finished either reattach the RR or just throw it into the bucket and go home. I sometimes carry my bucket in the grapple so I can have both implements at a work site. You could do the same with forks.

 

[ArmyPair2]

I got one pile ready to burn right now in a few minutes and it took close to 30 days to have the right conditions.

 

[vulcancowboy]

Pretty impressive, plus they are literally just on the other side of the hill from me, could save the shipping cost.

 

[IslandTractor]

Pretty impressive, plus they are literally just on the other side of the hill from me, could save the shipping cost.

I haven't checked for a while but a year or two ago they were not selling direct to anyone. Maybe that has changed.

 

[murphy1244]

TSC had a close out sale last year.

 

[FTG-05]

I haven't checked for a while but a year or two ago they were not selling direct to anyone. Maybe that has changed.

I hope so since I just ordered one direct from the RR people about 3 hours ago. Paypal had my old address, so I e-mailed the RR people and had a response from Barbara within an hour - on a Saturday! I take that as a good sign of their good service.

P.S. I got the FS version, chains are easier to fix than cables plus more robust IMO.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The RR is the easiest/quickest implement to add and remove by myself of any that I've owned. I can have it off in a minute or less and back on in 2 minutes or less by myself, see how I keep repeating by myself? That's important to those who work by themselves.:thumbsup:
The Company is GREAT. My first RR was the bigger one and I traded down to a smaller tractor which REQUIRED ANOTHER RR but smaller size which I ordered immediately (before TSC selling, they only sold direct) which left me with the bigger one. The lady at RR hooked me up with a buyer who came from Tn to me to buy my bigger one at near what I paid for it. What other Company would do that?
I was the skeptic early on as can be seen in the early pages of this thread since no one owned a RR or were not stepping forward to tell about it and the price seemed low for what it indicated that it did. I had bought a toothbar before and it was more trouble than it was worth, to me, so I was wanting more personal usage info before sending money. GREAT COMPANY!!! GREAT IMPLEMENT!!!
PS They switched from full straps to a metal cable/strap ratchet combo. One day I rec'd the new cable/strap combo in the mail.

 

[QuasarZ]

Wow I just read all the posts. I feel I went through some history here haha. I really want this rake, but I really want a tractor first haha.

 

[BGigHarbor]

I know I am repeating, but I will repeat the excellent advice someone earlier gave to buy the chain version of the ratchet rake. Not really much more trouble and much more durable for abuse.

I don't use my RR as much as I did when first clearing my property, but still love it and glad to have it. For those that have never seen one in person, the images are misleading. The thing is very robust and my 72 inch version weighs like 110 lbs.....

 

[ArmyPair2]

Wow I just read all the posts. I feel I went through some history here haha. I really want this rake, but I really want a tractor first haha.

Do what I did first order a brush hog and then let it show up and have the wife asks you ok now what are you going to tow it with? I got my tractor out of that, then ordered a ratchet rake to go along with it. All I know it worked for me but learn how to bring flowers when you ask for pallet forks.

 

[RaydaKub]

:All I know it worked for me but learn how to bring flowers when you ask for pallet forks.

Filling up the forks with flowers should work, alright...

 

[FTG-05]

I know I am repeating, but I will repeat the excellent advice someone earlier gave to buy the chain version of the ratchet rake. Not really much more trouble and much more durable for abuse.

I don't use my RR as much as I did when first clearing my property, but still love it and glad to have it. For those that have never seen one in person, the images are misleading. The thing is very robust and my 72 inch version weighs like 110 lbs.....

Yea, no kidding about how robust the thing is. I ordered the 72" with the FS option. Heavy piece of meat!!

Ordered it on Saturday AM, Fedex delivered it the following Wed; SE PA to south central TN. It doesn't get better than that. My thanks to Barbara and the crew at RR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[agscheidle]

I've owned a ratchet rake "ATR" for about a year now. Excellent company to deal with and a quality piece of equipment. I hope to get the bucket rake very soon. I've sent them quite a few support questions/inquiries and always received a prompt and courteous replies.

 

[22rimfire]

Well I've got a whopping 5 hours on my BX2370 now I've had it for a couple weeks, but it seems when I have time, it's raining, and when it's not raining I have other things to do, (Like my real job ) anyway that's how long it took me to figure out I "needed" the RR! I got the FEL, LP brush hog, and box scraper with the tractor, but after seeing the RR I new I would use it a lot. So I ordered one from the TBN store. I was considering the pirhana as well, and I may yet get one, but for now I think the RR is going to help a lot with what I've got going. (Clearing Blackberries, then cleaning up the ground, and also grading gravel driveway). I also ordered the Bxpanded hooks for the bucket while I was on their website. Oh yeah I almost forgot I also picked up a dump trailer, which I have used a bunch and has saved me what used to be 100 wheelbarrow trips. Man I'm loving this

 

[jeff9366]

I was clearing grape vines from Oaks with my 68" Ratchet Rake this afternoon.

I will feed the grape vines into my PTO powered chipper tomorrow. Just like slurping spaghetti.

 

[IslandTractor]

I was clearing grape vines from Oaks with my 68" Ratchet Rake this afternoon. I will feed the grape vines into my PTO powered chipper tomorrow. Just like slurping spaghetti.

Be careful. Those vines are strong and the chipper will suck them and anything they are wrapped around into the chipper.

I haven't tried shredding grape vines but I had a battle royale with grape vine roots when I tilled a field. Nasty buggers would wrap around the tiller and pull out of the soil like giant worms rather than be cut by the tines. I spent hours cutting them off the clogged rotor. Nightmare. I finally figured out that the soil was wet which kept the roots flexible and allowed them to be sucked out of the ground. I waited until mid summer when the soil and roots were dry then the tiller just chopped them up.

 

[Cherokee140]

I was clearing grape vines from Oaks with my 68" Ratchet Rake this afternoon.

I will feed the grape vines into my PTO powered chipper tomorrow. Just like slurping spaghetti.

I would pay money to see that.....I have those vines growing up into my trees....told the story about trying to pull them out of the trees with a Model 70. I hooked a pull rope around the vine then tied it to the bar on the tractor....that tractor came up on its back wheels so fast...it also has a hand clutch that took me a minute to remember....Scarred the crap out of me.

 

[jeff9366]

When I was pulling 4"+ vines out of a fair sized tree, leafing out but with fungus on the trunk, the tree broke off at about the 18' level and the upper half of the trunk fell beside the tractor, about five feet away. Vines so often kill the trees about half way up.

I have had the Wallenstein PTO chipper self-feed uniform diameter vines up to 35' long. Its fun but requires situational awareness at all times.

 

[DKCDKC]

I really like the RR and find uses from clearing brush to smoothing the gardens... It is strong, but not immune to damage. I use it to grade my gravel drive between major box blade workouts. But there are some hidden rocks in the roadbed - and one of them broke off a RR tooth last fall. I didn't notice anything until I took it off the following day. One of the small teeth is just completely gone. I don't guess it'll hurt anything, but I hate damaging equipment.

 

[Cherokee140]

I really like the RR and find uses from clearing brush to smoothing the gardens... It is strong, but not immune to damage. I use it to grade my gravel drive between major box blade workouts. But there are some hidden rocks in the roadbed - and one of them broke off a RR tooth last fall. I didn't notice anything until I took it off the following day. One of the small teeth is just completely gone. I don't guess it'll hurt anything, but I hate damaging equipment.

Might be worth sending them a note about it....you never know till you ask, they might take care of you on it.