Landscape Rake, need opinion !

[dinoedwards]

This one is listed as $325, Iron Craft is $750 for 5'
Ebay has some for $300, thoughts on quality for home owner use.

 

[Scrambler82]

Thanks for all the input !
A 60" Rake was purchased from Tractor Supply and has more than done the job I've asked of it.

Now my FEL Control Valve is leaking and I need either a Rebuild kit of a Rebuilt Unit but I don't know where to go... ALWAYS something ! LoL !
After that a rear mounted valve body to give me more control of the box blade and Grader/Scraper !

 

[rScotty]

The FEL control valve might have an external gasket or O ring where the spool vavle exits the valve body. Those might be serviceable. Also the relief valve and the detent valve for the arms - if it has a detent type valve - can both leak and be serviced.
There are no internal parts to service.
Luck,
rScotty

 

[Scrambler82]

The FEL control valve might have an external gasket or O ring where the spool vavle exits the valve body. Those might be serviceable. Also the relief valve and the detent valve for the arms - if it has a detent type valve - can both leak and be serviced.
There are no internal parts to service.
Luck,
rScotty

Thanks for the info.

I was looking at it and ws wondering if I could replace the seals.

I will look around for a supplier.

 

[KenBike]

I like a landscape rake with gage wheels, own a 72" landpride for use behind my Kubota L6060.
Use it in place of the blade unless the surface is to hard to dig my heel into.
Have 800 ft driveway and it does a great job dressing it out and restoring the crown down the center.

 

[sixdogs]

+1 on York rakes. I've had mine with scarifier, gauge wheels, hyd. angle and grader blade for over 20 years. Not one broken part or repair in all that time while maintaining 1.25 miles of private road.

View attachment 2905479

Prior to the York, I had several cheap rakes which didn't last long doing this heavy work.

If the work you do isn't rough, you could get away with a cheap one though. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for with this type of equipment.

This will do a great job

 

[sixdogs]

I've used landscape rakes, sometimes called rock rakes for maybe 35 years. I used them for professional grading use plus my own driveway. They work best if heavy duty, wide enough and user understands how they work. I turned new yards into areas that were flat as a pancake.

1. Heavy is your friend and the more weight the better. Light won't do the job as well.
2. Wide works best. I use an 8 ft Woods HD rake. Narrower much more difficult.
3. Either have "draft control" on your tractor and know how to use it or get rear gauge wheels. Both best. Otherwise, not as much fun.

There are lots of serious and complete discussions on TBN about the use of draft control, what it is and how it works. Without that or rear gauge wheels you'll just ride the hills and valleys and make each more pronounced. Too soft dirt will not grade very well unless a harder base underneath.

A big secret here is that a perfect use for a rock rake is moving fluffier amounts of snow. Snow plowing. Just angle rake, drive forward and sweep the snow to the side. It does a remarkably good job.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks for the info.

I was looking at it and ws wondering if I could replace the seals.

I will look around for a supplier.

Most probably the seals are O rings and maybe a formed gasket. Ace Hdwr has both O rings and gasket material.