Rake 6 foot power rake for tractor with 24 hp at PTO - anyone have that combo?

[wreckedit]

Hi All,
I maintain a long crushed shale driveway that get beat up every winter. I may bite the bullet and buy a power rake, they look awesome (on youtube at least), but wow are they $$. Here is my question: I run an L3130 HST with a 6 foot track with R4 tires , only 24 HP at the PTO. I need the 6 foot rake to cover my tracks. According to mfg websites, this is marginal TPO HP for a 6 footer. Has anyone tried it on a shale/crushed stone driveway? Ted from EA did a video of a 6 footer with a 32 HP machine, but it was in dirt, not stone, and the machine struggled a bit. Not sure if it would struggle more on a stone drive.

As a possible related question, I was thinking of adding fluid to my rears for more stability with loader and more traction. My only 2 concern would be a) would the 31 HP struggle on hills lugging up loaded tires, and b) since I occasionally drive over my lawn, will it leave more depressions once loaded?

Thanks for your collective wisdom on this rainy NE Sunday.
Rich

 

[jeff9366]

Have you considered a Land Plane Grading Scraper?

VIDEO: land plane grading scraper - YouTube

What are you using for Three Point Hitch mounted counterbalance when doing loader work? Counterbalance on the Three Point Hitch is cantilevered behind the rear axle and is far more effective, pound for pound, than liquid in the rear tires. Three Point Hitch counterbalance is normally around 60% to 70% of FEL lift capacity.

I have Kubota's LA 805 FEL = 1,700 lift capacity (+/-) Most of the time I carry an ETA 600 pound Cultipacker as Three Point Hitch ballast. Photo #1
If I expect to lift more I mount a 900 pound TR3 Rake, which is heavier than the Cultipacker AND PROJECTS FURTHER TO THE REAR. Photo #2
I use both the Cultipacker and TR3 Rake in trail maintenance, so alternate regularly.

In the interest of loader longevity I rarely lift more than 1,400 pounds but I can if necessary.

The weight distribution on a bare tractor is 40% F / 60% R. With a Loader, closer to 50% F / 50% rear.



RE: lawn; With loaded tires the weight is always there. You can detach Three Point Hitch counterbalance. My personal preference is for Three Point Hitch ballast. I would only load the rear tires if you work on hills reasonably often, when tire ballast lowers the center-of-gravity of the tractor.

You will not mark turf when soil is dry and you have 2-WD selected. When soil is damp, you may. You know how supportive your soil is better than anyone outside your area.

 

[Old Red]

You might be better off with a grader scraper than a power rake. I have both....well at least I had a power rake (and sold it) and currently have a Lead Prid Grader Scraper. I would actually like to have my power rake back, but not for driveways. I like it on lawn prep/rennoavation and creating the smoothest turf you can imagine. They are awesome pieces of equipment but just priced ridiculously high. Anyway, don't count out the LPGS for driveway maintenance, it might be the best tool I have ever used to maintain driveways.

As far as horsepower I just don't know. My power rake was a bobcat brand that was on my Bobcat T190 tracked skid steer and it was ran hydraulically. Good luck, either attachment you end up getting you will really really like them!

 

[wreckedit]

HI Jeff, I actually have LP grading scraper that I like, but for potholes (often series of potholes), I find that while it has rippers to rip the hole, I have to manually add in more material to fill the void. When the drive is hard, the only way to fill the scraper with material to fill voids is to scrape long areas to scrape, mix, and fill the hole with material. I am hopeful that with a power rake, I can focus on say a 50 foot section, let the rake dig and homogenize the material (which it seems to do beautifully), and then, with the end plates of the power rake attached, let it fill the void back it. It seems it would be faster, and by the looks of things, you get a really nice mix of fines and larger bits of stone that fill the void. However, I do not know how it works in reality.
RE counterweight, I do use the BB, but I find that at 550 LBS it is still too light.

Old Red, yes I have seen those skid steer mounted power rakes and they induce drool very quickly.

Thanks both.

 

[jeff9366]

Personally, I would have a feeder pile of crushed shale in an out-of-the-way place and use the Loader to fill ripped pot holes.

However, I understand IMPLEMENT FEVER. Implement fever is why/how I acquired the TR3 Rake.

 

[wreckedit]

How do you like the rake? it looks cool. it is heavy duty enough for a crushed stone drive? Or more for dirt working?
Thanks

 

[jeff9366]

ABI TR3 Rake: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...3-rake-multipurpose-implement.html?highlight=

 

[amhicks21]

Ive graded lots of crushed limestone driveways with an 80" ati preseeder behind either an l3540 or l3400 (and the l6060 but thats just overkill) and they have plenty of power for it. it actually takes a lot less hp for crushed stone than it does for grading clay. I dont have any experience with crushed shale, but limestone packs super hard over time so it should be a fair comparison. I guess the biggest issue is going to be the particle size. if there is lots of it thats over 2" it'll pull it along and leave all the finer stuff. What i can say for sure though is you'd love how flawlessly flat and smooth you can get a driveway with a power rake. If you have lots of really big rocks its probably not a good idea though.

 

[Tags]

I used to use a 6 foot Pro Harley rake on an L35 years ago, not sure what the PTO hp was but it pulled it fine. It would certainly bog if you got into cutting out heavy sod but you would just not take such a big bite. The Pro rake has a set of hydraulically raised and lowered scarifiers that were very handy. My feeling is that you can't beat a power rake, its great for all kinds of grading weather it be lawn prep or driveway grading or just leveling up an area.

I would keep an eye on Craigs list in your area, Isee them on there all the time for a decent price.

 

[Zick]

I've got a homemade power rake that is 5' and it works fine on my 17hp PTO. Now granted I've only used it so far for landscape grading but I've had it buried deep and never ran out of power. I'm sure your 24hp will be fine for 6'.