BX23 landscape rake guage wheels? yes or no?

broomjob · Sep 27, 2004

I would like to purchase a rake but have several questions.
Should I go with a 48" or 60" rake? Also, whats the story with the guage wheels. I can save $190 if I dont get the wheels but the salesman highly reccomends them. Any advice would be greatly appriciated.

aardvark · Sep 27, 2004

I haven't used my 60" rake on my BX23 yet, but it did pull fine on a smaller/lighter B6000 machine. The wheels would be useful to set the height to keep the rake from digging in too deep. I had this problem with the B6000 I borrowed, mine does not have wheels. I will probably make some removable wheels for my King Kutter rake.

Henro · Sep 27, 2004

My BX2200 pulls the 6' landscape rake (kk) that I have for my B2910. Actually really well.

This year I bought a set of gage wheels for the rake. I love them and highly recommend them. Without the gage wheels the rake drags things, but it tends to follow the surface and it is difficult to level things out, in my experience. For spreading crushed stone on the driveway or leveling soil before planting grass, the wheels make a huge difference, at least in my case.

If you can weld it would save you quite a bit to make a set yourself, rather than buy from the manufacturer of the rake, as they are pretty pricy for what you get. In my case I had too many things going on and decided if I did not buy I would not have them made before the first snow... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

MadReferee posted a thread recently about gage wheels he made for his rake...you can probably find that thread if you do a search... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

ducati996 · Sep 27, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I would like to purchase a rake but have several questions.
Should I go with a 48" or 60" rake? Also, whats the story with the guage wheels. I can save $190 if I dont get the wheels but the salesman highly reccomends them. Any advice would be greatly appriciated. )</font>

I had my rake without the wheels first, it did a good job. I got the wheels and now the rake does a great job and does not dig into the soil, it follows the contour of the ground...its worth the $190 IMO

Duc

JOELENAHAN · Sep 27, 2004

I recently borrowed my father-in laws Landpride 7ft. rake. I first started pulling it with my Kubota B7800. It did a good job getting the smaller stones out of my "soon to be yard". It did a great job without the guage wheels, but then Hurricane Ivan hit. I had to repair about 1/2 mile of driveway. I first tried to fix it without the wheels then I put them on, what a difference. I figure I wasted 1/2 an hour trying to fix the road without them than if I would have jut put them on. From now of I swear by guage wheels. HENRO makes a good point though by saying that if you have any welding experience, you could make a comparable set of guage wheels at a potion of the cost from the manufactuer.

Nik · Sep 27, 2004

you may want to check out the WOODS estate rake which is designed specifically for the BX model. I think you may have better control and more lift height with this model.. Had a WOODS landscape 6 foot rake when I had my B2410 and I found the gage wheels helpful. I now have a BX23 and would get the estate rake with gage wheels if I were to get another rake. This smaller rake would also be much easier to manuever to hook up to your BX and probably work as well a a larger rake if not better. I often wished my 6' rake was shorter for the smaller areas I needed to work in. The 3 point stand for that rake sits at a height that I think would make it difficult to attach to the BX and leave little or no lift height. The estate rake 3 point attachment is situated much lower.

BXMMCC · Sep 27, 2004

I have the same setup as Nik - I agree 100% with his observations!

Junkman · Sep 27, 2004

Go to Northern Tools and buy the Howse Landscape rake and wheel kit.. the wheels are $129 when I last checked and the rake is about $349 for a 6'. This is what I have on the BX22 and it is fine...

Northern Web Site Page for Rake.....

Northern Web Page for Wheel Kit...

Junkman · Sep 28, 2004

How to build your own landscape rake wheels..

I have posted pictures of my BX22 with the rake attached, but I am unable to locate them now... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

aardvark · Sep 28, 2004

As a side note, I removed the backhoe from my BX23 last night and installed the landscape rake. It's a King Kutter XB series 60" rake. Fits very nicely. bought it at TSC several months ago, I think it was $350, but they gave me 5% off because the paint was scratched. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif