core aerator

Marks481 · May 6, 2006

For all of you with the PT core aerator... is there something about the PT version (other then most likely built like a tank) that makes it worth so much more then some other heavy duty aerators on the market? I am assuming that the PT aerator isn't powered. A quick look at Ebay turns up a $500 and an $800 model which look to be similarly heavy duty.

Both of these look like they would be easy to stick onto a quick attach plate, and the red one also comes with blades to put in the place of the spoons to allow you to slice the lawn prior to seeding.

A follow-on question. My soil is very hard clay with thousands of rocks... am I just going to destroy the spoons, so I would be better off renting an aerator and destroying someone else's spoons?

pajoube · May 6, 2006

Good question about renting against buying based on your soil conditions. I would consider renting and using only in the fall after a good rain period. I have the PT core aerator and really like it but I do not have rocks and very good soil.
PJ

Marks481 · May 7, 2006

anybody think of any speciifc virtue of a front mount aerator rather then a tow behind aerator? Trying to make a decision here on features and price.

MuncyBob · May 7, 2006

Seems to me that you would want to tow one so you are not pushing the cores back into the ground???

pajoube · May 8, 2006

The big difference with having it up front is that you can put downward pressure from the attachment arms. Having it on the back you will need to put weights on top of the aerator.
As to the core plug being removed, it comes out of the top and falls to the ground. One reason to do this in the fall is that you will leave the plug on the ground over winter and it becomes soil.
PJ

Marks481 · May 10, 2006

Well, I had just about convinced myself to spring for the $1500 core aerator from Power Trac. Then I got a freight quote.

$660 for shipping (when picking up at the local terminal). Guess that pretty much makes up my mind. I only paid $700 for shipping of my PT422 and three pallets of attachments.

Guess I need to take a vacation and drive down to VA to buy any remaining attachments that I could ever imagine buying. I can't imagine how expensive it will be to buy this stuff after I move to Seattle.

So anybody have a recommendation about decent tow-Behind aerators? Am I going to be wsting my money if I by ine from sears or lowes (my guess is YES).

tracdoc · May 10, 2006

Tim,

Those prices for the unit and shipping to CT are way high, especially for something most of us use once or twice a year.

I was looking at {THIS} one from Carter & Carter in TN. Their 4' and 5' units are $700 and $800, respectively. I don't know about shipping, but you could give 'em a call. Geez, you can get a 400# 3-pt hitch core aerator from Northern Tool shipped by Yellow to CT for around $150.

Marks481 · May 11, 2006

Well, I inquired again about the shipping cost, which seemed outlandishly high (especially since I was quoted $95 shipping cost for other brands of aerators from TN and SC). Scott at Power Trac said it was because their shipping office classified it as some level of "hazardous cargo" due to the spoons. I suggested that they take them off and send them in a box separately... yeah, 60 bolts is alot of bolts, but I have an impact driver that would make extremely short work of that. Guess that can't happen; I can't see PT selling many of the aerators with the high up front and shipping costs. Instead I ordered an attachment plate that I will bolt onto a 3pt aerator.

HGM · May 11, 2006

I'm into the rental idea myself.. I only do about 1ac of my yard with it, I rent it from the local rental shop on the way home and return it the next morning for a 1/2 charge of $25..Its a tow behind I use the 4wheeler..

Hope you dont mind my asking a question here, but how often do you guys use an aerator? Can $1500 be justified?? Excuse the ignorance here, maybe I should be doing my yard more than once a year or dont have nearly the yard to aerate as most of you guys, but I'm just curious since there are allot of attachments I'd rather have for myself...The dammage you mentioned is another factor..

Marks481 · May 11, 2006

no, I can't really justify the $1500.

I just don't have alot of free time, and when the mood strikes me to aerate (and the weather cooperates) I would rather spend an hour on my yard instead of a couple hours driving to and from the rental place, cleaning someone elses implement, etc.

I like to buy tools once and am willing to pay a premium, rather then risk buying a string of cheap implements . Seems like I can buy a very heavy duty aerator in the $400-700 range, and modify an adaptor plate to mimic a three point hitch (or bolt the adaptor plate to the aerator) and have essentially the same thing as the PT version. It looks like it is important to get a model that uses spools made up of two disks with tines on them, rather then individually rotating discs with tines one them (based on one individual describing the downside of the PT version).

I called all the local tractor supply shops, and none of the stock 48" size aerators, and want shipping charges which are much more then buying from a number of different internet retailers and shipping to the terminal (shipping quotes range from $95-135).

Of all the aerators I have looked at, the Midwest/LIC A20-48 looks like the best bet. $725 plus $95 shipping is still a bit steep, though.

tarheel tractor