Do I need a ratchet rake if I get a Wicked root rake grapple

blaster668 · Feb 4, 2020

I just ordered an LS XR4140H and I am planning to get an EA Wicked 60" root rake grapple for it soon. I've also seen several videos of the ratchet rake that make it look great for clearing land too. I have 50 acres, about half forest and half overgrown pasture. This land has tons of multi flora rose that I need to try to get under control. I plan to do some food plots, trails, and general cleanup / clearing. Do you guys think I need to get the ratchet rake too, or will the root rake grapple do everything that it would do? I'm also planning to get a good 6' rotary cutter, 3pt. disc, and a cultipacker. My dad already has a 6' box blade and a 6' rear blade I have access to.

jeff9366 · Feb 4, 2020

On your fairly heavy compact tractor the grapple should suffice. The grapple will penetrate deeper than a Ratchet Rake which only penetrates 2" to 3". After all, it is a rake.

blaster668 said:
I have 50 acres, about half forest and half overgrown pasture. This land has tons of multi flora rose that I need to try to get under control. I plan to do some food plots, trails, and general cleanup / clearing. I'm also planning to get a good 6' rotary cutter, 3pt. disc, and a cultipacker. My dad already has a 6' box blade and a 6' rear blade I have access to.

A box blade with scarifies will expose most multiflora rose and rake out some. For pasture renovation and clearing roots in your woodland you may wish to consider an Field Cultivator/lightweight Chisel Plow/All Purpose Plow/Ripper. Some overlap with the grapple. Heavy work is best done from the Three Point Hitch.

MORE: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=

VIDEO: How to Use a Ripper / Field Cultivator - Gardening Series - YouTube

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blaster668 · Feb 4, 2020

jeff9366 said:
Difficult to answer your question without having your location as part of your T-B-N PROFILE. Soils differ.

On your fairly heavy compact tractor the grapple should suffice. The grapple will penetrate deeper than a Ratchet Rake which only penetrates 2" to 3". After all, it is a rake.

A box blade with scarifies will expose most multiflora rose and rake out some. For pasture renovation and clearing roots in your woodland you may wish to consider an Field Cultivator/lightweight Chisel Plow/All Purpose Plow/Ripper. Some overlap with the grapple. Heavy work is best done from the Three Point Hitch.

I just added the location, but it is Polk, PA which is in NW PA. Our soil is made up of glacial till and a lot of rocks mixed in. After getting down past the couple inches of topsoil it is a lot of clay. I have not done any digging in these pastures, but there are huge piles of rocks around the property, so I assume most of the rocks close to the surface were removed when it was an active farm. One reason I really liked the ratchet rake in videos is that it looks like it can leave a nice prepped surface for seeding. I was thinking I could use that for food plots, but I'm sure it would be much more efficient to use discs and a cultipacker. Dad also has a subsoiler, and a couple old plows that I don't know much about. I know one is a huge single bottom "potato" plow that actually looks like an over-sized middle-buster.

jeff9366 · Feb 4, 2020

blaster668 said:
Our soil is made up of glacial till and a lot of rocks mixed in. After getting down past the couple inches of topsoil it is a lot of clay. I have not done any digging in these pastures, but there are huge piles of rocks around the property, so I assume most of the rocks close to the surface were removed when it was an active farm.

You do not want to mix top soil with clay subsoil. I withdraw my suggestion of a Chisel Plow/All Purpose Plow/Ripper, which will penetrate too deep and may be overtaxed in Pennsylvania clay.

For food plots most fertilize/lime, disc harrow, sow seed and cultipack. Food plot seeds are eager germinators.

An $8 soil test and amending with lime and fertilizer per test results will do more to improve yield than refining tilth. Having soil pH within plant range is important or fertilizer will not be properly absorbed by plants. Inform soil test agency the primary seed you will plant.

As the teeth on a Ratchet Rake are rigid I am dubious about RR sieving rocks, which seems more like work for a slightly flexible tooth EA Landscape Rake, operated on an angle. Where I operate in Florida the soil is rock free sandy loam. I have no experience with stoney clay.

Pontific8 · Feb 5, 2020

blaster668 said:
I just ordered an LS XR4140H and I am planning to get an EA Wicked 60" root rake grapple for it soon. I've also seen several videos of the ratchet rake that make it look great for clearing land too. I have 50 acres, about half forest and half overgrown pasture. This land has tons of multi flora rose that I need to try to get under control. I plan to do some food plots, trails, and general cleanup / clearing. Do you guys think I need to get the ratchet rake too, or will the root rake grapple do everything that it would do? I'm also planning to get a good 6' rotary cutter, 3pt. disc, and a cultipacker. My dad already has a 6' box blade and a 6' rear blade I have access to.

Blaster, from your plans to purchase other, much more expensive implements, I (as a very happy RR owner) don't think you will regret spending $415. for the Heavy Duty 72" wide RR - made from 5/8' steel (weight is your friend with this tool). I would go with the "Forestry" option, forgoing the ratchet straps for the much more secure ratchet load binders, at no extra charge. Happy Back-Blading with the RR!!

JohnnyMX · Feb 7, 2020

I had a ton of multiflora rose in upstate NY. My grapple was the first tool I have used that I felt like it was productive. I sprayed, salted, used telesoping pole saw to cut at ground level and you are are always left with the pile of dead thorny nonsense. I have yet to find a pair of workgloves that hold up to that stuff. Grapple just rips them out of the ground and cleans up the mess. I finally have most of it under control.

shooterdon · Feb 7, 2020

The downside of the RR for me was the need to remove it. The video (attaching a small one) makes it look easy but where do you store it when not in use. I am old so muscling around a 72" unit was not something I wanted to do. Tying up the loader bucket seemed like a poor trade off in my situation. I looked at getting a SSQA plate and attaching the RR to it. Cost came to about $700+ (I would need to farm out welding tabs on the SSQA for the RR to hook on to).

I wound up getting a Piranha bar that stays attached to the loader and a cheap $1000 MTL grapple. Cost was double but I needed the grapple anyway as I use it to process firewood. One caution on the MTL, it is not a HD unit but it has worked fine for me. I have 20 acres and only about 5 that I am removing saplings from. It will rarely be used to rip out roots after that job is done.

If you will be getting a grapple anyway (the only sensible way to move brush IMHO) I would start with that and see how it works. You can always add the RR or Piranha bar if needed.

Wanted to add....one "advantage" of a less sturdy grapple for me....I am new at this. I would rather damage the grapple (cheaper to fix) than the loader cylinders. It is amazing what a 40 HP tractor weighing close to 6000 lbs (filled tires and ballast box)can do!