Dozer Root Rake Bracket Sizing?

[Piston]

What thickness steel would you recommend for a small dozer root rake? This is a 90" Rockland rake going on a Cat D3B (about 15,000lbs).

 

[Piston]

forgot the pics.

 

[Rustyiron]

For mounting it on the dozer blade or adding more "rakes" to it?

 

[mikester]

Short answer is YES.

Longer answer: The steel thickness selected depends on the metal grade used, design loads, and desired factor of safety.

 

[Rustyiron]

I was going to buy a rake for my excavator and then got to thinking about using it in my not flat terrain and unless I have the machine parallel to the ground that I'd only have an end tooth engaging the ground. No bueno!
My current thinking is to make a rake attachment for my L/R adjustable grading bucket for it's angle adjustability.

 

[Piston]

For mounting it on the dozer blade or adding more "rakes" to it?

Valid question lol.
For mounting it to the dozer blade.

I don’t want anymore tines/teeth on the bottom because my dozer is pretty small so I feel like the more tines there are, the less effective it will be.

I was thinking 3/4” plate. I also need brackets to weld to the rake itself since this is designed to be bolted onto a case/deere with the mounting bracket.

 

[Piston]

Short answer is YES.

Longer answer: The steel thickness selected depends on the metal grade used, design loads, and desired factor of safety.

This is a backyard mechanic special, there will be no engineering calculations done here
When in doubt, overbuild.

 

[Piston]

This is the back of it showing the mount. Any idea of this is a Deere or case mount? Or are they the same?

 

[Rustyiron]

Hey Piston I would take your shown (cardboard) approach except from the other direction, similar upward diagonally from the square tube on the rake to a simple pair of tabs on the top of the dozer blade minimizing interference during any dozing activities. I'd think about including something simple down low on the rake to handle sideways forces while turning (in the dirt) to be transferred to the dozer blade. At this point the upper mountings load is basically to "hang" the rake on and presumably with a hinge action via a big azz pair of bolts.
The lower sideway forces thingies could be something as simple as a heavy "tab" on the rake that was in contact with the blade using some more of that 3/4" material you are thinking about. I believe that will fall into your overbuilt category nicely.

 

[Piston]

Thank you Rusty, I like your “tab” idea for the lateral forces. I will incorporate that as well. Thanks for the ideas.