Hydraulic Rolabar Rake

[flusher]

I'm looking at one of these NH rakes at a local dealer.

It's 8-9 ft wide, tow type rake that's driven by a hydraulic motor instead of being ground-driven by the wheels.

Question: any advantages to hydraulic drive on a rake like this?
Any drawbacks?
Is raking performace better, worse or unchanged by going to hydraulic drive?

 

[zzvyb6]

With hydraulic drive, the reel as always turning. In some instances with ground drive, traction is a problem (dry soil) so the reel stops. Best advantage is that you don't have to get off the seat or out of the cab to disconnect the reel drive for transport. There's probably some other differences:

The reel speed is constant regardless of ground speed. The cost of a cheap low speed low power hyd. motor is less than the gearbox + drive shaft + u joints. This includes the special axle they use to run a offset wheels left to right. Don't need ground drive traction tires. Same reel velocity no matter which way you turn, can stop the reel momentarily to tiptoe across a windrow without spilling it, can reverse it if you get something caught up in it, can adjust reel velocity independent of ground speed for light or heavy crop. Since there's probably a hydraulic cylinder there already for raising and lowering the header, you are already gonna be having to connect some hose(s).

 

[flusher]

With hydraulic drive, the reel as always turning. In some instances with ground drive, traction is a problem (dry soil) so the reel stops. Best advantage is that you don't have to get off the seat or out of the cab to disconnect the reel drive for transport. There's probably some other differences:

The reel speed is constant regardless of ground speed. The cost of a cheap low speed low power hyd. motor is less than the gearbox + drive shaft + u joints. This includes the special axle they use to run a offset wheels left to right. Don't need ground drive traction tires. Same reel velocity no matter which way you turn, can stop the reel momentarily to tiptoe across a windrow without spilling it, can reverse it if you get something caught up in it, can adjust reel velocity independent of ground speed for light or heavy crop. Since there's probably a hydraulic cylinder there already for raising and lowering the header, you are already gonna be having to connect some hose(s).

Thanks for your input. Looks like hydraulic drive is a real plus. Fortunately I have triple remotes on my new Mahindra 5525 so powering the rake is no problem