Landscape Rake Gauge Wheels

[donconnery]

So I just read about every post I could find on gauge wheels, which was probably a mistake because I thought I had a good grasp but now I知 clueless. I picked up a 6ft used King Kutter rake to tow behind my Bx23s. Our road has some hills and valleys and controlling the 3pt is not my specialty. So I ordered some gauge wheels. My biggest question is what to do with the top link. Should I disconnect it all together? I assume after I get the wheels set where I want I should drop the 3 pt all the way down to make it 吐loat? Im guessing this will all make more sense after I get them on and tinker with them, but for now all I get to do is sit and ponder.

 

[chriswheeler]

That is almost exactly what I used to maintain my 3/4" crushed rock driveway that was almost 500 feet long. What I did to make it work was between the top link and the wheel contact with the ground. I never used a Kubota BX23 tractor, but my JD 970 3 point lever has a stop setting position on the lever. I don't know how much HP you have with that Jubota, but that will dictate how deep you can take a bite with the 6" rake, 4wd?? and tire conditions. Between the 3 point drop with the control lever, and the top link, The wheel contact point with the ground, good control with multiple passes. When I was in your position, best trainer was mounting the rake to the 3 point and testing these adjustments to see what happens. This 6' rake was great at maintaining the rock drive, Also a great tool for snow removal. ( I would never have guess that, got to read a post here and gave it a try ) The thing that I didn't like was over time and multiple times with the rake, I got rock displaced on both sides where I didn't have room to run the rake. Great part about this was after a rain or snow period, rake was used to bring the rock back to the top from being compressed in the wet weather lower into the dirt. Over a 15 year period I had to buy 2 loads of rock, All things considered, not bad, that was one attachment that paid for itself many times over.
Chris

 

[donconnery]

No position control on the 3 pt. So i think i should put it all the way down and disconnect the top link so that it will float. I have 23 horse and was taking deep bites with no problem in 4wd. Sounds like its going to be trial and error.

 

[Rebeldad1]

The top link is what holds the frame up or down for depth of cut. With wheels adjusted and touching it holds the frame to control depth of the tines. Without a top link the rake will keep filling up and lowering the tines deeper into the road.

I can lower my 7' rake down with the 3point till the wheels touch and lower or raise the tines with top link adjustment. That will control depth of cut. I try to keep about 3" of material in the rake which gives me about a 1" cut that fills right back onto the road. I also travel at a really slow speed so it dosent hop.
Looks great and doesnt dog out all the organic material from the crushed rock.

 

[Avenger]

I wouldn't disconnect the top link. Think about it, your gauge wheels are on the back of the rake? (my king kutter landscape rake does not have wheels, but my buddies does, on the back). You lower the rake into the gravel, remove the top link and drive forward, the rake will tilt forward, lifting the wheels up, and the tines will be perpendicular the the gravel. Thats if the top link pin doesnt hit the back of the tractor.

I dont use the wheels (I dont have the wheels), so I set my angle with the top link and side link. Turn the 'blade' to the desired angle, and go over and over the areas until it's level and smooth. Might take some doing if you have some hills and valleys. Might also consider using a box blade to smooth it out first, then the rake to groom it.

Now, if your rake has the wheels before the tines, then that might change things. I would actually look into making that hook to the draw bar and have hydraulic up and down. That would probably be the best landscape rake ever! A pull type rake!

 

[donconnery]

So ive been out experimenting. If Ive got this right, once the wheels are on the ground, lenghtening the top link lowers the tines? Does that sound right? Thats what it looks like to me.

 

[Avenger]

If your wheels are on the ground, and you lengthen the top link, you are probably forcing the wheels into the ground more, squishing them or flexing the frame. Do you have a photo?

What I have seen my friend do (with the wheels) is get everything set. Set the depth, the cutting angle, side angle, level, etc. THEN set the wheels on the ground. Once everything is set, make a mark or use a stop on the 3pt control lever. This way you can lift and lower to the same point every time.

 

[donconnery]

If your wheels are on the ground, and you lengthen the top link, you are probably forcing the wheels into the ground more, squishing them or flexing the frame. Do you have a photo?

What I have seen my friend do (with the wheels) is get everything set. Set the depth, the cutting angle, side angle, level, etc. THEN set the wheels on the ground. Once everything is set, make a mark or use a stop on the 3pt control lever. This way you can lift and lower to the same point every time.

where I'm currently at. I only have three bushings for each wheel so not a lot of options there. and I dont have position control on 3 pt.

 

[Avenger]

what do you mean by "I dont have position control on the 3pt."? You cannot let it down and stop it at a certain point? Or are you talking about draft control where the tractor makes the adjustments for you based off the pressure of the top link?

If I were you, I'd throw those wheels in the scrap bin, or turn them up so they are out of the way. Set your angle with the toplink to more of a comb angle (like you'd comb your hair) and run with it.

 

[donconnery]

I can stop it at a certain point of course, but I have no way of telling where that point is, so when I turn around and have to reset it, it always seems to be in a different spot. I just have a single lever 3pt that resets to center when I let go. So what I usually do is hold it until the arms are as low as they will go, and continue holding since theres no down pressure.