Rake Landscape Rakes

rScotty · Feb 15, 2009

I've been thinking about adding a landscape rake to the implement herd, and would like to hear what features are important to the guys that use them. Gauge wheels? reversing the tines? One that I've looked at is the Woods with a flip down blade. Does that work?
Thanks, rscotty

djradz · Feb 15, 2009

Not sure you mean by reversing the tines, but in case you mean being able to go backwards, with the entire rake turned around, I have never had to do that.

Defineately, gage wheels are almost essential and if you search you'll find many posters that bought rakes end up adding the wheels. Only problem is they often are $100-$150 per wheel.

A drop-down blade is nice if you plan to move much material around, but is not essential.

Hooked_on_HP · Feb 15, 2009

Guage wheels are a must. Make sure there isn't a lot of up and down movement at the pivot. My KK would move up and down about an inch before I modified it and it made a big difference.
Bill

rScotty · Feb 15, 2009

djradz said:
Not sure you mean by reversing the tines, but in case you mean being able to go backwards, with the entire rake turned around

Yes, that 's what I mean. Turning the entire rake around, and swapping the loader bucket for a three point hitch that quick-attaches onto the loader arms. Then pick up the reversed rake with the front 3 point and push it rather than pull it. I don't know how well this scheme will work, but it should be easy to try. I'm thinking that the gauge wheels might have to be reversed too.
rScotty

Thomas · Feb 15, 2009

I use older style York Rake,and York seen a lot of different action..ditching,brush scraping,hay gathering,smoothing etc...5' w/drop down blade.
I don't have adjustment wheels instead feather leveler and works well.

IslandTractor · Feb 15, 2009

rScotty said:
Yes, that 's what I mean. Turning the entire rake around, and swapping the loader bucket for a three point hitch that quick-attaches onto the loader arms. Then pick up the reversed rake with the front 3 point and push it rather than pull it. I don't know how well this scheme will work, but it should be easy to try. I'm thinking that the gauge wheels might have to be reversed too.
rScotty

Putting the reversed rake on the FEL 3PT adapter works very well. I wouldn't use it that way to clear a field but for more detail oriented work where more positional control is needed it is much easier than using it in rear mount.

I took my gauge wheels off and as I don't do driveway maintenance, I don't find any real use for the gauge wheels anyway.

farmboy12 · Feb 15, 2009

Never needed gauge wheels. But, if you're fairly new to "the tractor world," and think this might help you, go for it. When you get a lot of experience, you'll understand not needing them.

Kyle

coobie · Feb 15, 2009

I would look at befco,landpride and woods rakes with gauge wheels.These are Heavy duty rakes that should serve you well for many years.coobie

canoetrpr · Feb 16, 2009

I've taken my guage wheels off and haven't put them on. I find they get in the way for many things that I do with my rake other than working on the drive - like for cleanup of manure etc. around the pole barn and close to fences.

To be honest, I don't think that my results improved at all with the guage wheels on the driveway either. I've found the box blade to be the best tool for me for the drive way and I think I have figured out what works for me. I've received lots of help on this board in refining my techinque with the box blade.

canoetrpr · Feb 16, 2009

Oh yeah... don't go cheap. I got a Kodiak and the quality is no where near the Woods etc. I've broken a tine, several welds on the guage wheel assembly came apart.

Thats all after about 10 uses or so and I'm pretty easy on my stuff.

KML · Feb 16, 2009

The rake is one of the most used implements I have. I like my gauge wheels for road work but don't use them much for any other job.

I find the rake very good at bringing the rock that gets pushed off the sides of the road back up. Though it can be done without wheels, it requires keeping an eye on what the ground is doing and adjusting the rake. With 1 3/4 miles of road to keep up, I'd need surgery to straighten my neck out after just one pass! Wheels make it much more "hands off".

I agree with buying a well built rake if it's in the budget. Mine was a TSC special (Farm Force) and has twisted up a little. I'll have to straighten it and add some reinforcements soon.

Happy hunting, and remember - there's always room for one more implement!

pitt_md · Feb 17, 2009

I have to make my standard pitch about the Lienbach rake. It's about $700 with the wheels for a 7' model and seems to be very strong. I moved a LOT of rock and dirt around with it and never had a problem. Quite often the rake was filled with rock and I just kept going and didn't do any damage.

Your Milage May Vary...

KML · Feb 17, 2009

Here's a pic of the twisting I mentioned. Not the end of the world and definately fixable. A more heavily built rake would hold up better I'm sure.

AndyMA · Feb 17, 2009

Hooked_on_HP said:
Guage wheels are a must. Make sure there isn't a lot of up and down movement at the pivot. My KK would move up and down about an inch before I modified it and it made a big difference.
Bill

I've been using York type rakes for over 40 years. Guage wheels are not a must. They help some operators, particualaly inexperienced ones. All the early york rakes I did 10's of lawns with had no guage wheels. My current very heavy duty 8' Ford rake has guage wheels which I very rarely mount.

I do spin my rake around 180 degrees quite often and push up to building etc. Then I spin it again and pull away from the buildings. Very quick and effective.

Andy

tractorman99 · Feb 17, 2009

Land Pride Or Leinbach

RobJ · Feb 17, 2009

I made mine. Love using a rake, actually works like advertised. I flipped it around a couple times. REALLY bites the ground and will not let anything pass. Never needed guage wheels because I'm mostly raking up crap, leaves, twigs, maybe covering some seed, etc. I use a BoxBlade to move dirt if I need to. Much better suited IMO.

I did finally break 2 tines pulling crap from a next years food plot/garden. I can be a little rough on it at times.

I have to manually flip mine...but 99% of the time I just pull it.

Captinjack · Feb 17, 2009

One rake feature that I find very worthwhile is the ability to offset the entire rake to one side or the other. This allows the tractor wheels to stay on a road or pond dam breast and rake the gutters or whatever to the side.

The black bar can be shortened or lengthend to get about 3 feet offset to either side. This works really well when I have to clean the leaves out of my property dirt road ditches.

The Landpride rake isn't cheap, but it sure is heavy and stout and has taken a licking so far. I have home made wheels for it, but haven't installed them yet as it works good enough so far without them.

tude · Feb 20, 2009

Don't buy a York type rake, buy the original from York Modern.

teach · Feb 20, 2009

Guage wheels work well for spreading loam when nstalling new lawns.
Teach

ninefinger · Feb 20, 2009

I wanted a Fred Cain but could not find one in my area. I have been cruising craigslist and stumbled on a 6' for $175. Picked it up this afternoon, not sure who made it yet but looks pretty stout. Plan to clean it up tommorrow, knock some rust off and paint it. It will be fine for me.