Hay Rake Advice - Bar vs. Rotary

[3020jd2955]

Need some opinions on rotary vs. bar rakes. I know there are a bunch of older posts on this subject and have read a lot of them – just asking for some fresh opinions. Most of our hay is pure timothy or orchard grass, with a few alfalfa mix stands. Make 200-250 acres/year, both round and square bales.

Currently run a NH 256 and really like these rakes – simple to operate, work on and do a pretty good job. Have lots of good experience with the NH rakes. We have also been using a carted wheel rake some but recently sold it. Never was a fan of this rake because it balled up in heavy hay and windrows were just too big to square bale behind.

Looking to add either another 256 or a rotary for our second rake. Everyone tells me the rotary rakes can’t be beat for getting hay dry faster and making nice fluffy windrows, which really interests me. But, is the extra cost of the rotary worth it compared to the bar rakes? Also, won’t fuel usage be higher for the pto rotary rake vs. idling around the field pulling the 256?

Appreciate any advice!

 

[RodinNS]

Rotaries probably don't rope hay quite as much as a bar rake so the rows do dry a bit quicker. It's not something I'd bank on tho.
The biggest thing with a rotary is that you have a big heavy rake that will take a lot of hard use. There's nothing about them that's cheaper from parts right on up... but if you have a need to rake heavy, sometimes green crop they're about the only ticket that will work and stand up. I've got 5 or 6 seasons use on a Kuhn now without doing anything more than grease it periodically. In heavy crop I rake one row onto clean ground. In moderate crop, depending on conditions... I may rake two rows together back to back. If I'm raking a poor crop I start on the outside and keep pushing until I get enough row to pick up. This happens at times in a light crop of barley straw....
With this rake... I often drive at 8-10 mph. Just set the rotor level on the wheels then push the toplink out to hold it level... and drive like hell.
I will never, ever buy another bar rake. It's also worth nothing that this model take 14'... so that right there is 50% more crop than a bar rake is taking right there.
The biggest downside is that you need a very stout tractor to carry these things around. Weight is right at 1650# which when hung out behind requires about 3000-3500# rated lift capacity on the three point and a corresponding amount of front weight.

Rod

 

[W R]

I'd go for a NH bar rake anytime.

 

[Ken Sweet]

Rotary rakes are a short life machine (lots of moving parts), however, they don't rope the hay and you will have a quicker drying time, if you don't knock off all your leaves in the process. Ken Sweet

 

[RodinNS]

Lifespan is a factor of what quality you buy. I've had junk and I've had good...
I don't find leaf retention to be any different here than it is with any other type of rake.

Rod

 

[lfc]

I had run 256's forever, but also had heard good things about the rotaries. Last year I traded my pair of 256's (along with a double hitch that I never liked) on a new pull-type Kuhn GA4220, and as far as I'm concerned it is the way to go. It makes a great fluffy windrow that really helped me out with a late, heavy first cut last year. Although it is wider than a 256 I do go slower, but that is the fault of the tractor. I use a Ford 4610, and used to pull the 256's in 7th at 1200 rpm or so. With the Kuhn, it tends to clump up some (drops the hay in small piles) if the pto speed is that slow so in order not to go too fast for my fields I have to drop down to 6th at 1500 rpm. I do miss the double hitch for doubling up late cuttings, but overall I'll take the rotary over the bar.

 

[showcrop]

I tried rotaries two different times, and while I liked the way they raked, they make the hay stand up better, They don't turn anywhere near as sharp as a rollabar. My fields are oddly shaped or must be raked in sections due to variations in moisture in the ground, so I have lots of centers where tight turning ability helps a lot.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a bar (nh56) and a Kuhn rotary and I'd say the rotary is easier on the leaves. It just does not seem to beat the hay up as much as a bar rake does. I just wish I could find a cost-effective method of covering a little more ground. The 8 foot or so working width of the rotary and the bar rake makes raking time consuming. Cant believe you do over 200 acres with a 256!!

 

[RodinNS]

At least some of the med-large rotaries have a pivot frame so they'll basically come around as sharp as the tractor... I wouldn't say this one never scuffs on the turns... but it's pretty good. It's also got tandem bogies under it rather than a simple two wheel setup. Generally run it as fast as a Ford 3930 will go in sixth but sometimes have to idle back a bit in light crop so it doesn't toss the hay too far...

Rod

 

[farmboyWI]

In our experience, a rotary is tough on alfalfa and likes to rake up stones, and a bar rake rolls red-clover into a rope. For grass a rotary would probably be your best bet. It does leave fluffy rows. We've also had very good luck with our NH144-the bar and rotary spend alot of time sitting now. Down side on the inverters is the pickup could be a bit wider and it will only merge 9-foot rows unless you get the 166 with hyd. extension. May not fit your operation but take a look!

 

[John e.c.MI]

The trend here is moving to rotary rakes. They build nice fluffly windrows which dry nicer than hay raked with a bar rake. I have a super nice rotary rake for sale if you are interested for not much more money than a good bar rake.

 

[3020jd2955]

Thanks for the tips. Glad to hear you dont need to run the tractor pto wide open to keep the rake working like it should.

 

[3020jd2955]

Rod -

Thanks for all of the information. I have read a lot of your posts on the subject in the past. If I got the rotary route I would be getting a trailed model with tandems, not many hay tools around here (VA) are mounted. Thanks again.

 

[Sparktrician]

We have 2 new holland 256 rakes. I built a hitch to pull them in tandem last year. Works great. You can cover alot of ground fast! Neighboors have those claus rakes that are like a tedder.....cost a bunch of money too! our 256 rakes are paid for and do a darn good job....we have a tedder for use with heavy hay the first time over. Often, we tedd once, then rake once and bale. Over course of three days.....we make about 200 acres of hay ourselves.....