Rakes again

[SVcummins]

Anybody use one of these ? I delivered one brand new to a ranch many years ago it did a good job when it was new

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Interesting contraption. I know how the finger wheels work, but the lift mechanism on the cart remains a mystery.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Check out 'This Farm Wife' on you tube. I imagine hers is a Vermeer, as it's all yellow. Totally adjustable from the tractor seat. Maybe they're all this way- but what impressed me is that the windrow width is adjustable- so you can make the bales you want with the round baler.

 

[Tx Jim]

Those type wheel rakes can't handle very thick hay. The pipe frames that rake wheels attach to restrict hay flow in thick hay. Another problem is hinges where rake teeth angle is controlled gets very worn & rear wheels on each side do not stay at set distance apart therefore windrow width can very a lot . Hyd cylinders at each side on front of frame pivot the rake wheels to raised positions.

My neighbor discovered the "hard way" that stacking rd bales in a pyramid with bottom bales on flat side ""out in the open"" isn't a good choice in Texas when we have normal or above rainfall. He stacked bales in that method only ONCE.

 

[Fawteen]

What is that white device with the hydraulics to the left of the rake in the first picture?

 

[SVcummins]

 

[SVcummins]

I cant quite make it out either

 

[SVcummins]

The heaviest thing Ill ever rake is about 2.5 Ton the acre
maybe 3 on a good year . Wondering if the triticale will go
through it

 

[westga]

I have one. An eight wheel rake. It rakes good but the rake frames them selfs are wore out. So much slack in everything that I have to adjust the wind row with a rope tied between the two rakes at the last wheels.

 

[mtf]

This is the one I have. When properly adjusted and set to pickup width, they will rake hay producing 5 rolls per acre with no problem. These are 5x6 rolls.

This type rake doubles your efficiency compared to a single rollabar rake. This really makes a difference when fuel is high, and your time is valuable.

 

[olddog]

Bale wrapper?

 

[westga]

I think its a bale wrapper. I could be wrong.

 

[westga]

Around here anything I teddy or fluff it will rake. But its a 10 wheel rake and the row would be a problem for me. I make 4 foot wide with my baler, JD 435.

 

[Loosehandle]

I have a 3 pt that is half of that one, It works great for light second or third crop especially following a sickle mower.

 

[Bret4207]

Those are popular with the guys that make wrapped bales up here. They try to get 2-4 cuttings, so they aren't raking heavy hay at all. My understanding is they work nice in large fields without many obstructions. In little crooked fields they can be a nightmare I'm told.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 08:14:56 03/01/22)
Those are popular with the guys that make wrapped bales up here. They try to get 2-4 cuttings, so they aren't raking heavy hay at all. My understanding is they work nice in large fields without many obstructions. In little crooked fields they can be a nightmare I'm told.

Utilizing a wheel rake in small, crooked fields depends totally on the driving capabilities of the tractor driver. My 14 wheel rake tractor drivers has raked hay fields smaller than 2 acres & dodged obstacles such as trees while raking.

 

[Tx Jim]

SV
Design of wheel rakes has progressed drastically in the last few yrs. I seriously doubt the old rake in your original photo will rake your Triticale without major clumps in windrow. The rake in your 2nd photo has different design with frame a lot higher from ground & that newer design should handle your Triticale with ease

 

[Richard G.]

I used one one day on terraced land.
It was miserable and so was I.
I finally just used one side of the rake.
You would not have that problem on flat land.

 

[Tx Jim]

Over the yrs my wheel rakes have raked many terraced hay fields both following the terraces & going across them if they weren't too steep.

 

[SVcummins]

Thats what I was afraid off . Wish I could have made out on
that 216 unitized Ive personally raked meadow hay that was
chest high with it . Ill keep looking . Hydraulic rakes worry
me a bit because of a bad motor can cost what the rake did
not to mention sending all that junk through the tractor
hydraulic and transmission

 

[SHALER]

I have one. It fits my operation very nicely. That is because as was said by other posters, this rake will not do a good job on heavy hay. The hay will either bunch up between the tined rake wheels and the rubber tires, or, in my case, it will bunch up upon exiting the rake. Your initial reaction might be well why dont you make the exit wider? If I do that then the windrow is too wide for my square baler. Soooo, I have a 11 ft rotary rake I use in heavy hay, and then use the wheel rake in lighter hay. these wheel rakes in my area are a low cost way to cover acres quickly (well, much more quickly than a rollabar rake or a small rotary rake). Windrow not near as nice and uniform as a rotary, but you will have lots of dollars in your wallet with one of these versus a rotary of similar working width. One important consideration, two remotes are needed.

 

[Tx Jim]

Back in mid 90's I converted a Vermeer R23 hyd rake to operate from a pto operated pump so I could pull rake with a Ford 3000 tractor. I operated it like that for several yrs until I got disgusted have to regularly install new teeth pipe end brgs.

 

[SVcummins]

Was that the green Vermeer? I have a pro pump here
somewhere and that thought has crossed my mind .

 

[SVcummins]

Sleep gets valuable to when you rake all night and work all day in town

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 09:29:09 03/01/22) Was that the green Vermeer? I have a pro pump here
somewhere and that thought has crossed my mind .

No not green mine was Yeller. Green similar rakes were built by Vermeer for JD. I boxed in the tongue & put a filter on the return line. Tongue held over 15 gallons which helped keep hyd oil at cooler temp.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

This rake is like my Kuhn Gullwing rake. I really like the way it works and the job it does.

 

[GordoSD]

The guys here producing lots of alfalfa all have those. They add outrigger tires at the ends of the arms to keep the rake wheels from bouncing too much.

 

[RayNorthAlabama]

I have one. Photo is raking Bahia hay, second cutting.

 

[Tx Jim]

Ray
I'll bet if you happen to be rd baling that windrow in your photo that you were having difficulty not making a rd bale that was lower in center of top of bale vs the edges.
Jim

 

[RayNorthAlabama]

I have a Vermeer 504 R signature baler .... you would be surprised on how it helps make a good looking roll of hay.... the windrows in out from the woods were a LOT better

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 10:24:47 03/01/22)

(quoted from post at 08:14:56 03/01/22)
Those are popular with the guys that make wrapped bales up here. They try to get 2-4 cuttings, so they aren't raking heavy hay at all. My understanding is they work nice in large fields without many obstructions. In little crooked fields they can be a nightmare I'm told.

Utilizing a wheel rake in small, crooked fields depends totally on the driving capabilities of the tractor driver. My 14 wheel rake tractor drivers has raked hay fields smaller than 2 acres & dodged obstacles such as trees while raking.

I'm just passing on what those that own them near me have told me. Our smaller fields tend to have a lot of humps and dips and ledge outcroppings. I'm sure in other areas they work great.

 

[Tx Jim]

There's a big difference in the performance of tractor drivers & tractor operators

 

[Old560]

I dont care what anybody says I dont think its gonna move the snow very well at all.

 

[T in NE]

A Rowse will rake more hay than will go under the tractor to the baler. I wouldn't want to pull one with a 4020, though.

DARF and I think H&S built ones with the frame above and behind the wheels, but aren't built as well.

Having the tires about half way back the rake wheels makes them work better when turning. A 3 point one will just slide the inside wheels along the ground.

 

[Destroked 450]

Why are two remotes needed, mine has the two lift cylinder lines tee together so that one remote raises and lowers both sides

 

[Destroked 450]

That's a much older model than mine but operates on a similar principle
A lot of the early designs were known to get loose and floppy in the pivots and adjustment holes or links leading to uneven windrows.
I don't think they do as good as a bar rake but I don't have $15-20k+ to put down for a vermeer hydraulic vee bar rake in order to make double windrows on a single pass
In heavy long stem hay if making a windrow narrower than 5-6 ft they will make a balled up mess, but my baler has a 6 ft pickup so it works well for me
I've raked hay for years with a NH bar rake and will still use it in really heavy hay that gives the vee rake issues, but in average hay for the cost the vee rake has been a nice addition to my haying equipment

Not mine but the same model
I think the new high frame models may be better but there's not many used ones on the matte yet

 

[Texasmark]

That is a good looking WW. That ought to produce some beautiful bales without a lot of zig zagging.

 

[SVcummins]

I have pulled this one with the 4020 without any problems I know the 3020 would pull it easy . I dont have an extra 15,000.00 laying around

 

[SVcummins]

My 56 is wore completely out but they way it looks Ill be doing some welding scabbing and cobbling and hope it makes it one more year . Really dont want to drag something home that Wont rake all my crops

 

[caterpillar guy]

I've used my Hesston front fold rake in Oats raking with no problem. I rake with either one side or both sides. It folds like these new planters. I like it. I also have a Gehl 3pt with out the tongue like you show. I flipped the left one over turned the wheels then moved it back enough so the front wheel would clear the frame. It will now rake 2 single windrows at a time. Will rake about 20 acres in about an hour or 2 depending on the dryness of the hay and how smooth the field is. I just back into the corners rather than fool around trying to turn them with a 3 pt rake. They will go around a corner some without pulling the hay though.

 

[SVcummins]

Thats what I would like but nothing in my price range . I had really hoped to get the 216