Landscape rake

[Stoneheartfarm]

Anybody made or use a rake with their tractor? I've got an idea how to put one together and I'm looking for tips. Steve

[Dutch]

What model tractor? What do you want to use it for? I attached a small landscape type rake to the tailgate of a cart that does a nice job. With the cart in the tilt position, the rake contacts the ground. I can put weight in the back of the cart to give the rake more "bite". When debris piles up, I can pick it up, place it in the cart and keep going. Works great for medium duty lawn clean up of fallen branches and trash. I also made a rig to attach either a pair of regular bow rakes or fan rakes. Those do a nice job of light duty clean up or raking in grass seed. It eliminates hand work. [img]/club2/attach/dutch/rake-seq3.jpg[/img] I also use my rear mounted serrated grader blade for raking. [img]/club2/attach/dutch/brinly.jpg[/img] Marty (MPH) has a real landscape rake that he uses on his B-series. That would be better suited for heavy duty clean up of newly cleared land.

[Stoneheartfarm]

Dutch, I'm thinking something that can attach to the back of my B and be used for cleaning out barn stalls. Back the tractor into the stall, drop the rake and drive away. Might save a lot of fork work. What I thought to do, was drop by TSC and see if they have replacement tines for land scape rakes, then using those and some square tube stock, make up a small sleeve hitch attachment. Steve

[MPH]

Steve, heres a few pics of the 5 footer I bought from Northern and retro fitted to my B 112. It'll pull it full of lose top soil in tilled up garden dirt. The 12 inch lugs give me plenty of traction, the manual lift is a bit of a killer on my left hand though, even with 50 lbs hanging on the blade hitch...MPH

hitch setup

[Stoneheartfarm]

Is it something you use alot? Do you have trouble with the tines bending backwards and then snapping stuff at you? Steve

[thedaddycat]

I have a real York built York rake but it's the kind that has the wheels behind it made for smaller tractors, only four feet wide. I've only played with it once but it seemed to do OK. You can angle it right, left, or straight, adjust the side-to-side cant of it, and set the wheel height for anything from lifting the tines clear for transport to wheels clear to a "float" position. Rob has it now to use on his driveway and parking area. How's it working for you , Rob?

[Stoneheartfarm]

Now that york rake looks interesting. But it's a bit more invloved than what I have in mind. I'm thinking more along the lines of MPH's 5 footer, but homemade and only 42 or 48", so it could sneak through a wide door. Steve

[thedaddycat]

You can get a four foot rake for a three-point hitch from Northern for something like $225 or so. That may be easier and cheaper than buying the tines and building one, unless you can find a used rake to cut down....

[PeppyDan]

I have a 4' landscape rake with cat.0 three-point that I would sell for $150 if your interested. It has not been used much. Email me if your interested. PeppyDan

[Stoneheartfarm]

The probolem with 3 point mouted stuff is I don't have the 3 point. So, I'd have to start modifying immediately, either the tractor or the implement. Steve

[MPH]

Steve, the hitch I made up for the B112 was a pretty smiple deal. Besides for play time in my yard I have raked about 2 acers of rough dirt out for friends who have yet to plant grass, don't wanna mow. By rough I mean full of rocks and tree roots. The york rake would have leveling advantages, but for the use you decibed a set up like mine would serve you well...MPH

[Stoneheartfarm]

Actually, I'm glad to see the old girl will carry that much weight hanging off the back. How long is your boom pole?

[MPH]

Steve, the hitch itself is 17.5 inches from pivot point on the tractor to center of the big bolt. I came up with that buy haveing the rake sitting level, which is 16 inches high, and I wanted the top plate it bolted to level at the same time. The lift rod is an old truck tire iron I had laying around and is about 3 foot long, too hard for my sawall to cut so I left it as was, ground one end round so it fit the tractor lift. If you want, I could take some different angle pics today, its a little crude, first thing I've welded up in about 30 years..MPH

[Stoneheartfarm]

It looks like that lift rod could come in pretty handy. I already stopped and grabbed a couple of hooks. Now all I ned to find is the rod. :D Steve