Insight and opinions on what a PTO Power (Harley) Rake is capable of?

[Piston]

I've recently cleared out a few large pine trees on my "side yard" that has never had any decent grass on it.  This fall I would like to renovate that area and plant new grass seed.  I also have an area up in back that, although it's growing grass, is very rocky and not smooth enough to run a riding mower over. 

My plan is to rent (or buy) a power rake for my tractor.  I know the power rake would do a great job at these two areas to prep them for grass seed, but I'm also wondering how "capable" a power rake is in general, which would probably help me decide between renting vs. buying. 

I have been slowly working on clearing some land, bit by bit, I'm in no rush.  I like to clear a small area at a time, when I have spare time.  I have all the equipment to get the land cleared, and rough graded, but I don't have anything to go from that rough graded phase to smooth, raked, and ready for grass phase. 

Does anyone have any insight on how well a power rake would work, for after cutting down trees, grinding stumps, and raking up the large roots and branches left over, then using the power rake to finish the area?  I see videos on youtube for power rakes, but all the ones I've seen seem to be power raking some already pretty nice, flat, and relatively rock free areas. 

My land in NH is all but flat, rock free, and ready for grass.  If a power rake would fill in the empty space I have in equipment, and pick up where the rough grading box blade leaves off, then I may purchase one. 

If all its good for is ripping up current grass to renovate and reseed, then I'll just rent it and be done with it. 

[Piston]

This is the type of work I'm wondering if the power rake would be good at. 



  

 

[beenthere]

Rent first. Then decide if you like it well enough to buy.
They are a fantastic tool.  But limited in their full value unless you are going into the landscaping business.

They will work on ground that is rough finished with a box blade. Doubt they will do well with a lot of roots at or near the surface. All gets tangled around the nubs on the drum.

But the Harley rake is a fantastic tool, and I guess what you need to do a good job. But RENT first.

This is my son with a rental rake. A bit wet, but the rake worked up the ground well and helped it dry out quickly.


 

If all its good for is ripping up current grass

The harley rake won't do the job of ripping up grass, as that is more of a rototiller task. The nubs on the Harley rake clean and separate stones and debris from dirt, kind of sifting the dirt back over the rotating drum. leaving it spread out behind.

[Dave Shepard]

I agree, it won't like any roots or brush. If you've got humps and bumps of loose soil, it will, after a few passes, fill things in nicely. I've used them on skid loaders and on tractors. Unless you are going to do some of this work for hire, I don't think it would be worth buying one, unless you really wanted it. :D If you are just clearing a little at a time, I'd use the box blade, or a york rake for the rooty, brushy stuff, and then if you want lawn when it's all cleared, rent a rake and do the whole area at once.

[thecfarm]

Looking good. I know the work you are doing. I only do a little a year. I cut the trees and haul them to the brush pile.On every trip I pick up anything small for branches. The grass will come in all by itself. Or does on my land. Some places are/was thick with pine and the grass will still come back. The guy up the road knew that my Father and me planted grass in the areas we cleared.

[Piston]

So do you guys think that I'm expecting a little too much from the power rake, judging by the pictures I posted?  It's anything but grass right now  :D

[beenthere]

Can't really tell from the pics what is there. And you said you would use the rake after the rough grading, so are you showing us pics after you have finished with the rough grading?
Looks to be really rough to me... ;D

[Piston]

Beenthere, I know it's hard to tell from the pics, and the pics aren't even that good to begin with  :D

But yes, that is the stuff I was planning to run the power rake over, just the way it is.  There is a lot of 'brushy' type stuff in there, and some roots and larger rocks.  I haven't actually box bladed this area yet which I would do first, but I was mostly wondering if the power rake could take care of some 'logging slash' cleanup as well. 

It seems like it's more of a one use tool for putting in new lawns/renovating old lawns, rather than what I was hoping for. 

You see, I don't get to work on the land nearly as much as I'd like to, you know, that whole "life" thing gets in the way  ;D  So when I do get up there, I have fairly limited time to work in the woods, so I just want to use the most efficient tools I can.  Right now for "clean up" tools I have the box blade and a beat up 6' landscape rake (that gets more and more beat up each time I use it :D)  So I was hoping the power rake could be the cleanup tool that I'm looking for, something efficient that does a good job. 

[beenthere]

Right after the box blade and the landscape rake, then the power rake. I think you have it pegged right.

I wouldn't expect the Harley rake to do much good in the pics shown.

But after the landscape rake, and still a lot of small debris, rocks(up to 2-3"), and dips and humps, then the Harley power rake shines.

[moosehunter]

I have used a power rake made by YORK rake. It was amazing. I wish my tractor had a crawler / super low range though.

[Piston]

I was trying to buy a Harley Rake from someone when I originally posted this thread, but it didn't work out as he wanted more for it than I could justify spending.  A couple of weeks ago, he contacted me asking if I was still interested in buying it from him for my original offer.....

It's nothing pretty that's for sure, but it showed up at my house regardless, delivery included  ;D



  

  

  

 


I have not had a chance to use it yet so I can't comment on how it's going to live up to my expectations, but I'm anxious to try it out.   

[beenthere]

Nice catch. You can go in business now doing lawns to help pay for it.

[submarinesailor]

A couple of weeks ago, he contacted me asking if I was still interested in buying it from him for my original offer.....

Piston,

Without getting too nosey, can you tell us or PM me what you paid for it.  I didn't know anything about them.  After watching several You Tubes on them, I sure would like to have one.  Maybe next summer I will rent one with a machine to run it.  Need to clean up the front yard down in the county real bad.  Thanks

Bruce

[Piston]

You can find used Harley rakes for anywhere from 2k (maybe a bit less if really beat up and abused) on up to 8k or so.  This specific model costs $9,500 brand new, they are NOT cheap that's for sure!   

There are a few different companies that sell them.  From my limited knowledge, the Landpride models are the best quality, with Harley and Woods (identical but different labels) being second best.  There are also a couple relatively new players to the market from what I understand as well, but I know nothing about them. 

On the used market, you'll frequently see models with the 'bar type' pattern on the roller, as opposed to the carbide tipped style, and the bar type are almost always cheaper.  They no longer make the bar type and I'm not sure when they stopped, so that probably indicates that the carbide tipped style is 'better'.   Again, from my limited research, the general consensus is that the carbide tip style is superior, breaking up the soil better and leaving a nicer surface behind, while lasting longer as well.  It supposedly penetrates the ground better/easier as well, which makes sense when you think about the design. 

I have to admit, none of what I'm saying is backed up by actual real world experience from me, so take it for what it's worth  ;D 


I still have no idea why these things cost so much money, I just don't see 10 grand in materials, research and development, and labor in one of these.  But apparently their money makers because many companies purchase them new, and they pay for themselves very quickly.  I'll let you know if it was "worth it" for me or not.

[Piston]

I forgot to mention...

It was mentioned earlier to try to rent one of these before buying.  I could NOT find a place that rented them anywhere near me.  Many places rent them out for skidsteers, but not PTO versions for tractors.  Sometimes tractor dealerships will rent them from what I understand, but I couldn't find a place that would. 

The guy I bought this from used to rent it out to other people as a way to help pay for itself, and I almost rented it from him, in fact I was going to rent it from him next month but he contacted me to sell it before I contacted him to rent it.  Otherwise, I probably would have just rented, and maybe bought it after the fact regardless, depending on how much I like it.   ;D

I thought that was a good idea to offer it to other people as a rental to help pay for it, which I thought of doing as well, but I just have no idea how you'd advertise something like that aside from putting it on craigslist, which I won't do as I'd probably never see the thing again  :D

[Farmerjw]

No one takes care of your stuff better than you do.  I wouldn't rent my old tractor with a stuck engine and 3 flat tires to anyone let alone anything that worked.  What you make on Friday renting it will most likely be spent plus more repairing it on Monday when it returns.