# Wheel Rake info



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Last fall I updated my tractor (Kubota M7040). All of my hay equipment was bought so I could run it with my L3400. I am wondering what to upgrade first: 7 foot haybine, Nh 55 roper side deliveryor Hesston 5530 3*4 Baler. I will hay 20 ac this year.

I lean towards a rake first. If I buy a v rake I can save time and fuel on raking and baling. I am thinking of an 8 wheel V to merge 2 windrows. I have looked at new Rhino ER8, used H&S, used Vermeer and know local dealer has new Bush Hog. Price on a new Rhino didn't look out of reach. Any thoughts?


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I really like my v-rake...on long rows. On turns, it'll make a mess. The manual for my JD702 10-wheel calls for 22 foot max raking width, an 8-wheel calls 19'8" max raking width.

Just for your comparison, I use a 9' mower, & last year borrowed a neighbors 8wheel rake, which worked perfect. I found a 10 wheel for a good price, it's actually too wide, even when I closed the frame together to make it narrower.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

an 8 wheel rake will be to wide for a seven foot cutter,around here the fellers that got them take the front wheels off and hang a old tire on the front to keep the weight from being all on that one rake wheel,works pretty good.Have you considered the price of your hay owning all that equipment for just 20 ac.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I'd save your money. Unless you don't have a rake at all. 20 acres isn't much.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

What are you baleing? 20 acres of one cutting vs 3 to 4 times a year is a big difference.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I am looking to save my time more than anything. The hay is not going to cater to my schedule. I am looking to speed up my end. I found last year that doubling my wondrous made baling much quicker. I also found that doing that with my side delivery was easier said than done.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

After going to a wheel rake/v rake I will say it is a big time saver and much gentler on crop. I kept the side delivery rake for back up and for the calves to play with! Lol. Martin


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Nitram said:


> What are you baleing? 20 acres of one cutting vs 3 to 4 times a year is a big difference.


Mixed alfalfa grass. Should be three maybe two cuttings a year.


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

I have a Kuhn sr 110. Does a great job. I have a buddy that has a frontier wheel and the rear wheels will not raise high enough to cross wind rows with out dragging hay out.
Wheel rake is a big time saver.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I agree that a V rake is a big time saver. I can not see myself going back to a side delivery.
We only bale grass hay and the wheel rake fits the bill for us.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks for the insight. Anyone know anything about Rhino rakes?


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## D.C.Cattle Company (Jul 19, 2010)

I just purchased a New Holland 819 -- 8 wheel rake -- My concern on V rakes were they needed to be heavy enough to do the job. Many are just too light. An example being a 8 wheel Frontier I used and it just was to light to do a consistent good job.


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## Oliver Boy (Mar 11, 2013)

We have a 10 wheel vermeer and I like it alot but we do between 350-400 acres a year. If you do buy a V-rake buy the center wheel it helps alot.


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

Yep, I like Vermeer's new rake. I bought their new 4 basket Tedder and a rebel 5410
With net wrap. Impressed with both. They seem heavy built compared to others I have looked at.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Any idea on new Vermeer price? I can't find one on tractorhouse.


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## Orchard (Mar 12, 2013)

Deadmoose I know exactly where you are coming when you said the hay does not fit your schedule and you have limited acreage. You probably have a regular day job and have limited time to get in and out of your field. Getting something bigger than your ~9 foot NH rolabar rake is definitely the first place to start. Pulling a small rake like that back and forth is a colossal waste of time and fuel, BTDT. Ideally you would get a large rotary rake that could do 18 to 20 feet. However, unless you have money to actually throw away, you cannot possibly justify that. Your remaining options are basically a vee wheel rake as you suggest or getting another rolabar rake with a dolly wheel and twin rake hitch. If you get an 8 wheel vee rake, which would be the best size for you, or the twin rake rolabar set-up, you may have about the same money in each, maybe a little less in the wheel rake, depending. I assume you want to go the used equipment route. But now you have one piece of equipment to maintain versus three. Once you go out and get your wheel rake, your next target needs to be a 9 foot mower. Again, for 20 acres, its hard to justify anything more than an 'older" sickle bar haybine. But that will do you fine. It's 2 foot wider, but do the math, almost 30% bigger than your 7 footer. And if your 7 footer is in good operating shape, you should be able to trade up to a good 9 footer for maybe $1,000-1,500.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Where do you spend the most time now? I'm guessing raking if you are double raking. We use a similar sized rake too at its a real pain trying to explain to someone how to double rake with it in a corkscrew the right direction to follow baling.

If you had a better rake you shouldn't have any trouble getting 20 acres raked and baled in a day. Next step I think would be a baler. We had a similar baler but the 4x4 version. The tying took forever compared to even a 5x4 baler in terms of time in field.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Orchard- I think you are spot on. I am not set on used or new yet. I like the idea of new here even if the cost justification is not there. Depending on how the rake does I may target a baler before a cutter. But neither too soon. I will have to see how another cutting goes. As soon as I find an excuse I will price rakes at NH/ Vermeer dealer. I know they have a used Vermeer 8 Wheel for $2k. I am curious about new price.

Slowzuki- my experience is limited but cutting takes the most. I only double raked edges last year and a couple other spots. I noted that I could drive the baler just as fast either way. As I figured it out- with a V rake I can about cut raking time in half as well as cut down huge baling time. Overall this will save more time than going to 9' cutter first.

My rake (although working) is my roughest piece of equipment. I think that whatever I do I need either a new "A" rake or an additional "B" rake. So- to get a Rolabar I am thinking $700+. For a little over $2k more I can get a new Rhino. $3500. Then I don't have to worry about my rake falling into pieces.

Thanks for your insight.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I would also like to know if I am better off in a new to slightly used say Vermeer Rebel or Rhino ER8-- or something comparably priced and more "experienced" comparable to a Kuhn Sr108 or a carted rake?


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

deadmoose, you might also check out the Ogden carted v rake. I purchased one from my neighbor for 1,500 not sure what a new one costs in my gallery you can view my old one. Martin


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks. Will do.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

urednecku said:


> I really like my v-rake...on long rows. On turns, it'll make a mess. The manual for my JD702 10-wheel calls for 22 foot max raking width, an 8-wheel calls 19'8" max raking width.


I always rake straight rows with my V-rakes. Pick up the wheels at the end of the field, make a u-turn, drop the wheels. After everything is raked, I come back and rake the ends.

I found that trying to make turns with the wheels down puts a lot of stress on the wheels and makes the fingers work loose quickly.

You end up with ends that look like YIYIYIY. The trick is to lift the wheels at the same distance from the end so that you can cut straight across and cut them off at the the top of the Y with one side of your rake. Make sense?

Ohhhh, and I bale the two ends on my first trip so I am not dragging the baler over windrows.

Ralph


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

That's how I do it also Ralph. Works great for me and I like baling those straight windrows.

Roger


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Thanks, Ralph. I try to do that, but 3 of my small 'fields' are odd shaped, more round than square. Not much of a way around a little turn now and then. But I am thinking about fencing those areas off & just grazing them. They cut a lot of hay, but I can only cut 'em a couple times a year because they are so low.


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