# Darf Rakes vs. H&S rakes



## NEhay (Sep 14, 2009)

I currently run h&s hi cap. wheel rakes. Does anyone have experience with the darf rakes. My main concerns are: 1) do they flex like a h&s as we have a lot of hills and terraces. 2) how do they compare on ash content with putting dirt in the windrow. 3) do the wheels wear longer then all of the laced tines on the h&s as we have had a lot of problems breaking teeth. 3) who are the midwest dealers for darf. Any feed back would be great!


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## Cannon (Aug 18, 2009)

HI NEhay I run Darfs 917 rakes. Are you talking about the Big wheeled rubber tooth double rake? Or the smaller wheeled tine rake?


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## HayTech1 (Sep 3, 2009)

NEhay said:


> I currently run h&s hi cap. wheel rakes. Does anyone have experience with the darf rakes. My main concerns are: 1) do they flex like a h&s as we have a lot of hills and terraces. 2) how do they compare on ash content with putting dirt in the windrow. 3) do the wheels wear longer then all of the laced tines on the h&s as we have had a lot of problems breaking teeth. 3) who are the midwest dealers for darf. Any feed back would be great!


I have used both. I prefer the Circle C eagle rakes. The rakes are great in uneven ground and I have also converted to using pickups just like circle c farms. The only problem we have found with pickups is the circle tracks must be maintained. Ash content is definitely lower.
Pilot Rock, OR


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

NEhay said:


> I currently run h&s hi cap. wheel rakes. Does anyone have experience with the darf rakes. My main concerns are: 1) do they flex like a h&s as we have a lot of hills and terraces. 2) how do they compare on ash content with putting dirt in the windrow. 3) do the wheels wear longer then all of the laced tines on the h&s as we have had a lot of problems breaking teeth. 3) who are the midwest dealers for darf. Any feed back would be great!


Don't have one myself but nieghbor bought one last fall mostly for cornstalks.He had a JD Frontier for 1 yr and a H&S Hi cap before that.He destroyed the H&S and JD raking stalks,about 2000 acres.He said he realy liked the Darf,raked alot of standing stalks and never broke any teeth.Only dealer I know of is Midland Machinery Rock Rapids, Iowa.In NW Iowa.


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## Van Zee Ag. (Oct 6, 2009)

what do you think about vermeer's hi-cap rake?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

ezvz44 said:


> what do you think about vermeer's hi-cap rake?


I've had pretty good luck with it.It's about 9 yrs old.Rake about 1200 acres of hay & 150 acres of stalks a yr.I am going on my 3rd set of teeth now.The durabull teeth are supposed to last longer than the regular Z tine teeth.Had a couple hay wh bearings go out and have a couple that are getting close.For the acres can't complain.

The tongue broke this summer weld cracked.Took it to machine shop and beefed it up.Noticed on new ones the tongue is bigger.(The main beam from tractor all the way to the back wheels)

All in all been satisfied with it.Have loked at Darf and Circle C.Heavier duty but more $.


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## NEhay (Sep 14, 2009)

Cannon said:


> HI NEhay I run Darfs 917 rakes. Are you talking about the Big wheeled rubber tooth double rake? Or the smaller wheeled tine rake?


 I am looking at the big rakes, I believe that is the 917. We run 2 16 wheel h&s hi caps now not real satisfied with them. Seems like when we are running hard we spend just about everymorning putting in teeth and fixing something. These rakes are only about 3-4 years old for what they cost I expect less maintence. Have heard good things about darf but no one else runs them around here. Planning on getting 2 new ones this winter so all advice is great. I will also look into the circle c. Ran circle c rolls in my last swather so I am familar with the company.


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## jpritchett (Sep 22, 2009)

Has anyone tried Rowse ultimate rakes? Are first rowse ultimate rake we had was 20 wheels. We had it for 2 years. We went over 8,000 acres of hay and alfalfa and we raked 24 quarters of cornstalks. We never broke a single tooth on that rake until the very last day we had it raking stalks. We put it threw alot of abuse and we never had any trouble at all with it. I ended up putting 32 teeth in it before i traded it off for a 22 wheel. We've owned rakes before and somedays you would put 32 teeth in one day. They are one hell of a rake. The website for it is Rowse Hydraulic Rakes Company Quality Haying Equipment, Burwell, Nebraska, manufactures of hay rakes, mowers, windrow fluffers, dirt scrapers, calf cradles and bale haulers.
I posted a picture of are rake in my pictures if anyone wants to see what it looks like.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Looked at the Rowse rake at Dakota Fest.It looks like a very heavy built rake.Wheel diameter & tooth diameter are larger than other rakes.Didn't have a chance to talk to salesman but just got a email back from them on list prices.Not cheap but in long run maybe worth it.Probably give them a closer look next time I trade.


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## jpritchett (Sep 22, 2009)

They are alot heavier. I cant remember how much draw bar weight there is. We do alot of corners around irrigated quarters and they work great when you have to get in a tight corner. You can make a tight 360 degree turn and not worry about catching your tires on your tractror. They are one of heck of a good rake. Well worth the money. I think ares cost us around 36000. But its worth being able to put three 16' windrows together. We pull ares with a 4230 JD. We never had as much luck with any other rakes we have owned. we have ran H&S and M&W rakes and there is no comparison.

If you want to talk to a sales man. We deal with Darin Wickersham his number is 402-841-7810. He's a good guy and easy to deal with.


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

jpritchett said:


> Has anyone tried Rowse ultimate rakes? Are first rowse ultimate rake we had was 20 wheels. We had it for 2 years. We went over 8,000 acres of hay and alfalfa and we raked 24 quarters of cornstalks. We never broke a single tooth on that rake until the very last day we had it raking stalks. We put it threw alot of abuse and we never had any trouble at all with it. I ended up putting 32 teeth in it before i traded it off for a 22 wheel. We've owned rakes before and somedays you would put 32 teeth in one day. They are one hell of a rake. The website for it is Rowse Hydraulic Rakes Company Quality Haying Equipment, Burwell, Nebraska, manufactures of hay rakes, mowers, windrow fluffers, dirt scrapers, calf cradles and bale haulers.
> I posted a picture of are rake in my pictures if anyone wants to see what it looks like.


A buddy of mine bought a Rowse rake last year, probably the only one in Michigan, we typically are not in big rake country. He loves it. It is one massive piece of manchinery. He had to get it shipped to our local implement dealer because they will only ship to a dealership so he made a special arrangement with our Agco dealer to accept it.


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## jpritchett (Sep 22, 2009)

hayray said:


> A buddy of mine bought a Rowse rake last year, probably the only one in Michigan, we typically are not in big rake country. He loves it. It is one massive piece of manchinery. He had to get it shipped to our local implement dealer because they will only ship to a dealership so he made a special arrangement with our Agco dealer to accept it.


I know they sell alot of them. They are growing. There main factory is in burwell and they have another factory here in oneill. They have a new wheel out now that instead of steel teeth it has rubber teeth and they last alot longer. We are gonna go to the new teeth when we trade are rake off.


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