# vermeer hook tines



## Brncntry112 (Jun 8, 2015)

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the newer vermeer tedders with the hook tines? I'm looking for a new 6 basket tedder and am considering the vermeer TE250. Do the hook tines really work any better than the other brands out there? Do they really dry the hay any faster? I'd be using it mostly in orchard grass and Timothy. The dealer has been very friendly to talk with, and keeps coming back to the hook tines as to what sets them apart from the competition, but in my area there are no Vermeer tedders, so I have nothing to go by other than what the dealer tells me. I know most folks on here like the krone, but I want a model with the heavy transport gear, and in a krone you have to get the 2-point hitch model to do that. We don't use the 3 point hitch arms for anything else, so I take them off the tractor so they don't bang around. I'm only considering a true drawbar pull model. I'm also considering a kuhn, but am looking to see if the vermeers are any better.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

My cousins demo'ed new tedders side-by-side, including both Kuhn and Vermeer. Unfortunately, they didn't add a krone to the mix. Anyway, they have a Vermeer TE250 now. It did a nicer job spreading.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

I think that at very very low rpms the hooked tines *may *have an advantage, but at the speed those are turning I don't know.

I think there is enough centrifugal force to keep the hay on the tine. It may do a better job anyway as HighTech's cousin's purchase may attest. If they don't have a patent on them why have others not followed? I don't think it's an expensive change.

I'd do the same as HT's cousin, pick the 2 you like best and run them one after the other. So everything will be the same and then decide


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I went to see a Vermeer doing field work when I was tedder shopping last year. It did good job tedding the hay. Our dealer was with us and pointed out how well the hook tines moved the heavier grass to the top. I believe most tedders by nature tend to put the heavier damp grass on top. The hook tines may do a better job. I have never seen a side by side comparison.


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## sethd11 (Jan 1, 2012)

We got the te250 this year. The tines are awesome. And they seem to put wet hay on top, however they run totally differently then a standard Tedder. The hook times run for about 10 inches on the ground. They also don't miss anything. We did add about 10 grease zerks where I thought it needed some. Tedder is extremely adjustable and is very efficient and fast. I would take it over a Kuhn any day and so would my 2 buddy's that run kuhns.


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## hay rake (Dec 31, 2011)

for years my family would say oh that tedder does such a better job than such and such and i would just shake my head and say a tedder is a tedder is a tedder. wet grass weighs more than dry hay so therefore it is thrown further and ends up on top. i'm here to tell you i was wrong. we haven't had a class or krone but i never will. after getting our vermeer 330 i don't need to look any further. they told me how good the hooked tines are and i did not believe. i was wrong. can't believe the job they do or the strength. you run them pretty much in the dirt and we are three years in and haven't bought a tooth yet. besides they warranty them for three years, who else does that. another year and we'll have two 330s and the others will be gone. a happy camper i will be.


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## Brncntry112 (Jun 8, 2015)

Thanks for the help. Sounds like they really work well. It does seem strange that the others aren't changing their tines to match the vermeer's, but maybe it is a patent issue. We lost all the equipment dealers in our area when most of the farms sold out to development, so getting a side by side demo is going to be tough...............but a great idea if I can get them to do it. The closest vermeer dealer is 3 hours away, closest kuhn is 1 1/2 hours away. From the posts on this site it sounds like both are great machines, but I'm leaning towards the vermeer.


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

I think it is a patent issue. Vermeer makes a double splitter wheel on there vr series rakes that works excellent that doesn't clog in thick hay like all the other wheel rakes with single kicker wheels. I asked the dealer why the other manufactures don't put double splitters wheels out from like vermeer. He said that vermeer had the patent.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Nate this is not for v rakes, but for tedders. The possible patent we're talking about is for the hooked tines of the tedder


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Trillium I know the topic is about the hook tines. I was just giving another example how vermeer has came out with a great product that other manufactures haven't duplicated probably due to possible patent infringements.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I think the argument against the hooked tines (aside from a patent issue) would be ash content in the hay. Obviously, if you run them against the ground you're going to have some dirt. Maybe imperceptible, but it could be an argument nonetheless.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I think Lely holds the patent on the hook tines and does have a working relationship with Vermeer.


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## Jharn57600 (Dec 23, 2013)

The hooked tines have been very durable for us tedding heavy crops like rye and triticale. The metal detector in the chopper tells the story. We chop behind claas and Vermeer tedders and claas teeth even the HD version cause us to stop and sort through the crop. We haven't broken a tine on our 4 star that has covered 500 acres of rye/triticale and 100 acres of grass in its 2 years.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've always heard the hooked tines work really well on the Vermeer EXCEPT the rake / tedder model just isn't very good with its big rotors. I've also heard and experienced the small diameter rotor machines out performing the large rotor models.

My experience with that is with both Kuhn and Deutz tedders side by side against the large rotor versions. Small diameter rotors leave less hay, less clumps, hit dirt less often, and are more robust as they have the same gearboxes. I'd love to get a nice 8 basket small diameter model but they cost more with the extra gearboxes.


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## hay rake (Dec 31, 2011)

yea they have a relationship with lely, they own it.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I'd think not. Lely is a big outfit, they've had a bunch of agreements in place since the 80's.

"&#8230;when Lely started to produce modular cutter bars for the Vermeer product range. Vermeer is a family-owned company, operating in the field of agriculture as well as compacting and environmental equipment. Earlier last century it was decided that Lely forage harvesting products in North America were going to be sold under the Vermeer brand and in the Vermeer colours. In 2008 Vermeer and Lely jointly acquired German agricultural baler and bale-wrapper manufacturer Welger Maschinenfabrik GmbH. In the meantime the partnership has been further intensified; both companies are increasingly also benefitting from each other's knowledge in a number of areas; from the adoption of the Lean principles, to joined patent management and new strategic product developments."



hay rake said:


> yea they have a relationship with lely, they own it.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Just downloaded the brochure on their Tedders. Am I reading it right that you have adjust each tine individually to do border edge control?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Grateful11 said:


> Just downloaded the brochure on their Tedders. Am I reading it right that you have adjust each tine individually to do border edge control?


Each individually on the outside rotors, yes.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

8350HiTech said:


> Each individually on the outside rotors, yes.


That's not too bad, at least it's just the outside rotor, I'm assuming just the one next to the edge of the field and not both outside rotors.


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## Jharn57600 (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes just one rotor. Not as easy as hitting the hydraulic border control on a Krone but much easier than turning all of the wheels under each rotor like a Claas. It is really simple no tools required.


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