# Tractor for pulling a side delivery rake



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

What is everyone’s favorite tractor for pulling a side delivery rake? And or a 2 basket Tedder? My son is wanting to pick up a small tractor for taking maybe even a narrow front. He is kind of leaning toward a wd45. But wondering what everyone else likes?


----------



## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

Anything would work. I've seen people pull side dumps with utvs and 4 wheelers. Wd45 would be good but power steering and live pto would be a good choice for ease of use.


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

For small operations it is my rule that a tractor be capable of performing all operations. That way if a tractor breaks down, you're other tractor is still capable of doing everything. That being said, a rake and tedder can be pulled by almost anything, even teeny utility tractors. I'd want something that turns and steers easily.


----------



## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

WD45 is a good old reliable tractor and will work with a manual adjust side delivery rake. Thing would be as you progress in the future you may get a rake that needs hydraulics and I would like a tractor with a little more gear selection as we rake faster then 3rd gear would give you with a WD45 with our rotary rake. But that would be a good and handy tractor to start with. A WD45 is capable of pulling small square baler, and when you use the hand clutch it has live power.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Anything cheap.


----------



## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Every area is going to be different depending on which predominant dealer was around 60 years ago; here, you would be buying a Farmall (IH/International) H; in my experience, hydraulics are a big deal, in that, in the older tractors, there was a huge range in hydraulics. For instance, a Farmall H only had 500 psi of hyd pressure when operating correctly. The ACs were low flow/high pressure (@3000psi if I recall correctly). I run a V-rake and 4 basket tedder with my H, but had to do some hydraulic voodoo to get it to run my Krone tedder as well as change cylinders on my V rake (8 wheel) to allow it to work on it. It will not run my hyd-drive V-bar rake. Make sure it's as much tractor as you can afford for the job at-hand as your operation will grow faster than your tractor. ...it wasn't that many years (less than 8) that I had ONE Farmall 300, one rake, and one baler; now, it's 5 tractors, as many rakes, two balers, 3 mowers, etc....


----------



## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Coniberty Acres said:


> What is everyone’s favorite tractor for pulling a side delivery rake? And or a 2 basket Tedder? My son is wanting to pick up a small tractor for taking maybe even a narrow front. He is kind of leaning toward a wd45. But wondering what everyone else likes?


If AC prone, you could step up to a d-15 with power steering. If you go to a d-17, it would pull a baler all day with ease. Neither should be that expensive. A WD-45 is a warhorse from back in the day when they made real tractors and is practically indestructible


----------



## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

Choose a tractor that complements your existing compact MF, I suggest something with a bit of size and weight.

Roger


----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

Thank you all. Not super brand loyal. My son does like the older fords and our best dealer was a big agco dealer still sells Massey and Heston stuff and Kubota. A D17 has been discussed also. I know where a D19 is but it’s gas and I read they use a lot of it. Farmall would be good too. This will kind of be a dual purpose purchase because he wants to get an old tractor and fix it up for FFA. You guys have me thinking that we need to get enough tractor not just one that can get buy. A neighbor offered an old Ford 4000 industrial to him. It is SOS and he said the transmission is messed up but said it ran good before that. We thank you for the help and enjoy the input


----------



## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

One consideration might be ground clearance if you have to straddle a windrow to move it over or roll it..... we use a large compact tractor to rotary rake and ted ..its a fuel sipper and nimble


----------



## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

We had a D19, I liked it. Yes it's going to use a little more gas, but it is a little bigger tractor also. Would work good for pulling a haybine or baler also. Neat thing in the transmission is when you shift between low and high in second and third gears it skips a gear. So in first you get 1 +2, second you get 3+5, third you get 4+6 forth is 7+8. Sometimes it's a benefit.


----------



## Edd in KY (Jul 16, 2009)

I'd suggest gas...cheap, easy to fix. Need about 40 HP....I lean towards a MF35---65. Has the versatility to do other things. need Live PTIO for tedding.


----------



## Edd in KY (Jul 16, 2009)

PS: 3 pt tedders are cheaper than pull type and fast to lift and move, if you have a bunch of smaller fields some distance apart. Same with old MF 3 pt rakes.


----------



## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

You might find larger tractors are as cheap as smaller ones, because they are less popular with hobby farmers. So in MF I would suggest a 65 instead of a 35. Or a D19 instead of a D17.

Roger


----------



## Saucymynx (10 mo ago)

I pull my side delivery rake with a Farmall 140 or a Ford 2610. The Ford is a great tractor and can rake, Ted, and pull my 479 hay bine. Not big enough to run my 575 baler though. i use the little farmall just for nostalgia and it’s really light on fuel. The downside is I can’t run the Tedder because the PTO is offset


----------



## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I pull a NH 256 with a '65 IH Cub Loboy. I don't use it much now that I have a Kuhn rotary rake, but still sometimes use it to rake in the edges before making a second tedding pass. You don't need hydraulics or much horsepower to pull a ground drive rake. You can run a 2 basket tedder with very little horsepower as well. I would not recommend a narrow front end tractor.

Best advice I got when tractor shopping was you only need around 35 PTO HP to run most hay equipment - start by finding the least tractor you need, then get the most tractor you can afford.


----------



## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

SwingOak said:


> Best advice I got when tractor shopping was you only need around 35 PTO HP to run most hay equipment


Sickle mower or haybine, yes. Small square baler, yes, small mounted rake or tedder yes, any pull type rake or tedder yes. 6 foot disc or drum mower yes.

Anything else, such as a round baler, discbine, big disc mower, big mounted rakes or tedders forget it. You need either more power or more weight or both to do it safely.

Roger


----------



## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

bool said:


> Sickle mower or haybine, yes. Small square baler, yes, small mounted rake or tedder yes, any pull type rake or tedder yes. 6 foot disc or drum mower yes.
> 
> Anything else, such as a round baler, discbine, big disc mower, big mounted rakes or tedders forget it. You need either more power or more weight or both to do it safely.
> 
> Roger


You are absolutely 100% correct, and that why I said the advice I got was you gotta find the tractor with at least as much HP as you NEED, then get as much HP as you can afford. The OP was talking about a rake and two pod tedder, so I’m assuming the 35 HP rule applies. He was not talking about running a discbine, but your point is well taken.


----------



## Hawkins2015 (7 mo ago)

I'll echo with the others. It depends if there is any intentions for going bigger down the road.

I have three tractors that I either own or have access to (family doing hay with me) that are 80 - 100hp.

In my opinion, I hate raking with them when using our side delivery rakes. One tractor is 4x4, and they are all big enough that you can't turn at the end of the windrow and make things clean unless you slow down and lock one brake.

My preference is to rake with my little 8N. I have been doing it for 3 years now, and find that I can actually turn too sharp and get into the rake if I'm not paying attention. Its the only one that can make a nice clean end, and is very easy on fuel usage. Runs the 2 basket tedder just fine as well. Not having live PTO is a nuisance, but for just running the tedder it's not a big deal.

I will say though, I have three reasons for buying and rebuilding the Ford 3600 in my barn right now.
1.) I seem to have constant issues with gas engines and carburetors. I'm a diesel guy through and through.
2.) The 8N's exhaust dumps below the axle. I've never had a problem, but I'm always cautious where I park it and don't really like to have it in a dry hay field.
3.) I'm getting to the point where I'm running a V rake in our bigger fields. While I think the 8N will have the power to pull a V rake, it has no hydraulics.

Just my $0.02.


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

@ Hawkins2015. Off subject but I was in French Lick a few weeks ago. Ate at Porky's one day. I really liked the area.


----------



## Hawkins2015 (7 mo ago)

Long ways to come from SC for the casino or a BBQ place, but glad you enjoyed.


----------



## 560Dennis (Jun 1, 2015)

comfortable,maneuvers quick ,power steering ,quiet, good on fuel , good visibility,easy to get on and off , good speed selection , some the wife and kids like to operate.


----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

Well he just bought a Massey 165 gas. It needs a little attention but I think it should make a nice little tractor for the boy


----------



## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

Good choice. It will omplement the existi g tractor. Does it have remote hydraulics? Multipower? With the amount of work he is doing the increased fuel consumption of a gas tractor will not matter, and it would have been cheaper to buy than a diesel.

Roger


----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

bool said:


> Good choice. It will omplement the existi g tractor. Does it have remote hydraulics? Multipower? With the amount of work he is doing the increased fuel consumption of a gas tractor will not matter, and it would have been cheaper to buy than a diesel.
> 
> Roger


it is gas multi power and has one remote. Hopefully it makes it home I. The next day or 2. He’s very excited


----------



## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

Coniberty Acres said:


> it is gas multi power and has one remote. Hopefully it makes it home I. The next day or 2. He’s very excited


Excellent! Almost every machine you might want to use with it that requires remotes will need only one remote, or can be made.to work with one remote.

Multipower fills in the gaps in the six speed transmission nicely. Remember that it free-wheels in low, so shift to high if you need engine braking.

Roger


----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)




----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

Here she is. I have one happy son


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

The only advice I would have had for that was a detachable loader if you need to have one. The loader bouncing on the front of the tractor so much while haying gets to be hard on everything. The spindles, steering, tie rod ends, etc. I actually had a front spindle snap on me mowing hay with an old Oliver 550 I used to have with a loader.


----------



## Coniberty Acres (8 mo ago)

Hayjosh said:


> The only advice I would have had for that was a detachable loader if you need to have one. The loader bouncing on the front of the tractor so much while haying gets to be hard on everything. The spindles, steering, tie rod ends, etc. I actually had a front spindle snap on me mowing hay with an old Oliver 550 I used to have with a loader.


that loader is going to be one of the first things we get rid of. 100% agree no place for it on a tractor in the hay field. Plus I have a new tractor with a loader that will do everything we need to do. Haven’t decided if he wants to keep it just in case or see if he can sell it to get a little bit of money to help with the few things the tractor needs


----------



## the farmer 3 (Jul 12, 2021)

I would get rid of the bucket and get the detatchable lock for skidsteer attachments 

it would turn your tractor into a multitool

washburn makes them for the older loaders 

they have a new website at hayspear.com

if you plumb up a three spool valve you can have the third function at the loader for a grabber or grapple


----------

