# Newbie - Problems with V-rake



## burtrl (Oct 17, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I have been reading the posts on this site for a while now and have learned a lot about making hay. This is only my second season making hay and I am still figuring out what works for me. I have a Gehl 420 10 wheel v-rake and unless I am raking an unusually light crop I have problems with the hay bunching up under the arms that support the rear wheels. The crop that I am raking is a Timothy/Alfalfa mix. My first thought was that any light wind was causing this, but I noticed yesterday that even with no wind it still sometimes bunches up. After watching it more closely, I noticed that as the front wheels roll the hay over there sometimes is just too much hay to pass under the arms at the back of the rake. I know that there are many users and advocates of v-rakes who regularly contribute to this forum, and was wondering how you get around the problem. Is this the wrong rake for this type of crop, or am I just not adjusting it properly?

Thanks,

Ross


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

I think you meant there's a lot of hay.....so it makes too much hay to pass in between the wheels and the rake. This is the down aide of the cheaper wheel rakes vs. The V rakes with the wheels on the wings behind the rake wheels. I've had the same problem lots of times. You just have to tough it out. Try grabbing a row and a half or just partial rows. Pickup the front rake wheels, my fold up it reduce it from 10 to 8 wheels....less hay that way.


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## farmer2 (Aug 6, 2010)

I used to have this problem with my V12 hesston, but it is a pretty easy fix. If you watch the hay, it hangs up right where the wheel attaches to the frame. I took some flat bar stock (3/16/ 4") and welded it in the gaps between the frame and wheels. This eliminated the problem. I can rake 2.5ton to the acre fields now with mine, when it used to plug on 1.5 ton to the acre fields.

farmer2


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Yah, thats a common problem with a trailing wheel v-rake. When or if you gt a replacement/upgrade, look for a leading wheel rake. or another way to put it, look for one that pushes the rake wheels instead of pulling them.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

mlappin said:


> Yah, thats a common problem with a trailing wheel v-rake. When or if you gt a replacement/upgrade, look for a leading wheel rake. or another way to put it, look for one that pushes the rake wheels instead of pulling them.


Typicaly called a High Capacity rake.


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

I have the same rake as the Gehl, but mine is a Sitrex V10, and all of the above posts are correct and Farmer2 is right and it is a simple fix.


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## burtrl (Oct 17, 2010)

Thanks for the tips. Farmer2, any chance you might be able to get a picture of your modification?


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## Hogleg (Dec 20, 2009)

farmer2 - I would also like to see the picture. On my Befco 12 wheel rake, I have 2 problems. The rake is worn so the springs no longer hold the wheels up, so they go lower than they are supposed to. Working on that so that the wheels float better which will not allow the bars to go as low to the ground. Second, the holes that position the rear gap are wallowed out. That causes the plug that starts on the wheel to move the whole side to the center making the plug worse. I temporarily have ropes running form the pin to the front arms to stop it from moving back and forth. I am planning to reverse the side plates this winter to use the holes on the back that are original. This mod may be the next thing to consider.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

swmnhay said:


> Typicaly called a High Capacity rake.


Thanks, couldn't think of that term to save my life last night.


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## farmer2 (Aug 6, 2010)

burtrl said:


> Thanks for the tips. Farmer2, any chance you might be able to get a picture of your modification?


I will definitely take some pics...very easy fix. It will be a couple days because my field is 50 miles from my home and I'm a school teacher, so I won't be back to my rake until the weekend.

farmer2


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## farmer2 (Aug 6, 2010)

Here are some pics of my rake modification. This took a couple hours and has made all the difference in the world. The rake is a hesston v12.


















farmer2


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I can also add that changing the pitch of the rake also should take care of the clogging in most cases. A more narrow pitch makes for less clogging.


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## burtrl (Oct 17, 2010)

Thanks Farmer2 for the pics!. I think I'll try your mod next season. Hayray, Unfortunately if I adjust the pitch to be any narrower, the back end of the rake actually gets wider makiing the windrows too wide for my baler. The mounts for the left & right sides of the rake are already at their innermost positions. I am actually contemplating putting crowder wheels on my NH269 baler to help overcome this issue.


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## farmer2 (Aug 6, 2010)

burtrl said:


> Thanks Farmer2 for the pics!. I think I'll try your mod next season. Hayray, Unfortunately if I adjust the pitch to be any narrower, the back end of the rake actually gets wider makiing the windrows too wide for my baler. The mounts for the left & right sides of the rake are already at their innermost positions. I am actually contemplating putting crowder wheels on my NH269 baler to help overcome this issue.


Your welcome.

farmer2


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