# Adjusting new a wheel rake.



## mjsalmonjr (Mar 18, 2010)

I have switched from a old bar rake to a new Enrossi 8 wheel rake. I am in south Alabama. I am harvesting mostly Bermudagrass hay; we bale small square bales. I have one 5 acre field and one 9 acre field. The two times I have used it, I left a lot of hay on the ground. I am sure I need to make adjustment to the rake and to how I strategically rake my fields. If I have the springs adjusted so the wheels exert the most pressure on the ground, then the rake really seems to rake the ground hard- is this normal operation?
I have been running at about 7-9 mph ( as fast as I can run in my fields).
It seems like it leave a lot of hay and makes rather loose windrows.

Any guidance would be helpful.
Mike


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

on my 18 wheeled rakes I try to set them where the tines are just off the dirt for best action, if i try to go lower tines dig too much and slobber some of the windrows when we rake 2 together. barely touching ground is plenty try that see if it helps and make sure your angle is right also ? good luck


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I have a Hesston V8, no kicker wheel, which took me about 2 years of fiddling to get it to make a good windrow.  I had to get the opening and the angle of attack adjusted, then learn what speed to run at. Too fast and it would clog up in a heavy cutting.

I also borrowed my neighbor's Sitrex 8+kicker once. The kicker wheel seemed to make a difference on cuttings that where not tedded.

I also have an Ag-Maxx 12+3 Y rake for thin cuttings. After 4 years, I'm finding that the Hesston does a better job when I ted a field and have a heavy cutting. The Ag-Maxx does a better job on thinner cuttings. The Hesston makes a better windrow for round bales; the Ag-Maxx is better for square bales.

The Hesston seems to leave more on the ground sometimes. The Ag-Maxx is spotless. Neither rake has a ground pressure adjustment (that I know of).


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