# Raking Thick Hay



## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

Last year my side delivery rake had problems clogging in some thick hay. Clumps would get stuck under the rake and jam it up. Have yet to rake this year, but will be in the next couple days. Anybody have experience raking with one in thick hay, and when I say thick, I mean REALLY THICK. What should I do in terms of height/ tilt adjustment and ground speed? Is it better to drive faster since its ground driven? Any advice you can offer is appreciated. Rake is a International 35.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

If it's heavy hay you want the basket tilted up as much as possible as this will make a little fluffier row. Is it actually plugging or is the drive tire sliding along the ground sometimes?

Wasn't unheard of on occasion for one ratcheting clutch to quit on the drive wheels on our NH rolabar rakes, with only one tire driving they'd sometimes plug in heavy hay as that one tire wasn't enough to drive the basket.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

mlappin said:


> If it's heavy hay you want the basket tilted up as much as possible as this will make a little fluffier row. Is it actually plugging or is the drive tire sliding along the ground sometimes?
> 
> Wasn't unheard of on occasion for one ratcheting clutch to quit on the drive wheels on our NH rolabar rakes, with only one tire driving they'd sometimes plug in heavy hay as that one tire wasn't enough to drive the basket.


Also, make sure you are running as short of a hitch pin as possible and don't have anything else dragging in the hay under the tractor. It's hard enough to rake really heavy hay. Adding the occasional wad that breaks free from a catch underneath just makes the situation that much worse.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

In heavy windrows, I hang an old rubber mudflap from a truck on the drawbar ahead of the hitch pin. That keeps the forage from clumping on the pin and causing a wad... Thats SOP when I'm round bailing all the time.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

As has been mentioned, check the clutches in the wheels to make sure they are both working correctly and use a shorter pin or raise the draw bar of the tractor to keep it from catching on the hay. Check to be sure there are no tines that are missing, this will let hay get back in under the rake before the next bar comes around. If the tires on the rake are worn down, you could replace them (expensive option) or put a set of tire chains for a lawn mower on them (cheaper option) to help them get better traction.


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

I believe that the angle of that rake is adjustable. If so, run it as straight/parallel to the windrow as possible. And tilt it back as far as possible.


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## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

I will definitely check all the things you guys mentioned. What MPH should I be raking at?


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## Bishop (Apr 6, 2015)

When I have this I switch out drawbars to my straight drawbar instead of my dropbar. I also put a bunch of big heavy washers in between the top of the drawbar and the top of the rake hitch so it is higher.

This seems to help "tilt" the rake forward and less gets all bunched.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Since it is ground driven, the speed shouldn't matter too much. I wouldn't try and push it too fast since that might have the rake bouncing up more when you hit a bump in the field. It will also reduce your reaction time if it does start to plug up. I typically run my NH rollabar rakes on my JD 2520 in 6th gear (sycromesh) at about 1600 RPM. I think that works out to be around 3 to 4 miles per hour, but I'd have to check to be sure.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

What kind of tires? Are you getting enough traction? When I had a rolabar if hay was too heavy and conditions wrong tires wouldn't turn (used truck tires). Made me realize why they come with r 1 type tires.


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## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> What kind of tires? Are you getting enough traction? When I had a rolabar if hay was too heavy and conditions wrong tires wouldn't turn (used truck tires). Made me realize why they come with r 1 type tires.


Not sure what kind. They have pretty good tread though. I'll post a pic later.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

Smaller wheel would tilt it up more plus increase basket speed compared with ground speed.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

PackMan2170 said:


> I believe that the angle of that rake is adjustable. If so, run it as straight/parallel to the windrow as possible. And tilt it back as far as possible.


I have a 35. That angle isn't adjustable on mine, though I can't guarantee that wasn't an option on a different run of serial numbers.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

This reply is of no help to your question, but some info for your hip pocket for another day.

I have a 3 pt JD350 side delivery rollabar type rake. It is PTO driven, which I really like. I can spin it whatever rpm I choose regardless of the ground speed. I think, in addition to JD - others like Ford, MF and New Idea made 3 pt PTO driven rakes. And I know NH made and I think still makes one, so they are out there.

Thick hay - sounds like a great problem!

Good luck,
Bill


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## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

Tires look pretty good. There firestone power implement tires. Hay is laid in a wide swath. So it could have traction problems anyway.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Those are meant for that. I doubt that is your issue. Unless the hay is too wet. What cut it? How close to dry?


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## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> Those are meant for that. I doubt that is your issue. Unless the hay is too wet. What cut it? How close to dry?


Hay was cut with a sickle bar yesterday afternoon. Thinking about raking tomorrow or Saturday and baling on Sunday. Temps in the 70s/80s with low humidity the next few days. Its thick enough that it needs to get raked to let the bottom dry out.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

tcfarm said:


> Hay was cut with a sickle bar yesterday afternoon. Thinking about raking tomorrow or Saturday and baling on Sunday. Temps in the 70s/80s with low humidity the next few days. Its thick enough that it needs to get raked to let the bottom dry out.


Sounds like it is too wet too rake. After I bought my tedder I no longer had that problem.

You need a tedder.


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## tcfarm (May 5, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> Sounds like it is too wet too rake. After I bought my tedder I no longer had that problem.
> 
> You need a tedder.


I realize that, but this isn't enough hay for me to justify buying one. I'm just going to have to make the rake I've got work. It does really well in my other fields with thinner hay. It's just bottom land like this that gets so wet in the spring it grows to monster proportions and gives me all kinds of headaches. You ever try to cut four foot tall lodged orchard grass with a sickle bar? Not fun.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Wife does all the raking and she's never had this problem with her new NH 256 or the old 256 without dolly wheels even in Oats pushing close to 4 tons per acre.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

tc, rake with half the withe of the rake. It'll put the windrows close together, but it will get it turned for drying. Once dried make another pass for your baling windrow.


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## Will 400m (Aug 1, 2011)

Like andy said try taking a half pass. Also when I had my old ih rake I added some weight to the rear farm so it helped the wheels get some traction. And I raked pretty fast I think 4.5 - 5 mph. But that was only in heavy nasty reeds canary grass. That stuff grew like wild fire in the wet areas and tall over the top of my jeep. Try cutting that with a moco. It would wrap something fierce around the rolls if you didnt pay attention.


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