# Older Ferguson DEO-20 side delivery rake



## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

I have the opportunity to pick up for penny's an early model Ferguson DEO-20 side delivery rake (cost would be my time and fuel to bring it home). Not sure if the letter after the E is and O or zero. The serial number 37XXX puts it in the early 50's. It has the star shaped drive wheels for the bars with 16 tines per bars. I think there are 6 bars. Its roughly 7 foot wide.

Everything seems to moves freely (lots of creaks, etc, except the tines are bent all over the place so they bind up in rotation. Tires still hold air. Most fittings still show some sign of grease, but everything else has a slight coat of rust - normal for Colorado. No frame damage, except for a slight dent in the top cross channel - probably from a lifting chain based on the scratches.

It appears some parts are still available, such as tines and some bearings. However the ADCO parts page does not exactly match up. but it for the early MF and this unit is just a Ferguson. Replacing all the tines is a $400 to $500 bill, and if bearings are bad, add another $200, if I can find them, but I am assuming they would have used industry standard sizes that could be matched up some way today. Frame is straight

This would be my first hay rake to put behind my Bobcat CT 235 34HP compact tractor.

I know they are still in use in my area as my custom hay man is using a newer model that has the dished shaped bar drive wheels.

My goal is to put together enough hay equipment to do the small acreage lots in my subdivision and sell the hay I cut from the lots or feed my two horses.

Your thoughts would be appreciated on this endeavor. Should I go for it?
I know I will need to find a good supply place other than the dealers, as the several I have called are a little stumped with the older equipment.

I do have pictures, but cant figure how to post here - probably a size problem


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

YODA everybody needs a hobby some play golf some have race cars and some of us bale hay and farm just depends how deep your pockets are . I had most of my equipment in storage so it was not a big up front cost to get back in the game.

Now the rake I do not know this type was it parked because somebody just quit using it or was it broke when it was parked. I bought a rotary rake because I did not want to put money into my NI bar rake. I sold it at a consignment auction and the guy who bought used it all season (less ac) . My 2cents do the math then check your check book and proceed from there.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

Check around a little more sometimes you can find a piece of equipment that is in good working order that is cheaper in the long run than fixing one up. But if you can get it for gas money and it don't work out scrap metal is high so you should be able to get your money back in scrap. We have never owned one of these rakes but I have used them they actually do a very good job better in thick hay than our NH rolabar rakes.


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## longmeadow farm (Jun 26, 2009)

I have to agree with the comments so far... depends on what is important to you. The satisfaction of resurrecting an old piece of farm machinery may come with a rather steep price. The condition of the rake teeth would be a concern to me. Bent like you described suggests a degree of abuse and little maintenance... leading me to be rather suspicious of the rake generally. Ferguson built a rather nice 3PT rollabar (five bars..I think) rake in the early 50s .. made for a nice raking unit attached to a TO 20 or 30 tractor. I'd consider looking for something a bit newer and potentially less problematic... good luck with the haying activity.


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## MFMan (Jul 2, 2013)

I own and use one of these units. I learned the hard way that there was a reason the design changed. One day one of the nuts which held one of the cross bar ends came off...lost a cotter key probably. The result was a flopping bar that caught in the machine and shortly broke off one of the "octopus" arms. The star arms are nowhere to be found. I had a fellow weld a splint of steel around the broken arm, put it back together and still use it. The v belt is very difficult to replace...the operation entails taking the machine apart in order to install a replacement. I wouldn't buy one again. Just get one that is newer with fewer design flaws.


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