# Top 3 manufacturers of v-rakes...and who do avoid?



## SilentH

I know many topics have been covered on wheel and rotary rakes.

I am in the market for buying a new or used v-rake for my coastal field.

I am looking for advice on what manufacturers make the best, highest quality, longest lasting rakes, with the least amount of problems. Secondly who do avoid.

Thanks,

Mark


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## deadmoose

I would think Circle C and Darf are up there. Way out of my league.

Do you have a budget in mind?


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## LAF_NWMN

We've been running a 12wheel h&s hicapacity for 12yrs with zero issues. Neighbor kid turned to sharp on headland hooked the hitch with tire and broke the drawbar on our 3010...rake was fine.


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## somedevildawg

Kuhn makes a solid one....stay away from tonutti (prolly not spelled correctly but u get the idea)


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## deadmoose

For a reasonably priced (think Ford, Chevy-not Cadillac Rolls) one Nww Holland, Kuhn, and Vermeer all make nice rakes. People talk highly of H&S as well.


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## bluefarmer

New holland v rakes have come a long way


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## Uphayman

Very happy with our SR 600 16 wheel Kuhn. 4 seasons ,no issues.


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## NewBerlinBaler

I have a Pequea 10-wheel V rake which I bought used. It's solid and has given me no issues.

However if I was in the market again, I would look for one with each cylinder on its own separate hydraulic circuit. That way, I could just lower one half of the V to rake away from a hedge row for example. Yes, I could (and might someday) modify this one but some brands already have this feature - Gehl, is one.

Gary


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## G&GFarms

We have a 12 wheel hi cap vermeer and we love it. Heaviest built weve ever had!


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## Vol

NewBerlinBaler said:


> I have a Pequea 10-wheel V rake which I bought used. It's solid and has given me no issues.
> 
> However if I was in the market again, I would look for one with each cylinder on its own separate hydraulic circuit. That way, I could just lower one half of the V to rake away from a hedge row for example. Yes, I could (and might someday) modify this one but some brands already have this feature - Gehl, is one.
> 
> Gary


Kuhn is another.....but yours would be real easy to plumb with a shutoff valve for either side....

Regards, Mike


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## Tx Jim

I've owned a H&S Hi-cap bought new in '02 that has raked 1000's upon 1000's of acres. I've had very little problems except when my elderly rake tractor driver(75 yrs at the time) hung a post and bent the 1st section of the frame(not rakes fault). I also would not recommend a Tonnutti as I bought a new JD 704 built by Tonnutti that broke frame several times in 1st yr of use while under warranty. I suggest to get a rake such as H&S that the windrow & raking widths can be adjusted independently of each other. I looked at a new Vermeer wheel rake and they look very well built.


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## gradyjohn

SilentH said:


> I know many topics have been covered on wheel and rotary rakes.
> 
> I am in the market for buying a new or used v-rake for my coastal field.
> 
> I am looking for advice on what manufacturers make the best, highest quality, longest lasting rakes, with the least amount of problems. Secondly who do avoid.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mark


What ever you choose I would go with a high capacity rake ... that is a wheel rake. Rotary rake I would go with a Krone.


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## endrow

Used a H & S carted vrake V12. Probably fifteen thousand acres and few of problems .


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## German Farmer

I agree on the high capacity comment. We have high capacity rake, only one to have.

I had a Tonutti. It was our first wheel rake and it was not a bad little critter. If a guy had 10 acres a year to make and the field was straight then it worked. It was a six wheel, 3 pt hitch model. Hooked to a Ferguson 35 and let her eat! That was a trip. The rake was just heavy enough, that when you picked up on the end you had to smash the brake to make the turn in 2nd high gear. That pair kept you on your toes.

We moved to a deere high capacity double six. Much nicer and easier, but probably not much heavier. We do a lot of fixin' every year. It is on our update soon list.


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## SilentH

Awesome! Great advice! Thank you!!

Could you all help me with size recommendations as well? I have 3 rectangular coastal patches separated by my country driveway and the other border is just a higher grass road for hay storage when my hay lean to is full.

When the rain is moderate and with no fertilizer I am looking at 3 cuts. I will aerate the fields this spring and may put out some fertilizer as well, but typically 3 cuts. The old fashioned rake just takes too long to get the job done.

Thank you for the help!!

Mark


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## 8350HiTech

SilentH said:


> Awesome! Great advice! Thank you!!
> 
> Could you all help me with size recommendations as well? I have 3 rectangular coastal patches separated by my country driveway and the other border is just a higher grass road for hay storage when my hay lean to is full. I am illustrating all my 40 acres are the gate in and you have access to all of it.
> 
> When the rain is moderate and with no fertilizer I am looking at 3 cuts. I will aerate the fields this spring and may put out some fertilizer as well, but typically 3 cuts. The old fashioned rake just takes too long to get the job done.
> 
> Thank you for the help!!
> 
> Mark


Are you round baling or square baling? What size mower are you running? (Do you ted after mowing?) What kind of yields? These probably determine rake size more than anything.


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## SilentH

8350HiTech said:


> Are you round baling or square baling? What size mower are you running? (Do you ted after mowing?) What kind of yields? These probably determine rake size more than anything.


Round bales... Mower not sure how long...guessing 12 to 15 feet? Do not ted after mowing. Yields, I believe 4 bales per acre...


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## deadmoose

What size bales?


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## deadmoose

http://agriculture.newholland.com/us/en/Products/Hay-and-Forage-Equipment/ProCart-Deluxe-Carted-Wheel-Rakes/Pages/1225-12-Wheel_modelversion.aspx

http://www.kuhnnorthamerica.com/internet/webus.nsf/mobile/922FA923A9029FF0C12573C50055D93A?OpenDocument&p=26.7.4.5.3

http://m.vermeer.com/product.php?series=vr1224_carted_wheel_rake_&industry=agriculture&category=rakes

http://www.hsmfgco.com/Rake3Details.cfm?ID=AR12


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## IHCman

I agree with Moose on the Darf and Circle C rakes being some of the best. Rowse would get my vote of being one of the top 3.

H&S also makes a heck of a good rake. Neighbors have one that must be 15 to 20 years old that still works good and they're hard as hell on equipment.

I also agree with all those who've said the Tonnuti rake is one to stay away from. Seen a few of those around here with broke or twisted frames after not much use. One dealer I know of won't take a Tonnuti rake as a trade in. He said they're only good for boat anchors.


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## Gearclash

Vermeer WRX series and some Gehl models are rebadged Tonuttis. I ran a 12 wheel WRX and thought it was a decent high capacity rake.


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## SilentH

deadmoose said:


> What size bales?


I believe they are 4x5's. Not sure


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## deadmoose

SilentH said:


> I believe they are 4x5's. Not sure


For those kind of yields I think any of the carted 12 wheels linked above would do well. Then it comes down to dealer, price, and possibly financing.


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## Tx Jim

SilentH

My H&S hi-cap is a 14 wheel that spread all the way out will rake very close to a 30 ft swath. I have back in '07 when it rained so much just raked one 9'3'' swath in Coastal that was making between seven & eight 4X5.5 rd bales per acre. I normally due to drought rake three 9'3'' swaths. My rake is long but my rake tractor driver has raked several small fields(under 3 acres). There's a used H&S rake for sale on DFW CL($5000) but it's not the hi-cap model but I think it would be better than most carted rakes except the latest carted models that have more hay flow clearance.


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## swmnhay

You can't lump all V wheel rakes together,it's like comparing apples to oranges.I'd categorize them into 3 groups.

The Cadillac of the rakes would be the Rouwsw,Circlle C,Vermeer 1431??,Darf.These are more for larger hay producers very heavy built,larger widths available.$20-40K

The mid range high capacity rakes are made by a lot of co.or rebadged Totunnis,Sitrex,etc.The frame is behind the rake wheels and they do a better job of rateing with less bunching,etc.because the frame isn't in the way to catch on.It normally has wheels on front and back of frame so it follows terrain of the ground.Usually 12- 16 wheels covering 18-24' $10-15K

Then you have the lighter duty V rakes.Some are carted with everything ride ing on 2 wheels or 3 pt mounted.the rake frame is in front of the rake wheels so in heavy hay you can have bunching from it catching.These are built much lighter then the others and a lot cheaper 8-12 wheels.I'm not even sure on the price nowadays.Probaby $4-8k would catch most of them


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## German Farmer

One concern I would pass along. Our Deere is a transport disaster. When the weather gets fit, we will normally start mowing and mow for three good days so that as we are mowing on the third day, we are also starting to bale where we started. That can mean road travel of 40 miles over three days. Our Deere rake runs on four wheels and even locked in transport mode the rake swims behind you pretty bad. You can't run more than 20 mph and you really have to watch the thing dipping down into the ditch or crowding the center line.

If you weren't roading much, not a problem, but if you plan to travel then I wouldn't have the Deere 700 series rake.


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## treymo

How the heck do you figure out what kind of rake you need when you don't know what kind of equipment you are currently running?

Trey


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## Tx Jim

German Farmer said:


> If you weren't roading much, not a problem, but if you plan to travel then I wouldn't have the Deere 700 series rake.


JD 700 rakes come in several configurations built by at least 2 different manufacturers(Vermeer[JD 700 & 705] & Tonnutti[JD 702 & 704]) JD 700 & 705 pull great but the 704 doesn't pull very good at highway speeds.


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## German Farmer

Makes sense. Ours is a 704.

Other than that good rake for our size. Given all of our cuttings we normally hit about 250 acres in a years time.

Trey, I agree but I can't see needing a rake bigger than a 12 wheel where we are located. In our area, any tillable ground is not in hay so hills and reclaim tend to be hay fields and most of patches are 5 acres of less. We have a couple 30 acres spots, but none of them are one field and most are contoured. We would like to move from a four basket tedder to a six basket tedder but we have some spots were it would be really tight to make some turns.

However even if I only had 10 acres, I would have a big rake. Hay is so time sensitive that when it's time you need to pounce.


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## gradyjohn

Tx Jim said:


> JD 700 rakes come in several configurations built by at least 2 different manufacturers(Vermeer[JD 700 & 705] & Tonnutti[JD 702 & 704]) JD 700 & 705 pull great but the 704 doesn't pull very good at highway speeds.


John Deere 700 and 704 are roll bar rakes same as vermeer R23. The 702 & 704 are wheel rakes. Not all V-rakes are wheel rakes. I have a 700 and it pulls fine.


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## Tx Jim

gradyjohn said:


> John Deere 700 and 704 are roll bar rakes same as vermeer R23. The 702 & 704 are wheel rakes. Not all V-rakes are wheel rakes. I have a 700 and it pulls fine.


JD 700 & 705 rakes pull good down the highway but also heat the tractors hyd oil good in the field when raking.


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## treymo

German Farmer- I apologize my comment was not directed towards your operation rather it was directed towards SilentH.

SilentH- How do you not know what kind of round baler you are running?

Trey


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## barnrope

Rowse, Circle C, Vermeer, and Darf make the best rakes in my opinion. H&S is a little cheaper and you get what you pay for.


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## SilentH

treymo said:


> German Farmer- I apologize my comment was not directed towards your operation rather it was directed towards SilentH.
> 
> SilentH- How do you not know what kind of round baler you are running?
> 
> Trey


Trey,

You are right and I should... The farm/ranch for me is a hobby, not a commercial operation. I am learning something new every day, and a ton of what I've learned is from this website, which I am very grateful for the advice!!


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## SilentH

Thanks for all the above advice!! I have a great feel on what brand rake and size! Now I am going to start pricing the top brands everyone had mentioned along with deciding whether to* buy new or used!*

Invaluable information especially for when I go to the Switzer Auction near Sealy, Texas!


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## German Farmer

I took no offense Trey. I hope my comments didn't seem angry. It was more just informational on how things go here.

Good luck, Silent H.

Don't be afraid to investigate what your neighbors do or pick their brains. Many do things a certain way but would be happy to say that they might do it differently if they were starting over or new.

I happen to be a teacher too, and we are always quick to discuss methods with other teachers, but I know in the farming world that talking shop is sometimes taboo and some guys feel others are trying to steal from them, but be up front about intentions may open some doors.


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## Vol

SilentH said:


> Thanks for all the above advice!! I have a great feel on what brand rake and size! Now I am going to start pricing the top brands everyone had mentioned along with deciding whether to* buy new or used!*
> 
> Invaluable information especially for when I go to the Switzer Auction near Sealy, Texas!


Good luck at the auction H....I usually enjoy them immensely.

Regards, Mike


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## Hay Varment

We run a 1010 Frontier when we are bailing small squares it has been over several acres the four bolts that holds the hitch to the frame have broke we put grade 8 bolts in and tacked it with the welder and we have had no more problems with it we had a Gehl that did the same our neighbor has had the same breakage with his and more people I know I think its just a week spot in the rake we run a 14 wheel H & S High capacity and the only thing it has had done is teeth put in but it does bout 2600 acres a year so that's the reason for that but it is a great rake and simple to use just like the guy above you have to watch bout turning sharp we use a 686 to pull it does a great job good luck


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## Hay Varment

We have a H & S High Capacity 14 wheel rake I wouldnt have anything else but that you can spread it out to any width that you want it in thick or thin hay we use it on rolling hay the only thing we have done to it is put teeth in it of course its been over several thousand acres its 3 yrs old its been over bout 2800 acres a year on the other hand we use a 1010 Frontier V rake for our small square baler the only problem we have had with it is the four bolts that holds the tounge to the frame have broke out we replaced them with grade 8 bolts and welded it we had a Gehl that done the samething my neighbor has the same problem with his along with other people I have talked to I think its just a week spot in the rake its self but I would go with a High Capacity just rember like the guy said above watch bout turning sharp on the end rows


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## gradyjohn

Tx Jim said:


> JD 700 & 705 rakes pull good down the highway but also heat the tractors hyd oil good in the field when raking.


We run ours with a JD 6330 @ about 1500 engine rpm's. Do not have the rake turning full power on the hydraulics either. We have run it behind a JD4440 and 4450 with no problems.


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## Tx Jim

gradyjohn said:


> We run ours with a JD 6330 @ about 1500 engine rpm's. Do not have the rake turning full power on the hydraulics either. We have run it behind a JD4440 and 4450 with no problems.


Way back in the 90's when I 1st started raking with a Vermeer R23 operating rake from tractor hyd's one could not disconnect the hyd hoses from tractor after several hrs of raking bare handed because hoses were VERY HOT. My thought are that this heat would shorten the life of seals & hyd components. I changed my Vermeer rake over to pto pump drive using rake tongue as a reservoir. I could then pull rake with a smaller tractor therefore saving fuel.


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## Gearclash

The Vermeer R23s only need 8gpm flow to operate the baskets. Anything more than that is returned back to the tractor from the priority valve on the hitch. They will heat up the tractor hydraulics, but so far we haven't had a problem with the IH 686 that has run an R23 for 15 years. At times we will rake 80 acres of alfalfa that's at 60% moisture or so.


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## SilentH

Ok, I've looking at the Kuhn.... I need a little more education from the forum.

My baler is a John Deere 468 / 568 series. My hay field is 40 acres of coastal. I'm getting 3 cuts per year. Haven't fertilized but may start this year. I do aerate my fields. My budget is less than 10K for new.

Someone mention I should be a high capacity rake? Please explain what the differences are between the two types?

Do I need to match my baler to a certain v-rake or does that matter?

Thanks!


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## deadmoose

Which baler? How many bales (of what size) per cut? Unless you have really high yields I think carted speed rake ahould do you well. 10 or 12 wheel. Either will be adjustable to match the windrow to your baler. Both should be under budget by at least a couple thousand.


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## haydaddy97

REFERENCE TO THE V RAKES BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH MY 12 WHEEL AND 14 WHEEL HC H AND S RAKES TROUPLE FREE


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## somedevildawg

Haydaddy, if it ain't too much trouble, find that key that says "cap lock" and push it and see if them caps won't correct themselves.....not that I care, just seems like you're YELLING.

Interesting how many people like the H&S high capacity rakes, never even seen one here.

Welcome to haytalk


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## Tx Jim

somedevildawg said:


> Interesting how many people like the H&S high capacity rakes, never even seen one here.


Here's H&S website. Their equipment to my knowledge is made in the USA

http://www.hsmfgco.com/rakemain.cfm


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## swmnhay

SilentH said:


> Ok, I've looking at the Kuhn.... I need a little more education from the forum.
> 
> My baler is a John Deere 468 / 568 series. My hay field is 40 acres of coastal. I'm getting 3 cuts per year. Haven't fertilized but may start this year. I do aerate my fields. My budget is less than 10K for new.
> 
> Someone mention I should be a high capacity rake? Please explain what the differences are between the two types?
> 
> Do I need to match my baler to a certain v-rake or does that matter?
> 
> Thanks!


High capacity rakes have the frame on the back side of rake wheels there for the hay doesn't snag in it and cause bunching near as much.They also usually have springs to suspend each rake wheel individually.High capacity rakes can be run at any width for different crop conditions also adjusted easily with hyds.Carted not as easy to change the settings.

Most rakes are adjustable widths.Size you need depends on what you are cutting with what you are rakeing together,here we are V rakeing two swaths together so a rake wide enough to reach both swathes.If you make a 5' wide windrow for a 5' wide baler you can increase the capacity of the baler tremendously over making a 2.5' windrow and weaveing.


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## Vol

This rake has piqued my interest.....is anyone familiar with this hybrid carted rake with front mounted wheels? It is called the "Hybrid Hay Runner".

Regards, Mike

http://ogdenmetalworks.com/hybrid-hay-runner/2564460


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## Tx Jim

One advantage of my H&S is that I can easily adjust raking width by moving hyd lever on tractor & independently of raking width change windrow width just by turning a crank at the rear of the rake.


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## Chessiedog

Mike problems I've seen with that type of rake carriage is in very heavy material they tend to make big balls when you clean up on ends . At least the couple I've seen work around here .


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## swmnhay

Vol said:


> This rake has piqued my interest.....is anyone familiar with this hybrid carted rake with front mounted wheels? It is called the "Hybrid Hay Runner".
> 
> Regards, Mike
> 
> http://ogdenmetalworks.com/hybrid-hay-runner/2564460


The neighbor has one.He rakes a lot of road ditches with it.I should ask him how he likes it.I see a dealer has a bunch of them on his lot 50 miles from me.I think they are priced a quite a bit higher then a lot of carted rakes but looks to be built a lot heavier and a better designed rake IMO.


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## rajela

The new model kuhn carted rakes have adjustable windrow width as well as the raking width. You have to dismount the tractor to adjust but there is some adjustments to the windrow width that can be done wiothout changing the overall raking width.

http://www.kuhnnorthamerica.com/internet/catalog.nsf/3b582a8d83baaad1c1256c250030cd68/d18533162d6a8c1286257bd300757d71/MCDescription/0.C6?OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=jpg

http://www.kuhnnorthamerica.com/us/range/hay-and-forage-tools/rotary-rakes-wheel-rakes-mergers/sr-110-gii.html


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## Tx Jim

rajela.

It's difficult to determine from this photo but I'll bet decreasing windrow width increases raking width & VICE VERSE which is not the case with my rake. My experience with carted rakes is if pulled over sufficient acres the adjusting holes get worn giving anything but a uniform windrow width.

http://www.kuhnnorth...dElemFormat=jpg


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## rajela

The windrow width is adjustable independently of the overall raking width. I am sure the pin holes will get worn a little and the windrow width would vary to some degree but my JD mega wide pickup would not have any problems compensating for the variance.

Oh and I will take that bet......






PS

You can't compare you H&S Hi Capacity Bi Fold Rake to a Kuhn Carted V Rake in raking ablity or price. They just aren't any where near the same in either catergory but you can compare the H&S Hi Capacity Bi Fold to a Kuhn Hi Capacity Bi Fold. You will find that the price and raking abilty will be very close to the same.


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## somedevildawg

That's a sweet rake.....made some good changes to an already good design, nice to see, Kelly Smith is a lot purtier and more knowledgeable than any of my salesmen.....


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## barnrope

I had a very bad H & S 14 wheel high cap rake that I bought new a few years ago. It was built too lights and I bent some things on it, also the rake wheel suspension springs would catch the teeth of a couple wheels and would stop the wheel. I didn't like the locking system with the curved pipes to keep the wings in for transport. I traded for a vr1428 Vermeer and it is similar in some ways to the H&S but. Is built much heavier and has a lot better rake wheel suspension system on it. Of course it cost more money but you get what you pay for.

I also have an H&S 12 wheel non high capacity rake. I really like that rake. It will get in tight spots and through many places a high cap rake couldn't go. It holds up reasonably well but does need a trip past the welder occasionally. I usually pull it with a pick up. Here is a picture of the rake and also the valves I rigged up for the hydraulics on my pickup.


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## Tx Jim

rajela said:


> The windrow width is adjustable independently of the overall raking width. I am sure the pin holes will get worn a little and the windrow width would vary to some degree but my JD mega wide pickup would not have any problems compensating for the variance.
> 
> Oh and I will take that bet......
> 
> PS
> 
> You can't compare you H&S Hi Capacity Bi Fold Rake to a Kuhn Carted V Rake in raking ablity or price. They just aren't any where near the same in either catergory but you can compare the H&S Hi Capacity Bi Fold to a Kuhn Hi Capacity Bi Fold. You will find that the price and raking abilty will be very close to the same.


After baling 50,000 rd bales with a JD rd baler that has Mega-wide pickup I think I'm fully aware of the pickup attachments "advantages & limitations''. I never stated or implied that the Hi-cap & carted rakes were in the same category in price or raking ability. I just stated for me the Hi-cap is the better choice. In watching the video I personally think changing windrow width by altering the angle of only the last 2 wheels on each side might cause a hay plugging problem in very heavy hay. On the subject of the adjusting holes getting worn I referring to rakes built 15 or 20 yrs back and I'm sure this problem has been addressed to some extinct by the manufacturers.

Now on your proposed bet. I bet you that the more uniform the windrow is the easier to make and the better the bales will be. IMHO windrows that vary in width has a reflection on how well formed(smooth) the bale sides are and how level the bales are.

I rake a 5' wide windrows to bale with a 4' baler. Usually I rake three 9'3'' cuts together but have had to only rake one swath in 7-8 bale to the acre hay in 2007.


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## SilentH

swmnhay said:


> High capacity rakes have the frame on the back side of rake wheels there for the hay doesn't snag in it and cause bunching near as much.They also usually have springs to suspend each rake wheel individually.High capacity rakes can be run at any width for different crop conditions also adjusted easily with hyds.Carted not as easy to change the settings.
> 
> Most rakes are adjustable widths.Size you need depends on what you are cutting with what you are rakeing together,here we are V rakeing two swaths together so a rake wide enough to reach both swathes.If you make a 5' wide windrow for a 5' wide baler you can increase the capacity of the baler tremendously over making a 2.5' windrow and weaveing.


I talked with a dealer this morning who said I did not need a high capacity rake for my field is coastal therefore easy to rake unlike johnson grass, etc... What confused me in talking with him, he said the size of v rake is dependent on my cutter length? That I do not get, for I am cutting the entire field....

On your weaving comment, that is what I do with my John Deere 468 Baler, for the display has the two bars where you feed each side to make them even. Believe that's what your talking about...

Lastly he mentioned he liked Sitrex over Kuhn for the wheels are hydraulic? which follow the contour of the land? I guess nice to have, however my land could not be flatter... He said that is where all rakes are headed...


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## SilentH

The reason why Texans don't know H&S...as well as Kuhn and Vermeer... H&S presence in Texas is one distributor near Waco... http://www.alliancedistributing.com/catalog/

I believe all 3 make quality rakes for my application, however I would not like to haul the H&S to Waco for service...a 3 plus hour drive.

The Kuhn and Vermeer would be 30 minutes to Wharton or 20 minutes to Sealy... All three rakes for non high capacity run about 6 to 7K for a 10 to 12 wheel...

Thanks for the education!

Mark


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## rajela

Tx Jim said:


> After baling 50,000 rd bales with a JD rd baler that has Mega-wide pickup I think I'm fully aware of the pickup attachments "advantages & limitations''. I never stated or implied that the Hi-cap & carted rakes were in the same category in price or raking ability. I just stated for me the Hi-cap is the better choice. In watching the video I personally think changing windrow width by altering the angle of only the last 2 wheels on each side might cause a hay plugging problem in very heavy hay. On the subject of the adjusting holes getting worn I referring to rakes built 15 or 20 yrs back and I'm sure this problem has been addressed to some extinct by the manufacturers.
> 
> Now on your proposed bet. I bet you that the more uniform the windrow is the easier to make and the better the bales will be. IMHO windrows that vary in width has a reflection on how well formed(smooth) the bale sides are and how level the bales are.
> 
> I rake a 5' wide windrows to bale with a 4' baler. Usually I rake three 9'3'' cuts together but have had to only rake one swath in 7-8 bale to the acre hay in 2007.


The bet was purposed by you not me. I would also bet you that the more uniform the meadow denisity is the more uniform the windrow will be regardless of what rake you use.

My older model 10 wheel kuhn V rake set to produce a 5' widrow will not completely rake three 9'3'' cuts together but the little bit of adjustment would solve this problem so i will be looking at making some poor boy mods to the rear of my rake.


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## Tx Jim

SilentH said:


> The reason why Texans don't know H&S...as well as Kuhn and Vermeer... H&S presence in Texas is one distributor near Waco... http://www.alliancedistributing.com/catalog/
> 
> Mark


Maybe so but some of the Frontier rakes sold by JD dealers are built by H&S


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## Tx Jim

rajela said:


> The bet was purposed by you not me. I would also bet you that the more uniform the meadow denisity is the more uniform the windrow will be regardless of what rake you use.


Where I live uniform crop stand be it Coastal or Sudan is about as likely to be found as a "needle in the haystack" or a set of "hen's teeth"!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## rajela

Tx Jim said:


> Where I live uniform crop stand be it Coastal or Sudan is about as likely to be found as a "needle in the haystack" or a set of "hen's teeth"!!!!!!!!!!!!


Exactly!!!!!! H&S makes a fine rake as does several others. I buy what I can get serviced locally which in my case is Kuhn. I would recommend the OP does the same. Find a local dealer that sells a quality product and purchase a rake that fits with in your budget.


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## cornshucker

Vol said:


> This rake has piqued my interest.....is anyone familiar with this hybrid carted rake with front mounted wheels? It is called the "Hybrid Hay Runner".
> 
> Regards, Mike
> 
> http://ogdenmetalworks.com/hybrid-hay-runner/2564460


Not that I am interested in buying a wheel rake but from the pictures and literature this is a very good looking rake. If I was in the market for a wheel rake I would for sure look at them. USA made I might add which is always a plus IMHO.


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## somedevildawg

SilentH said:


> I talked with a dealer this morning who said I did not need a high capacity rake for my field is coastal therefore easy to rake unlike johnson
> 
> On your weaving comment, that is what I do with my John Deere 468 Baler, for the display has the two bars where you feed each side to make them even. Believe that's what your talking about...
> 
> Lastly he mentioned he liked Sitrex over Kuhn for the wheels are hydraulic? which follow the contour of the land? I guess nice to have, however my land could not be flatter... He said that is where all rakes are headed...


Let me answer your question first.

What confused me in talking with him, he said the size of v rake is dependent on my cutter length? That I do not get, for I am cutting the entire field....

The size of any rake is not totally dependant on the size of your cutterbar but it makes life easier and the field cleaner by matching the cutterbar to the rake, if a field is tedded it becomes moot.....let me give you an example; if your cutterbar is cutting 9'8" per swath, that's about 19' of material on the ground if you are raking two, if you are raking at 19' then you will be getting two windrows of cut hay at a time....consequently if I can rake at 28' I can rake 3 windrows of material. With wheel rakes, if you rake 
Into a winrow of untedded hay, it will leave a small amount of grass on the ground, depending on which direction the cutter was moving while cuttin, that leaves a bit of hay on the ground but generally not too much to be concerned with......the direction you are raking vs which way the cutter was moving will change as you rake your field unless several other factors come into play.....

Weaving is necessary when the winrows become "thin".....normally if the rake is adjusted correctly, you shouldn't need to weave except under certain circumstances, like at the end of the field where the windrows will get a bit uneven due to raking the headlands and dodging already raked windrows.....you are right, I believe, about the lights you describe on your monitor. (Not having that monitor, I'm not 100%)

Sitrex is a decent rake for the money, not the rake the speedrake is tho......
In my opin, 40 acres, 8 or 10 wheel carted rake with center kicker wheel....especially if you may not ted your hay, on some 10 wheel rakes, the front two wheels can be lifted up manually to make an 8 wheel rake, there are times when harvesting Tift 85 after some prolonged rains, that feature is useful.....although with coastal it's not as much of a problem unless really extended and fertilized heavily....hth


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## swmnhay

SilentH said:


> I talked with a dealer this morning who said I did not need a high capacity rake for my field is coastal therefore easy to rake unlike johnson grass, etc... What confused me in talking with him, he said the size of v rake is dependent on my cutter length? That I do not get, for I am cutting the entire field....
> 
> On your weaving comment, that is what I do with my John Deere 468 Baler, for the display has the two bars where you feed each side to make them even. Believe that's what your talking about...
> 
> Lastly he mentioned he liked Sitrex over Kuhn for the wheels are hydraulic? which follow the contour of the land? I guess nice to have, however my land could not be flatter... He said that is where all rakes are headed...


you want a rake to match up with your cutter WIDTH typically rake is wide enough to cover two cutter widths.
Makeing a windrow with rake so you don't have to weave makes baleing so much faster,increases the capacity of the baler and reduces stress baleing.Bigger the windrows the better as long as it goes under the tractor.I sure like driveing straight down the windrow then constantly weave ing back and forth.


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## SilentH

somedevildawg said:


> Let me answer your question first.
> What confused me in talking with him, he said the size of v rake is dependent on my cutter length? That I do not get, for I am cutting the entire field....
> The size of any rake is not totally dependant on the size of your cutterbar but it makes life easier and the field cleaner by matching the cutterbar to the rake, if a field is tedded it becomes moot.....let me give you an example; if your cutterbar is cutting 9'8" per swath, that's about 19' of material on the ground if you are raking two, if you are raking at 19' then you will be getting two windrows of cut hay at a time....consequently if I can rake at 28' I can rake 3 windrows of material. With wheel rakes, if you rake
> Into a winrow of untedded hay, it will leave a small amount of grass on the ground, depending on which direction the cutter was moving while cuttin, that leaves a bit of hay on the ground but generally not too much to be concerned with......the direction you are raking vs which way the cutter was moving will change as you rake your field unless several other factors come into play.....
> Weaving is necessary when the winrows become "thin".....normally if the rake is adjusted correctly, you shouldn't need to weave except under certain circumstances, like at the end of the field where the windrows will get a bit uneven due to raking the headlands and dodging already raked windrows.....you are right, I believe, about the lights you describe on your monitor. (Not having that monitor, I'm not 100%)
> Sitrex is a decent rake for the money, not the rake the speedrake is tho......
> In my opin, 40 acres, 8 or 10 wheel carted rake with center kicker wheel....especially if you may not ted your hay, on some 10 wheel rakes, the front two wheels can be lifted up manually to make an 8 wheel rake, there are times when harvesting Tift 85 after some prolonged rains, that feature is useful.....although with coastal it's not as much of a problem unless really extended and fertilized heavily....hth


Thanks for the advice! I'm going to a dealer of Kuhn and Vermeer Saturday, which will help as well!


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## rjmoses

I like my Ag-Maxx 12+3 Y/V rake because:

a) I can vary the width from 27' down to about 12' depending the crop. First cutting runs a little narrower; last cutting--wide open.

b) I can convert it from Y to partial Y to V in about 10 minutes by taking off or putting on the last 3 wheels. I run Y for square bales. For round bales, I run 0 (V), 1 or 2 wheels (partial Y) on the tail to make a better windrow. Running a partial Y squeezes the Twinkies closer together and acts like kicker wheels for a thinner crop.

Ralph


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## broadriverhay

I have a Vermeer VR820 and it does a great job. I only bale small square bales of coastal.


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## deadmoose

broadriverhay said:


> I have a Vermeer VR820 and it does a great job. I only bale small square bales of coastal.


Not sure how it works on other brands but if heavy hay easy to go from 10 to 8 wheels on both NH and Vermeer.


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## SilentH

Going with the Kuhn either the SR110 GII or SR112 GII... Will measure my cutter this weekend, but still not convinced it matters, for when I look out on the field, all I see is coastal laying everywhere after a cut...maybe I need more education, but never paid much attention to how it looked other than breaking it by hand...

So 40 areas of coastal on very flat ground, therefore on the options I ruled out the following:


the tandem axle option at $1,000 more because my fields are flat
ruled out the ball hitch for not sure why I would need it, the unit will not be on the highway
kicker splitter wheel my understanding is used for more intense hay crops, not coastal
road lights not important for my fields are on the property

Leave me at the option of wind guards??? If anyone know the winds coming of the Gulf Coast, very windy... Question are they a good option to buy?

Lastly, given:


40 acres and 3 cuts maybe 4 at the very most per year
*The price difference between the 10 and 12 is even $800...*which is in my wheel house where the difference would not bother me
$500 difference would be better, but over $1,000 and I would go with the 10 wheel and not look back...
Are the Windguards a must! Or just a nice to Have? 

There's my logic, so would you go with the SR110 GII or SR112 GII?

Thanks,

Mark


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## SilentH

http://www.kuhnnorthamerica.com/us/range/hay-and-forage-tools/rotary-rakes-wheel-rakes-mergers/wheel-rakes.html


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## rajela

I would go with the 12.....you can set a 10 wheel to rake 2 9ft swaths together but it want reach out and get 3 and still make a windrow nice and wide for a 4ft baler. The 12 will reach out wide enough to rake 3 9ft rows and still make a nice windrow for a 4ft baler or you can set it to rake 2 windrows for the 4ft baler. Another words the 12 can rake wider than the 10 or narrow like the 10 but the 10 cant rake wide.

I have a KUHN 10 and wish it was a 12.........

Posted this as I was out the door at work and just now read the error.


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## SilentH

rajela said:


> I would go with the 12.....you can set a 12 wheel to rake 2 9ft swaths together but it want reach out and get 3 and still make a widrow nice and wide for a 4ft baer. The 12 will reach out wide enough to rake 3 9ft rows and still make a nive windrow for a 4ft baler or you can set it to rake 2 windrows for the 4ft baler. Another word the 12 can rake wider than the 10 or narrow like the 10 but the 10 cant rake wide.
> 
> I have a KUHN 10 and wish it was a 12.........


Where I am leaning... thanks!


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## blockmachining

You just cannot beat a Kuhn Speed Rake. I just purchased my second SR. I went from a sr108 to a sr112 gen 2. I raked close to 10,000 acres with the 108. Zero problems. Very low horsepower requirements. I pull it with a 1954 Farmall Super A1. I added a hydraulic bypass block to the tractor so I could have the necessary remotes. The generation 2 rakes have the independently adjustable windrow widths which will come in handy when raking a lite crop. My 108 did not have that feature. I roll with a JD 568 roller. You will not regret your Kuhn SR purchase. I have raked along side the big high capacity rakes from JD and NH and either hang with or out perform the bigger rakes. By the way.... go with the 112 over the 110. The 110's have a fixed, non-adjustable, stand alone wheel on the main rake bar due to an odd number of wheels (5) on each bar. The 108 or 112 have even numbers (4 or 6) on each bar which allows all wheels to float. Also, if you are using a sickle bar or disc mower and do not tedder, make sure you get the kicker wheel to help pick up the hay in the center. If you use a discbine, especially with the frail conditioner, the kicker wheel is not mandatory but I'd still get it just in case your hay gets rained on. I've never really needed the windguards. The wheel rake's prongs are so close together that the hay really never gets tangled up or blows through the prongs.
Last, but not least, ground clearance is important. Make sure the main frame of your rake goes up from your tractor hitch and is at least the same height or higher than the center of your raking wheels. If it is just a straight bar going back from your tractor, hay will have a tendency to ball up under and against the frame. You'll have to stop and pull this ball of hay out. Notice the Kuhn's frame goes up as it leaves the tractor. No problem with the SR. The hybrid rake mentioned earlier on .... it's main frame is straight. I'd bet a coke you'll be stopped and out of the tractor seat way more often than you would like!


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