Landscape Rake Utility

[CarbonWheel]

I'm looking at adding a landscape rake to my Kubota L3560 to help with clean up after tree removal and brushing out a few acres of building site, yard, driveway, river bank, and walking trails. But I've never used one.

I'll have a lot of limbs, roots, clippings from tall grass/brushing, and similar debris after the logging and brushing.

I have a loader, pallet forks, and a nice hydraulic rear blade. But I'd like to remove a lot of the debris and pile it up for compost or burn piles. From what I've seen and read, it seems like a landscape rake would be perfect for gathering up the loose debris.

Initially the place is going to be a mess to get it cleaned well and finish graded after clean up. I'm not going to tippy toe around that. But eventually, I'm hoping to have a tool that will keep the river bank and the yard and trails clean.

I'm very interested in opinions on landscape rake performance from those that have owned and operated them. Do they live up to their reputation for this kind of work? If you bought one, did you get good use out of it or buyer regret? Finally, what width is best. I will have a mix of working in tight woods, but I also have a 1.5 mile gravel driveway that I may use it on (if the rear blade is not needed). The rear of the tractor is about 68-70 inches with the R4 tires on there. Is it better to have the width to cover ground or better to keep it in tight to work in the woods?

I've seen the Everything Attachments heavy duty landscape rake in their product videos and that seems like a good match for my jobs.
http://www.everythingattachments.com/Everything-Attachments-Landscape-Rake-Root-Rake-p/etalr-iii.htm

 

[Stubbyie]

We use a landscape rake two or three times a year after windstorms or icestorms rattle a bunch of small stuff down into the yard. Doing this saves hand-picking before mowing (with ZTR, not brushhog or wouldn't matter).

I think it's a King Kutter but honestly don't remember; has the swivel so can turn the tines completely around.

We've found it's easier to use the rake made up to an adapter that allows use of 3-point implements on the quick-tach loader. Especially true if reaching over and down, like to clean out a ditch without altering the flowline if a blade were used.

With loader-mount can see what you're doing and change the angle of attack of the tines. Caution in that the loader can put enough down-pressure to bend something if not watchful.

Please post back your experiences so we may all learn.

 

[CarbonWheel]

Will definitely post back after we figure out plan and have results. Interesting idea on front mount.

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[beemehero]

I've been using my landscape rake for exactly what you wanting to do with it for years. I do a lot of clearing, and brushing, but I had to modify the rake a bit to make it work right.

I removed every other tine, it lets the small debris get through which is fine. All that small stuff, pine needles, duff, leaves, etc, get in the way when all the tines are in place.

the every other tine method works well also because it gets in between limbs and branches and hold on well.

I adjust the lift to max lift position on your upper 3 point bar, the pin at the base of that bar to be all the way down. Then screw it out better than half way so you get a good bite on the limbs, trees.....then drag.

With all that brush now under the rake, see if it's leaking any big stuff behind, if it is, adjust the screw out more but not too far because when you lift the rake you need all the clearance you can get to get away from the pile before it follows you around.

I use this method because it allows me to run forks up front and have the best of both for logging and brushing at the same time.

Not a grapple fan because I know I would break the darn thing putting it where it shouldn't be, break the plumbing anyways

You might have to add some angular reinforcement so the rake tines don't hinge in one direction or another depending on the model rake.

I'll try to add pic of my new L3800 with rake on working soon as I've been on it every day this past week.

 

[beemehero]

Just looked at the rake your link went to, it would not need lateral supports added because the tines are secured through the frame.

Good thing is if you bend a tine badly, and it happens, you have a lot of replacements

 

[gpreuss]

That EA rake looks pretty good. They built a quality, heavy duty implement. They say they have a gauge wheel for it. If you have any plans to do landscaping or driveway maintenance, look into it. The gauge wheel lets the rake hang between the 3ph arms and the wheel, something like a road grader. It lets you do marvelous work, tearing off the high spots and filling in the low ones. Width is really up to you. I get by fine with a 6'. Your tractor is wider - you would be better served with a 7'. If you are going to rotate and maybe tilt the blade to crown the driveway, 8' might be best. Or not.

 

[CarbonWheel]

Really good suggestions and feedback. I appreciate all the opinions on this topic. Spend option, but I decided on a TR3 rake from ABI to cover more bases with one tool. I have a lot of work from tree/brush removal, site prep, finish landscaping, and mile+ long road that needs significant work. I will report back with a review.

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