Explanation:
Ground-driven wheel rakes quickly move hay along adjacent wheels, cleanly lifting and moving dry crops to a windrow as it is passed along the wheels. The objective is to rake cleanly with minimum damage to the machinery, making well-suspended, shock-resistant wheels a necessity.
Why it matters:
New Holland: New Holland ProCart deluxe carted wheel rakes are individually spring-suspended to follow ground contours independently, allowing for cleaner raking, less soil inclusion in windrows, less stubble damage and less rake wheel wear and tear. Individual spring suspension on each wheel allows the crop to be thoroughly raked, making full windrows for uninterrupted baling or harvesting.
Nikkel Iron Works: The rough terrain inherent with hay raking can cause wear, tear and downtime, which is costly and inefficient. An effective shock absorption system will reduce that wear and tear, reduce maintenance and extend the life of the rake.
A well-designed shock absorption system allows for easy, in-field adjustments to accommodate a variety of field conditions. The DARF hay rake design allows each wheel to ride over uneven terrain independently, creating a smoother ride with less damage to the components.
The ability to make quick adjustments to the down pressure is the new standard for today’s forage grower.
Kubota: With its compact design, the Kubota RA1042T single rotary rake features oil-immersed cam discs and guide rollers. The arm bearings are integrated into and permanently greased inside the cam track for low maintenance.
High-tensile tine arm holders provide the compact unit with strength and dependability. Kubota-developed cam tracks are specifically tailored to individual rotor diameters for optimum raking at any working width and on any model.
How much weight should this feature bear on my buying decision?
New Holland: Good wheel suspension should carry substantial weight in the buying decision. The better the rake is able to deal with uneven terrain and obstacles, the more crop will be moved into windrows, and the cleaner it will be of dirt, stones and debris. In addition, good suspension and shock absorption minimize downtime by reducing rake damage.
Keeping the windrows full and uniform during the raking process allow for quicker baling or harvesting, keeping the operator in the field for less time.
Nikkel Iron Works: Shock absorption reduces wear and tear on components, so it is a longer-term consideration – but it is important because hay rakes work in tough conditions on uneven terrain. Suspension allows the rake wheel to tolerate sudden impacts that could damage vital components of the rake.
The DARF Dur-Adjust crank arm support system shock absorber incorporates upper and lower spring and rod assemblies to control the impact seen in conventional spring and chain assemblies. The resulting smoother ride reduces wear and tear on vital components. The rake requires less maintenance, while delivering precision for top-quality forage growers.
Company specifications
New Holland: New Holland ProCart Series rakes use spring suspension with individual, floating rake wheels. Compared to tandem-mounted rake wheels, this flotation, suspended by an adjustable spring, permits each rake wheel to be adjusted to crop and field conditions for cleanest possible raking.
A compression spring and linkage are used to provide fine adjustment and the highest possible reliability. There are no chains or springs under tension that can work loose or fall.
Curved rake wheel arms provide space for hay to travel along the rake wheels without bunching to form a smooth, uniform windrow. Since each wheel is suspended individually, an operator may choose which wheels to rake with, making raking as precise as desired.
Nikkel Iron Works: The DARF hay rake has 17 wheels, each with the Dur-Adjust that allows wheels to ride over uneven terrain independently, heavy-duty trailing mounted cranks that make for gentle hay handling, a maximum rake width of 29 feet and super-duty walking beams for fast, smooth field operation.
The DARF is easy to transport and can be pulled on the road behind light utility vehicles; rake wheel height adjustments are easy to make in the field to respond to conditions; the double-overhead design stabilizes the rake in rough fields. The DARF is durable yet gentle, and manufactured in the U.S.
Kubota: Ideal for low horsepower tractors, Kubota’s first pull-type rotary rake, the RA1042T, has a working width of 13 feet 9 inches and is fitted with 11 tangential tine arms and four double tines per arm. The high tine frequency ensures clean raking performance, even at reduced rpm and high travel speed.
The Kubota RA1042T single rotary rake features oil-immersed cam discs and guide rollers. The arm bearings are integrated into and permanently greased inside the cam track for low maintenance. High-tensile tine arm holders provide the compact unit with strength and dependability.
Kubota-developed cam tracks are specifically tailored to individual rotor diameters for optimum raking at any working width and on any model.
Fitted with high-lift curved tine arms, the single rotary rake ensures a regular and even windrow formation. The curved shape prevents material from being pushed in the direction of the rotor and allows for higher lifting out of the swath.
With 19.7-foot lifting height on the HydroLift, windrows are easily cleared when driven over. The rotor is lifted using only a single acting valve. A four-wheel 18-foot 5-inch tandem axle is standard and offers excellent ground contour to minimize the amount of dirt into the windrow. FG
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