Best Size Single Rotor Rake?
- Thread starter GAM
- Start date
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
the smallest you can buy id imagine, depend on crop as much as rake.
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
And buy a double them singles are sh!t in comparison.
- Location
- West Kent
What yield are you expecting?
If less than 80 bales per acre then I'd go 4 - 4.5 metres.
If more than 120 per acre then 3.5 metres would be plenty wide enough.
If less than 80 bales per acre then I'd go 4 - 4.5 metres.
If more than 120 per acre then 3.5 metres would be plenty wide enough.
- Location
- Near Colchester
I have thought about the double row rake - pull a lever and it folds to get through one of the 24 gateways between my hay fields rather than 5 minutes of awkward rake moving by hand - every time.
Unfortunately the double row rakes - unless you go to the really fancy ones - are one trick ponies, they will only easily row up say, 6 or 7 metres into one row.
With the single you can row up 3 or even 5 into one if it is very thin or just the one if it is really thick.
I don't know the capacity of a Jones baler but my JD 459 wouldn't cope with more than 4 metres worth of thick hay in one row unless you go really slowly and have an automatic sledge that forces the bales along.
Unfortunately the double row rakes - unless you go to the really fancy ones - are one trick ponies, they will only easily row up say, 6 or 7 metres into one row.
With the single you can row up 3 or even 5 into one if it is very thin or just the one if it is really thick.
I don't know the capacity of a Jones baler but my JD 459 wouldn't cope with more than 4 metres worth of thick hay in one row unless you go really slowly and have an automatic sledge that forces the bales along.
Ali_Maxxum
Member
- Location
- Chepstow, Wales
We've a Kuhn GA3201GM, 2.5m rotor to feed an MF1840 inline conventional baler. In heavy crops 2 of them into one is plenty, almost too much some times. But then other places a Claas liner 2900 would be better! A Kuhn 6501 is a small twin rotor, basically 2x 3201's bolted together, I couldn't push a row over in a heavy crop though...
Have thought about a small twin rotor, would be super quick, unbelievably expensive though. So not sure whether to go for a bigger single rotor and just put one sweep as a row, but then the beauty of ours is I can just fold the skirt up and drive straight though a 10ft gateway...
Have thought about a small twin rotor, would be super quick, unbelievably expensive though. So not sure whether to go for a bigger single rotor and just put one sweep as a row, but then the beauty of ours is I can just fold the skirt up and drive straight though a 10ft gateway...
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Nothing seems perfect, I have a Kuhn 4.1 fits in with the mower swaths and tedder, but can be too much for the bale sledge with two swaths, up and down, sometimes straddle the row on the second run to reduce it , but as said in a really light crop you can scrape up a big area, and useful to turn a bit of wet straw, but makes a crap row for a round baler, so went and bought the smallest Kuhn twin, much better rowing up but no good for turning really, can make a tidy round bale now though, TBH either is better than beating all the quality out of hay with a Haybob type.
H200GT
Member
- Location
- NORTH WALES
On the pottniger mounted twin rake, you can leave one rake vertical, the other in working position, disconnect the drive shaft to the the vertical one and use it as a single rake if required. Takes 3 mins, and is a valid working position as in manual.
I looked at those, thought they would be a good job, but couldn't rush to one , how have you got on with it?
H200GT
Member
- Location
- NORTH WALES
Its not mine, but spent a fair bit of time using it.
Overall its been good, had an issue where some sealed bearings in the input shaft on top of the crown failed, thus putting ball bearings into the crown and pinion, result was costly, new crown and pinion.
Now just change the £10 bearings every 2 seasons so they never fail again.
Other than that, been faultless, does a good job.
Overall its been good, had an issue where some sealed bearings in the input shaft on top of the crown failed, thus putting ball bearings into the crown and pinion, result was costly, new crown and pinion.
Now just change the £10 bearings every 2 seasons so they never fail again.
Other than that, been faultless, does a good job.
scrubbuster
Member
- Location
- Easter Ross
Hi Ali
Is this still what you use for rowing?
Ali_Maxxum
Member
- Location
- Chepstow, Wales
We’ve still got the little rake as it’s too handy to let go, owes us nothing, always there as back up.
We bought a Kuhn GA6501 steering trailed rake in 2019. Only used the little rake a few times since to turn over a bit of straw.
Like I said in the post you quoted, the 6501 is like 2 of the 3201 rakes bolted together. So much more efficient, well worth it. I honestly don’t know how we managed before.
scrubbuster
Member
- Location
- Easter Ross
Thanks for the reply. I mainly small bale also, but with an NH 945, but I would like to progress to an 1840 when I can. I currently rely on contractors to row which financially and practically works OK if I can get them when needed. That can be the stumbling block. Looking at 3201
Ali_Maxxum
Member
- Location
- Chepstow, Wales
You won’t go wrong with the 3201. If we were to buy one again I would try and opt for the bogie wheels rather than the single wheels. All packs up real nice and takes up virtually no room in the shed.
scrubbuster
Member
- Location
- Easter Ross
This one I am looking at has a bogie set up. In the current climate it seems a reasonable price and 0% finance over 3 years
I can't justify a twin at the moment
I can't justify a twin at the moment
- Location
- Ceredigion
I used a single rotor rake for years , found it a wonder tool , great for flipping rows of straw over and for hay you can make the rows and size you like , I once rowed an 8 acre field into 3 rows
Ali_Maxxum
Member
- Location
- Chepstow, Wales
Looks very nice and with lights! Would definitely recommend. Ours did 8 seasons no bother.
- Location
- Near Colchester
I used a Kuhn for years, very robust, I still love the Krone now when I come to gateways between fields (fold up arms)
I bought a new Kvernland rake this time after the Kuhn drive shaft went at a bad time..... don't they always! 18ac hay to row and bale the following day before heavy rain arrived for 3-4 days.
Don't like the faff of slotting and an removing 8-10 tine arms, but I can live with it.... Love the tandem axle setup, such a great ride and makes for a much easier life on the tines on away ground that is not as smooth as I would like.