Tedders... again.

Ali_Maxxum

Member
Location
Chepstow, Wales
Yes, I know it's the first of June tomorrow - what a time to be asking, right?

Looking at a 6 rotor Kuhn GF 582. 642 will be a little bit too big, only about 3ft wider but that makes all the difference in some of the places I have to go!

Anybody used one or got one? Like the idea of the small rotors and steep rotor angle for good tedding, narrow in transport as well. Currently have a GF5001MH - which we're keeping (equivalent to a GF 502) so I know it should spread and work well, although so I'm told a 6 is better than a 4?

Looked at a Lely Lotus Stabilo 600 and it'll be too wide on the road, other option is a Claas Volto 60.


Cheers all!
 

Ali_Maxxum

Member
Location
Chepstow, Wales
Hhmm, think a Lely would be a tad too big, a tad too heavy and probably a bit too expensive... No doubt about it's tedding quality, we have a Lotus 300 which turns superbly.

I can look at both the Lely and Claas at my one local dealer.

Any opinions of the 6 VS 4 theory?
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
Hhmm, think a Lely would be a tad too big, a tad too heavy and probably a bit too expensive... No doubt about it's tedding quality, we have a Lotus 300 which turns superbly.

I can look at both the Lely and Claas at my one local dealer.

Any opinions of the 6 VS 4 theory?


For the same size rotors, six does more than half as much output again as four. Its that simple.
Some people claim that small rotors are better than big. That could be the case, but who cares? Its only important for hay and even then the difference is marginal and less than the difference between one brand's machine and another. The correct way to choose rotor size is to match it with the mower, assuming it leaves a swath, which most don't these days. The cut swaths should run exactly between the rotors, not offset one way or another, so a 2.4m cut mower should be matched to a smaller rotor tedder than a 3m mower, if you see what I mean.

lely has a very good reputation in tedders. My forage contractor comes across all kinds of tedders and he swears that Lely not only do the best job but have the best tine durability in heavy crops.

Remember that most tedders are designed, like rakes, to perform best at around 400 PTO revs, not 540.
 
Last edited:

sleepy

Member
Location
Devon, UK
Yes, I know it's the first of June tomorrow - what a time to be asking, right?

Looking at a 6 rotor Kuhn GF 582. 642 will be a little bit too big, only about 3ft wider but that makes all the difference in some of the places I have to go!

Anybody used one or got one? Like the idea of the small rotors and steep rotor angle for good tedding, narrow in transport as well. Currently have a GF5001MH - which we're keeping (equivalent to a GF 502) so I know it should spread and work well, although so I'm told a 6 is better than a 4?

Looked at a Lely Lotus Stabilo 600 and it'll be too wide on the road, other option is a Claas Volto 60.


Cheers all!

What difference does the extra 3 foot make?

I have used a twelve rotor, 15m monster in 2 acre paddocks and it's just fine. Certainly better than being there all day with a hay bob.
 
What difference does the extra 3 foot make?

I have used a twelve rotor, 15m monster in 2 acre paddocks and it's just fine. Certainly better than being there all day with a hay bob.
Horses for courses , Sleepy, just how long does it take to tedd a 0.8 ha paddock with a Haybob?:whistle:, more so if the paddock has a bit of a hill and irregular shape:rolleyes:.......if your doing just 15-25 ha a year, the Haybob is good enough, just at what point do you justify a dedecated tedder and rake?
 

Drillman

Member
Mixed Farmer
I nearly bought a 4 rotor tedder last year. I got all the prices specs and everything for several makes. But at the end of the day I just knew I would be driving down the field thinking 'should have bought a 6 rotor, should have bought a 6 rotor, should have bought a 6 rotor'

So I got a Lely 770 ...............Brilliant piece of kit(y)
 

Ali_Maxxum

Member
Location
Chepstow, Wales
What difference does the extra 3 foot make?

I have used a twelve rotor, 15m monster in 2 acre paddocks and it's just fine. Certainly better than being there all day with a hay bob.

Between getting through the gap between the fence and the tree or not.... it's tight, but its better than being left and doing a half arsed looking job, tis what keeps me busy!
 

Ali_Maxxum

Member
Location
Chepstow, Wales
I nearly bought a 4 rotor tedder last year. I got all the prices specs and everything for several makes. But at the end of the day I just knew I would be driving down the field thinking 'should have bought a 6 rotor, should have bought a 6 rotor, should have bought a 6 rotor'

So I got a Lely 770 ...............Brilliant piece of kit(y)

Few places we go to I think that, got a good few larger fields to do now and even though the 4 rotor was a god send compared to the standard 300 machine, it's still taking a good bit of time to turn 10 acres at one place when theres about 50 down, all to be little baled!
 

sleepy

Member
Location
Devon, UK
Horses for courses , Sleepy, just how long does it take to tedd a 0.8 ha paddock with a Haybob?:whistle:, more so if the paddock has a bit of a hill and irregular shape:rolleyes:.......if your doing just 15-25 ha a year, the Haybob is good enough, just at what point do you justify a dedecated tedder and rake?

When the cost of paying contractors to do everything is more than the finance payments on buying your own kit new.
 
When the cost of paying contractors to do everything is more than the finance payments on buying your own kit new.
Never use "finance" for buying machinery as I own what I use, but then again remember new machinery from Europe sold here is considerably more expensive than what you have available in the UK and its not just "importing" either, hence useing the Haybob over a dedecated tedder and rake.
 

Angus

Member
Location
Devon
Anybody used one or got one?

We have a GF5801 MH. We bought it in 2005, I cannot compare it to anything other than a Deutz Fahr KU 250N, a haybob type machine. We bought it because of its narrow transport width [2.4 metres] and low height in transport. The next size up was a GF 6401 MH at 2.95 metres wide and this was too wide for some of our lanes [Public highway]. I find the six small rotors work well for tedding and the machine is easy to use, Angus.
 

joe soapy

Member
Location
devon
We started with haybob, upgraded to 4 wheeler , then a six wheeler which was a huge jump foreward
in productivity, back in the winter a 14 wheeler arrived, tried it out tonight, now thats what you call a hay turner!!
 

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