What size rake?!?

[J robbo]

What are people best size rake to go in front of a forage wagon and a round baler. We do all sorts of cuts from a multi cut system to a one big cut. Just like to know how what they use thank you

 

[davidroberts30]

7meter
Light later cuts get a 4 rotor in

 

[Classichay]

I’d probably opt for a 7.2-8.5 m rake, don’t need to swamp out your baler in heavy crops.

 

[Boohoo]

Is the grass usually spread with the mower or tedded out? If not what size is your mower?

 

[Sid]

What are people best size rake to go in front of a forage wagon and a round baler. We do all sorts of cuts from a multi cut system to a one big cut. Just like to know how what they use thank you

What did you use before?


Rake need to be able to make a small enough row in heavy crop for the machine chopping/baling it to cope with. You can't go any slower when in bottom gear!

With lighter crops you can go faster.

 

[agri knives]

I’ve a pottinger 762 raking for wagons , it brings 25 ft , it is far better than the 20 ft rake that it replaced , we are now travelling slower but covering more ground , in light crops we can now go faster too. I wouldn’t go back to a 20 ft. Always rake grass that has been spread out with the mower or tedded out, raking from narrow mowed swards like a 10 ft mower in narrow rows causes lumps in the sward , also when raking spread out grass you can straighten the swards if it was mowed in sets with short swards .

 

[Sid]

But

I’ve a pottinger 762 raking for wagons , it brings 25 ft , it is far better than the 20 ft rake that it replaced , we are now travelling slower but covering more ground , in light crops we can now go faster too. I wouldn’t go back to a 20 ft. Always rake grass that has been spread out with the mower or tedded out, raking from narrow mowed swards like a 10 ft mower in narrow rows causes lumps in the sward , also when raking spread out grass you can straighten the swards if it was mowed in sets with short swards .

But the OP has a baler as well.
Completely different scenario to a wagon! The limiting factor to a wagon speed is the amount in the back!
Also completely different rows required.
Baler needs a wide row to form bale without weaving. Waging need a narrow row to ensure chopping is efficient

 

[Classichay]

one thing to ask if you have a combi baler? if you have too bigger row of grass if the wrapping unit hasnt finished its cycle the danger is that the bale is turning in the chamber with net on / cling wrap for a prolonged period of time risk of Net breaking down from undue wear / risk of net wrap wrapping round the rollers / shafts if this happens. smaller sometimes is better, it is said a wider rake is all well and good but you can drive up a gear cant go any slower in bottom cog without riding the clutch.

 

[agri knives]

But

But the OP has a baler as well.
Completely different scenario to a wagon! The limiting factor to a wagon speed is the amount in the back!
Also completely different rows required.
Baler needs a wide row to form bale without weaving. Waging need a narrow row to ensure chopping is efficient

We leave a wide row the same as a baler to spread the grass out over all the knives . I rake for balers too so I do know what type of sward is required.

 

[Sid]

We leave a wide row the same as a baler to spread the grass out over all the knives . I rake for balers too so I do know what type of sward is required.

type of sward?

What has the sward got to do with row shape?

 

[ccp contracting]

You need to be able to leave a row the same width as your pickup for balers and wagons to get the best fill.

 

[agri knives]

type of sward?

What has the sward got to do with row shape?

You need to be able to leave a row the same width as your pickup for balers and wagons to get the best fill.

Important to have easy width adjustment , we are always adjusting the width for in heavy grass we have to close it in to keep the row narrow enough but in light grass we have to widen it out or it will leave the row too narrow.

 

[Gerbert]

I bought a kuhn 4 rotor which can go from 8.5 meter right up to 12.5, seemed lovely versatile to me.

 

[ccp contracting]

My Krone can alter from 6.8m to 7.6m and then you can adjust the cam track to narrow or widen the row.