My property is an ex Christmas tree farm. All of the trees that were planted in the 70's are about 60 to 100 feet tall now. Because it was planted as a Christmas tree farm all of the trees are too close together and need constant thinning. Thinning leaves stumps which I pull. It leaves the ground pretty uneven. That tool would work really well for blending the adjacent soil into the void from the stump removal. Sure, other less expensive tools would do the job but that rake would leave the soil ready for planting. Love the fact you always disclose the complications you experience while working with equipment for the first time. This is real world and is what we as end users would experience too so your example provides education. Nicely done!
I've never seen anybody at the professional level use these to build roads/trails. Only for final grade before seeding or laying sod. Shallow tilling will do good enough then pack it with a roller then bring on the 2 1/2" for the base then later bring in the 3/4 with the fines, or if you know where you can get crushed concrete, recycled, it gets really hard and lasts longer than any of it.
Where i live (Belgium) it's common used for prepping the surface prior to grass seeding etc. Combined with other tools oc. It's not that of a special tool.
Like any equipment you operate you always master the skills. I've never operated a Power Rake but I have seen great results on RUclips, very nice implement.
Great timing considering just a couple days ago I asked if you'd ever used the fabric before. The previous owner of my parent's cabin used it on a couple parts of their trails. That was twenty years ago and those areas are still easier to maintain than areas without it
Good morning! Give some thought to straightening out that curv in the driveway. When you bring trailers in and out through there those tight curves are a nousense. Have an awesome day.
The 333G should have gone into reduced motor HP mode prior to running out of DEF to let you know that you need to top off the DEF tank before it ran out. You will probably need to have the JD tech bring a laptop to reset the computer and clear any codes that running out of DEF may have caused. Totally agree with you that the tiller would have been the right tool for this project, but great look at the power rake in action! For finish work/grading it is awesome! 🔥🔥👍
I primarily finish grade for a living with half of my time split between CTL's and tractors with about 17 years experience. The stalling on those rakes is normal. Since they have blunt teeth it requires a ton of power that the limited output of the hydraulics can't always provide. Unfortunately the engine horsepower doesn't have much bearing on the hydraulic output power. The real value of a CTL mounted rake is the bi-directional functionality and ability to work in tight spaces. a 3pt mounted rake will provide a much more accurate grade because of its orientation being determined by wheels on soil that has already been leveled behind the rake vs unleveled soil ahead of the rake with a CTL. The 3pt also prevents the grade from being as affected by the tractor moving over dips and bumps. I've found that to get a flawless finish grade on a yard, its best to use a CTL to get the grade close and get dirt tucked in to all the corners and then let the landscape, sprinklers, trees etc. get installed. Then for the final step, I use a tractor with a 3pt mounted rake. In my case I use either an 805 or 605 ATI preseeder depending on the size of the area. For your driveway project I totally would have just used a 3pt rototiller though.
We use these for regrading roads (smaller crusher stone) all the time, great for yearly maintenance. But you need bucket off all that top soil then hit it again to grade and do your sub base. Don’t waste that beautiful top soil by covering it up! Plus is stays soft underneath compared to clay. Not best toop for road building but definitely doable if don’t have a dozer.
Good review Mr. Courtney! Before you put the fabric down, compact the road with a proper compactor, then lay fabric and stone. Fabric will of course as you said, prevent the stone from getting down into the soil. Compact the stone every couple of inches, dependent on the weight of your machines will dictate how deep your stone will need to be. The fabric will only help keep the weeds from coming up through it, it doesn’t stop weed seeds from germination and growing in whatever stone you use. In the South it’s usually crusher run…you will probably have to spray an herbicide.
Love your channel, I use the Ventrac Power Rake all the time (2 jobs a month) on gravel driveway rehabs & making new ones. Awesome for leveling the raised dirt center, decompacting existing gravel, spreading new gravel. Have only done one dirt-only grading job making a creek crossing. Unsure what your objective was on this job, prepping/defining where the plastic was going to be laid? Really just needed to score it a tad with 2 passes, because unless you want to remove dirt you only accomplish loosening the dirt up, that’s all. Videos of my jobs are on my channel if you have interest. Looking froward to more vids from you, great channel.
those rakes are great for seed bed prep. They level, pulverize, and windrow the large stones. After this tool alone you are basically ready for grass with no manual work.
Set your wings straight out or take them off so you can angle your rake and windrow the material off to one side. As far as your DPF/DEF issue when you ran it out of DEF did you shut it down or did you just keep running it? Engine light still on?
I'd like to suggest grading that beautiful fine soil to each side with an angled terracing blade. Hopefully the thin layer will skim off and the blade won't dig in further. Successive passes with both tools will produce the desired box-out depth. Place, grade, and roll your aggregate. Use the windrow of fine soil to backup the shoulder. A combination of back blading and hand raking should suffice.
A very nice attachment! Heavy duty! Curious if there is something similar for compact tractors (under 30 hp)? PTO driven of course, in a 48”-72” width range.
The tool did a great job of cutting and leveling. I agree it wasn't the best tool to use for the application and desired results. A Tiller would have been better to cut deeper in my opinion. I am not a professional at anything but have experience in some things. I enjoy your channel and hope you keep providing great options and advise on tools out there.
Once you have 1) the ruts out 2) the wash boarding smooth. Then you could be prepared for subgrade. If you get 3-12 other things you could almost have something better than your local DOT.
Does this model have the touchscreen with all the menus? There may be some options to adjust gpm output. Seeing this was a couple of years ago wondering if you were able to resolve it.
Throttle up first of all, tilt it forward more and down pressure a little more and adjust the wings to throw materials to one side or the other . And straighten it out just a little bit.
From Australia, 333g injector failed and bogged down. Otherwise I’m super curious whether the hydraulic oil got that little too hot I’d love to know what you found out.
I don’t know anything about Harley rakes. But I’ve read online that they work better with really dry land. The wetter the worse. If you find out if you have a problem with the skid steer, please advise. I’m considering a Harley rake but not sure if it’d be worth the money on my land.
My first thought was, that does a great job. Don't believe it's made to go deep as you stated. Wondering if you used a LS rake and dragged your first passes off to the side, then repeat that process for quicker results? IDK... just thinking out loud here.
Large road construction companies use this type of tiller for one purpose only. That is to mix lime or some other form of calcium into soil. This gives affordable stability. Blading windrow to created a crown give water drainage. The only stable subbase is dry. This machine is almost worthless. Get a blade that can cut at horizontal and vertical. One pulling machine. Machine cost and
So how /why did you let run out of def ? I work on heavy trucks/ equipment and def systems are finicky and the systems should never be used below 1/4- 3/8 of a tank. When our drivers do this we have to use a diagnostic computer to remove codes and reset the ecm. Is there any warning lights on ? I have never had any unit “ work normal” after topping off the def.
@@Marcelino808 DEF is so stupid. As stupid as the supposed "safety" fuel cans we're required to use now. The cans that spill when filling at the gas pump and spill when emptying them into a machine. DEF is deleted on every machine as soon as warranty expires. Why, because it's PIA and expensive. Not to mention diesel should be less expensive than other fuels and always has been until recently. Government will be sorry when they price themselves out of the machines needed to do their building.
Depends. Sometimes it’s worth remembering that the operators are the ones who spend their days in the equipment. If it’s the first time trying something new, yes it can be that expectation and capabilities are mismatched and you be needs to be adjusted.but when a machine does something new or different, the guy in the seat is the best suited to know, usually.
Is the fact that the guide wheels are set at different heights intentional? Just an observation... Does the attachment work like a real rake? I ask because here in New England stones are a given. Will this device rake out stone and leave soil behind?
How come in none of these videos no one is cutting off the original sod before hand? Whether you use a sod cutter for smaller job or an attachment on skid steer for bigger jobs, you gotta cut the sod off clean so no old grass or roots remain. Then you can run your rake through to till, grade and level.
It’s you, not the rake..you just need more seat time. It’s not a tiller..it’s a rake. The idea behind it is to break up the ground…once loosed, you just skim across the ground and the teeth on the drum will rake out the large material..I use ours more than the landscape rake. You should see what the required gpm on the unit requires. All the floating and angling..you don’t need it. As long as the drum can windrow, you’re fine.
Are you not suppose to angle the implement and push the pulverized material to the side with every pass. That way it would make it 1.5“ deeper each time you go over the road making it super level, eliminates having to strip it afterwards and reduces the mounds of dirt at the ends of the run. Jmho
If you ran it totally out of def maybe it crystalised in one of the lines blocking it or restricting it, might have to replace all lines, filters etc. That's why older machines without emissions are king haha
Brock from Rock Hill Farm has the next size down John Deere skid steer from yours. He runs implements bigger than the dealer told him to run and he delivers pure pain with it!!! He had a giant Hydro ax on it a few days ago. Just destroying everything he touched. He just might be more bad ass than you Courtney. I read somewhere that the terminator glasses he wears adds 16 hp to his machine.…
When you edit your vlogs can you lower the volume of the music a bit, I have to turn the volume down for the music and up when you talk. I'm a bit hard of hearing but not that much. Thanks
Don’t waste your time with laying down the fabric, it goes to crap quickly and it’s gonna make it even harder to bring the gravel back up. Also, it’s gonna collect dirt in it anyway. Just saying.
@@wvdeere8643 Ty my Friend appreciate it! I'm liking my 1025R i know I need the adjustable link on other side also but it's just I believe a warranty issue it's barely 18 inches on a lite scraper blade from ag store 4 ft but it's going to dealer 28 hrs I just can't justify the $ on 3 series as im retired but you give awesome advice on doing jobs near home for folks I've been in the construction business all my life bigger was always better but I wish the 1025 was around hand digging telephone cable in backyards lol. Yea im old 😂🇺🇸😎
Several things going on here, are causing less than ideal results. 1st- when running a front mounted power rake, you want to work backward. 2nd- don't try to do too much at one time... just a couple inches per pass. 3rd- when using a power rake in sod, you need one with a stone burier (screen roller).
You have just made a big muddy mess. Unmade roads need camber connected to a side ditch this sheds water off the area in contact with the vehicle wheels this forming a surface which is passable in wet weather.
My property is an ex Christmas tree farm. All of the trees that were planted in the 70's are about 60 to 100 feet tall now. Because it was planted as a Christmas tree farm all of the trees are too close together and need constant thinning. Thinning leaves stumps which I pull. It leaves the ground pretty uneven. That tool would work really well for blending the adjacent soil into the void from the stump removal. Sure, other less expensive tools would do the job but that rake would leave the soil ready for planting. Love the fact you always disclose the complications you experience while working with equipment for the first time. This is real world and is what we as end users would experience too so your example provides education. Nicely done!
Thats a powerful machine. But I still miss seeing the 1025R in action! Thanks for the Video.
I've never seen anybody at the professional level use these to build roads/trails. Only for final grade before seeding or laying sod. Shallow tilling will do good enough then pack it with a roller then bring on the 2 1/2" for the base then later bring in the 3/4 with the fines, or if you know where you can get crushed concrete, recycled, it gets really hard and lasts longer than any of it.
Where i live (Belgium) it's common used for prepping the surface prior to grass seeding etc. Combined with other tools oc. It's not that of a special tool.
Haha hell yea silly boys taking the crown down smh
Like any equipment you operate you always master the skills. I've never operated a Power Rake but I have seen great results on RUclips, very nice implement.
I love the way it eats up the ground..great camera view!
Also love the way the dirt is being kicked up as the attachment is raking it! It's working real good because you can look at the road!
Great timing considering just a couple days ago I asked if you'd ever used the fabric before. The previous owner of my parent's cabin used it on a couple parts of their trails. That was twenty years ago and those areas are still easier to maintain than areas without it
That’s a nice rake. Does real good job.
It's SO smooth!
Good morning! Give some thought to straightening out that curv in the driveway.
When you bring trailers in and out through there those tight curves are a nousense.
Have an awesome day.
Using that fabric. Would be bad news next time bringing Rake back in for clean up. I would think so.. do to settling. Great work!!!
The 333G should have gone into reduced motor HP mode prior to running out of DEF to let you know that you need to top off the DEF tank before it ran out. You will probably need to have the JD tech bring a laptop to reset the computer and clear any codes that running out of DEF may have caused. Totally agree with you that the tiller would have been the right tool for this project, but great look at the power rake in action! For finish work/grading it is awesome! 🔥🔥👍
I primarily finish grade for a living with half of my time split between CTL's and tractors with about 17 years experience. The stalling on those rakes is normal. Since they have blunt teeth it requires a ton of power that the limited output of the hydraulics can't always provide. Unfortunately the engine horsepower doesn't have much bearing on the hydraulic output power. The real value of a CTL mounted rake is the bi-directional functionality and ability to work in tight spaces. a 3pt mounted rake will provide a much more accurate grade because of its orientation being determined by wheels on soil that has already been leveled behind the rake vs unleveled soil ahead of the rake with a CTL. The 3pt also prevents the grade from being as affected by the tractor moving over dips and bumps. I've found that to get a flawless finish grade on a yard, its best to use a CTL to get the grade close and get dirt tucked in to all the corners and then let the landscape, sprinklers, trees etc. get installed. Then for the final step, I use a tractor with a 3pt mounted rake. In my case I use either an 805 or 605 ATI preseeder depending on the size of the area. For your driveway project I totally would have just used a 3pt rototiller though.
We use these for regrading roads (smaller crusher stone) all the time, great for yearly maintenance. But you need bucket off all that top soil then hit it again to grade and do your sub base. Don’t waste that beautiful top soil by covering it up! Plus is stays soft underneath compared to clay. Not best toop for road building but definitely doable if don’t have a dozer.
The Harley rake is awesome. I've used one absolutely awesome tool.
Good review Mr. Courtney! Before you put the fabric down, compact the road with a proper compactor, then lay fabric and stone. Fabric will of course as you said, prevent the stone from getting down into the soil. Compact the stone every couple of inches, dependent on the weight of your machines will dictate how deep your stone will need to be. The fabric will only help keep the weeds from coming up through it, it doesn’t stop weed seeds from germination and growing in whatever stone you use. In the South it’s usually crusher run…you will probably have to spray an herbicide.
Excellent content and video!
Rewatched! Subscribed, liked, viewed, shared!
Love your channel, I use the Ventrac Power Rake all the time (2 jobs a month) on gravel driveway rehabs & making new ones. Awesome for leveling the raised dirt center, decompacting existing gravel, spreading new gravel. Have only done one dirt-only grading job making a creek crossing. Unsure what your objective was on this job, prepping/defining where the plastic was going to be laid? Really just needed to score it a tad with 2 passes, because unless you want to remove dirt you only accomplish loosening the dirt up, that’s all. Videos of my jobs are on my channel if you have interest. Looking froward to more vids from you, great channel.
Definitely skid steer. That machine should be able to twist that power take in two!!
those rakes are great for seed bed prep. They level, pulverize, and windrow the large stones. After this tool alone you are basically ready for grass with no manual work.
Set your wings straight out or take them off so you can angle your rake and windrow the material off to one side. As far as your DPF/DEF issue when you ran it out of DEF did you shut it down or did you just keep running it? Engine light still on?
I'd like to suggest grading that beautiful fine soil to each side with an angled terracing blade. Hopefully the thin layer will skim off and the blade won't dig in further. Successive passes with both tools will produce the desired box-out depth. Place, grade, and roll your aggregate. Use the windrow of fine soil to backup the shoulder. A combination of back blading and hand raking should suffice.
A very nice attachment! Heavy duty!
Curious if there is something similar for compact tractors (under 30 hp)? PTO driven of course, in a 48”-72” width range.
The tool did a great job of cutting and leveling. I agree it wasn't the best tool to use for the application and desired results. A Tiller would have been better to cut deeper in my opinion. I am not a professional at anything but have experience in some things. I enjoy your channel and hope you keep providing great options and advise on tools out there.
would you use a skidsteer tiller on an old gravel driveway to recondition it?
Does the accessory hydraulic line have a programable flow limiter on it? It might not be set to maximum flow.
Once you have 1) the ruts out 2) the wash boarding smooth. Then you could be prepared for subgrade. If you get 3-12 other things you could almost have something better than your local DOT.
Does this model have the touchscreen with all the menus? There may be some options to adjust gpm output. Seeing this was a couple of years ago wondering if you were able to resolve it.
Hey Mr. . . .!!! Ya missed a spot🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Throttle up first of all, tilt it forward more and down pressure a little more and adjust the wings to throw materials to one side or the other . And straighten it out just a little bit.
You definitely need to get deeper so you can easily get the top soil removed. Great piece of equipment. But I think a tiller would be more effective 🤔
From Australia, 333g injector failed and bogged down. Otherwise I’m super curious whether the hydraulic oil got that little too hot I’d love to know what you found out.
I don’t know anything about Harley rakes. But I’ve read online that they work better with really dry land. The wetter the worse. If you find out if you have a problem with the skid steer, please advise. I’m considering a Harley rake but not sure if it’d be worth the money on my land.
My first thought was, that does a great job. Don't believe it's made to go deep as you stated. Wondering if you used a LS rake and dragged your first passes off to the side, then repeat that process for quicker results? IDK... just thinking out loud here.
Have you check the filters ?
Large road construction companies use this type of tiller for one purpose only. That is to mix lime or some other form of calcium into soil. This gives affordable stability. Blading windrow to created a crown give water drainage. The only stable subbase is dry. This machine is almost worthless. Get a blade that can cut at horizontal and vertical. One pulling machine. Machine cost and
It’s a great day to be number one
So how /why did you let run out of def ? I work on heavy trucks/ equipment and def systems are finicky and the systems should never be used below 1/4- 3/8 of a tank. When our drivers do this we have to use a diagnostic computer to remove codes and reset the ecm. Is there any warning lights on ? I have never had any unit “ work normal” after topping off the def.
@@Marcelino808 DEF is so stupid. As stupid as the supposed "safety" fuel cans we're required to use now. The cans that spill when filling at the gas pump and spill when emptying them into a machine. DEF is deleted on every machine as soon as warranty expires. Why, because it's PIA and expensive. Not to mention diesel should be less expensive than other fuels and always has been until recently. Government will be sorry when they price themselves out of the machines needed to do their building.
I've always come to the conclusion that the machine will do what its designed to do, and that the problem exists between controls and chair.
Depends. Sometimes it’s worth remembering that the operators are the ones who spend their days in the equipment. If it’s the first time trying something new, yes it can be that expectation and capabilities are mismatched and you be needs to be adjusted.but when a machine does something new or different, the guy in the seat is the best suited to know, usually.
Is the fact that the guide wheels are set at different heights intentional? Just an observation...
Does the attachment work like a real rake? I ask because here in New England stones are a given. Will this device rake out stone and leave soil behind?
I'm in NH. Seen em s few times around here but mostly for lawn bed prep. It will pick out the rocks and with it angled place them in a windrow.
@@minutemanmac Thanks.
Wonder how good that would do with breaking up compacted ice in the winter??
How come in none of these videos no one is cutting off the original sod before hand? Whether you use a sod cutter for smaller job or an attachment on skid steer for bigger jobs, you gotta cut the sod off clean so no old grass or roots remain. Then you can run your rake through to till, grade and level.
It’s you, not the rake..you just need more seat time. It’s not a tiller..it’s a rake. The idea behind it is to break up the ground…once loosed, you just skim across the ground and the teeth on the drum will rake out the large material..I use ours more than the landscape rake. You should see what the required gpm on the unit requires. All the floating and angling..you don’t need it. As long as the drum can windrow, you’re fine.
Do they make these in a 3-point version?
Are you not suppose to angle the implement and push the pulverized material to the side with every pass. That way it would make it 1.5“ deeper each time you go over the road making it super level, eliminates having to strip it afterwards and reduces the mounds of dirt at the ends of the run.
Jmho
Does a very nice job….Would be good for a rental company as a package!!!
Think I know what I need to build out the gokart track
Let’s Dig just had the same problem…it was hydraulics. The rake will handle 23 and he was only pumping 3.
If you ran it totally out of def maybe it crystalised in one of the lines blocking it or restricting it, might have to replace all lines, filters etc. That's why older machines without emissions are king haha
Brock from Rock Hill Farm has the next size down John Deere skid steer from yours. He runs implements bigger than the dealer told him to run and he delivers pure pain with it!!! He had a giant Hydro ax on it a few days ago. Just destroying everything he touched. He just might be more bad ass than you Courtney. I read somewhere that the terminator glasses he wears adds 16 hp to his machine.…
When you edit your vlogs can you lower the volume of the music a bit, I have to turn the volume down for the music and up when you talk. I'm a bit hard of hearing but not that much. Thanks
It is so satisfying isn't it.?
You have to creep at 20% on the first pass and work up to higher rates as you rake deeper
I thought it looked abit fast
Don’t waste your time with laying down the fabric, it goes to crap quickly and it’s gonna make it even harder to bring the gravel back up. Also, it’s gonna collect dirt in it anyway. Just saying.
Have a question I really can't afford much more then a 2025R I recently brought a 1025R I want higher 3 point lift what do you think? Ty
Same lift height on 2025R as 1025R. Next size up to get higher lift is 2032/38R
@@wvdeere8643 Ty my Friend appreciate it! I'm liking my 1025R i know I need the adjustable link on other side also but it's just I believe a warranty issue it's barely 18 inches on a lite scraper blade from ag store 4 ft but it's going to dealer 28 hrs I just can't justify the $ on 3 series as im retired but you give awesome advice on doing jobs near home for folks I've been in the construction business all my life bigger was always better but I wish the 1025 was around hand digging telephone cable in backyards lol. Yea im old 😂🇺🇸😎
@@RitchieLivewire67 i added the second adjustable link to my 1025r and it significantly increased the lift height on the 3 pt
@@donalexander4083 Ty Don im adding one!
It's all the rake
In this case I would’ve used a tiller and the this tool to make it alot nicer
What happens when you encounter a stump?
what is DEF??
Diesel Exhaust Fluid. United States EPA regs required DEF systems be added in 2010 to reduce Diesel emissions.
Why would you do that if your going to use fabric?
The grader attachment would do a nicer job than that power rake
Several things going on here, are causing less than ideal results. 1st- when running a front mounted power rake, you want to work backward. 2nd- don't try to do too much at one time... just a couple inches per pass. 3rd- when using a power rake in sod, you need one with a stone burier (screen roller).
John Deere 333G = $108K ...YIKES!!!
It’s so worth it
I feel like you just dug a ditch for water to stay in dirt dirt just put the rock on top
Get a van track
Take out the top soil and use it elsewhere
You have just made a big muddy mess. Unmade roads need camber connected to a side ditch this sheds water off the area in contact with the vehicle wheels this forming a surface which is passable in wet weather.
If you listened to what I said, then you’d know I’m installing a road there. Obviously it won’t be left like this, geez
Lololol this guy must do this to a lot of videos to make himself seem smart instead of listening
DEF initly a problem
Wtf
JOHN DEERE IS JUNK DON'T BUY ONE