Thoughts on a dethatcher

[jbratton]

Was wanting to know your guys thoughts on a grass dethatcher. It’s a 40” Agri-Fab from Tractor Supply.

 

[mfrade]

Good question. I've been mulling over getting one myself.

 

[Allenpatterson]

I had this dethatching rake given to me from my in-laws. It had been sitting out behind their barn in the weeds and they forgot it was even there until coming across it while cleaning up some scrap. All I have done to it so far is some tubes in the tires and straightened some tines out the best I could on the rake wheels. Could probably use some new wheel bearings too and another weight added to keep it from bouncing and tracking funny behind the garden tractor. It did a decent job raking out the straw from some new grass I had planted and scratched up the dirt a little so I could do some over seeding.

 

[zkoester]

Dad and I have always just used our little 40 inch or so pull behind. He bought it new in the 90s. I just broke one of the fingers last yr. We always dethatch in the spring

 

[kmcconaughey]

We have one of those Estate Rakes at the farm. They work quite well. They do make nice windrows of the thatch and/or lawn clippings.

 

[Allenpatterson]

We have one of those Estate Rakes at the farm. They work quite well. They do make nice windrows of the thatch and/or lawn clippings.

Just like a mini hay rake!

 

[dschwandt]

That's what they are for, raking
Don't think they are meant for dethatching.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Yes, it is exactly like a mini hay rake. It is designed for both raking and for dethatching. Now that I've looked closer at Allen's photos, I believe we have one of their other models. I'll have to stop by the farm and see which one we have.

 

[Allenpatterson]

Yes, it is exactly like a mini hay rake. It is designed for both raking and for dethatching. Now that I've looked closer at Allen's photos, I believe we have one of their other models. I'll have to stop by the farm and see which one we have.

I'm curious to see what other models they made. Post a picture when you make it there to check!

 

[kmcconaughey]

The one we have might be a different brand. A little bit of internet research and it appears that Northern Tool sells a similar style rake, three variants. I'm not certain where my father bought it. I believe it might be this one:

Strongway Acreage Rake

 

[Allenpatterson]

The one we have might be a different brand. A little bit of internet research and it appears that Northern Tool sells a similar style rake, three variants. I'm not certain where my father bought it. I believe it might be this one:

Strongway Acreage Rake

I like that design, mine doesn't have the option to set it up as V rake like that.

 

[kmcconaughey]

It's only a V, no option to rake a wide swath in one direction. Not sure which is better.

 

[snicklas]

I have one similar to the one at Tractor Supply. Mine doesn’t have the lift like the agri-fab does. It works well. It does pull up the thatch. I do’t use it much. I haven’t since I switched to the ZTR.. but that thing just shreds the cuttings, so I am curious to see how much thatch I actually have now. Might have to get out the 1450 and detharcher and see what I have. It’s funny how much I still have the tractor out, since it’s still my workhorse and I won’t pull anything with the ZTR (good way to burn up the drive motors)....

For the price, it will do the job. Being able to lift it up is a nice feature. Mine won’t so I am dragging it across everything if I am using it... but I got it for free... so I can’t complain too much. I’m not sure what the brand is... I will have to look next time I have it out.

 

[dfrisk]

I built my own dethatcher, Cat 0 3-pt mounted for my 982. I forget if it's one or two 40 inch pieces of 1 inch pipe with Farm & Fleet hay rake teeth attached every 6 inches or so, The idea was I could pull thatch out of the grass as I mowed.
I used to pull my home-made lawn vacuum over the yard every fall, pick up the fallen leaves, even picked up grass clippings a time or two when the grass almost got away from me. I stopped using it because without the nutrients from the clippings going back in the ground I had to fertilize every year. With my zero turn I can mow in just over half the time it took with my 982. 50C deck on 982, 54 inch deck on zero turn, but the instant turns with the zero turn is the time saver! Plus the new fabricated Cub Cadet deck mows better than ANY Cub Cadet deck put under a garden tractor. This 54 inch deck throws clippings TWO SWATHS away! My old CC decks barely get them one swath away. Plus the zero turn deck does a nice job of stripping the lawn, if that's important to you.

 

[snicklas]

I built my own dethatcher, Cat 0 3-pt mounted for my 982. I forget if it's one or two 40 inch pieces of 1 inch pipe with Farm & Fleet hay rake teeth attached every 6 inches or so, The idea was I could pull thatch out of the grass as I mowed.
I used to pull my home-made lawn vacuum over the yard every fall, pick up the fallen leaves, even picked up grass clippings a time or two when the grass almost got away from me. I stopped using it because without the nutrients from the clippings going back in the ground I had to fertilize every year. With my zero turn I can mow in just over half the time it took with my 982. 50C deck on 982, 54 inch deck on zero turn, but the instant turns with the zero turn is the time saver! Plus the new fabricated Cub Cadet deck mows better than ANY Cub Cadet deck put under a garden tractor. This 54 inch deck throws clippings TWO SWATHS away! My old CC decks barely get them one swath away. Plus the zero turn deck does a nice job of stripping the lawn, if that's important to you.

@dfrisk

Hey Denny, which CC ZTR do you have? I have a 2020 CC ULTIMA ZT1 54"...... Kohler 24 and fabbed 54.... and yes that deck is awesome.

 

[kmcconaughey]

While I was at the farm on Saturday I made sure to take a photo of the rake we have.

 

[mpatterson]

Those mini rakes around here are crazy expensive! Like $750 +.
I use a small set of chain harrows for my lawn in spring time. Works well for me. Grandfather always harrowed his pasture fields each spring to freshen them up and worked well, so figured why not do it for lawn!
I tried parents dethatcher one year (Agri fabr model), I found even with weights on it if travel too fast it would want to dance around a lot.

 

[PACub100]

Those mini rakes around here are crazy expensive! Like $750 +.
I use a small set of chain harrows for my lawn in spring time. Works well for me. Grandfather always harrowed his pasture fields each spring to freshen them up and worked well, so figured why not do it for lawn!
I tried parents dethatcher one year (Agri fabr model), I found even with weights on it if travel too fast it would want to dance around a lot.

Interesting
Mind posting a pic or two of what you use?

 

[mpatterson]

Interesting
Mind posting a pic or two of what you use?

I'd have to find a picture of it.... Hmmmm....what did I do with those!
This is a picture off the web... mine is exactly like it except mine has a bit more of a "hook" to it on the side so you could attach another section beside it if you had a longer head bar to drag it with. Mine are the width of a stock 782. Covers tire tracks by a couple inches if I remember correctly. Darn I wish I could find those pictures I had of it hooked up!

 

[kmcconaughey]

I hate it when I can't find a photo I know I have/had.