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jeanwedding

about rock rakes.... anyone use one?

bought the sleeve hitch... cost over $139 from Sears. I am sure the one Husq shows as an accessory is the same thing.. But thir Rock Rake looks different...

But Hubby wont install it cause he said he has to remove back plate and lots of bolts... (cause I bought the expensive grass catcher on line. We bought the new Husq from local town dealership.... If we had to do over might have boughtfrom Sears .. Wish had money for a Kubota(dream tractor)

He is right ... I looked and he called Agri Fab .. Boo Hoo... why the heck did they not make the Husq back plate to accept ground engaging attachments...

My goal to to buy THE Sears "Rock rake" around $380 , (has to be ordered)....and pull up those blankety blank vines, poison ivy, and honeysuckle.. The previous cultivated area was untouched mostly for 6 or 8 years after formre owner got sick and died.. So area was just bushhogged occasionally.. We paid a nice guy around the road... to bush hog that acre or so.. Then we started mowing it with new HUSQ Top of the LIne....bought new in Spring...

So will Sears "Rock Rake "do it.... I have been pulling by hand and covered with P..ivy rash and like 4 garbage cans full already... just to plant 10 cabvage seedlings...I hate the blankety blank P Ivy... and dislike chemicals....

Of course I assume that old Lowes 18 HP cant do round engaging right??

Hope I am making sense with long post..

Thanks all

jean

Comments (7)

  • rustyj14
    11 years ago

    Hop on down to the local hardware store, and buy a quart of Laquer thinner. Take it home, wet a clean rag with it, and slop it on the poison ivy! (Not the stuff you are pulling out of the ground) It'll burn like fire, but i guarantee the poison ivy will go away, from your skin!
    Works for me!

  • twelvegauge
    11 years ago

    I cannot find in your message where you ever said exactly which Husqvarna tractor you have. If it is not specifically designated a GARDEN tractor, then it was not built to accommodate ground engaging accessories - and that would be why they didn't design the plate to accept them.

    I understand disliking chemicals, but perhaps poison ivy should be the exception. Personally, I'd go that route before I invested a lot of money in equipment that has very limited use.

  • jeanwedding. zone 6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    He has the biggest and top of line Husq... GARDEN TRACTOR....Yes
    Laquer thinner... I have not heard that one... Remember OUR skin is our largest organ
    come on yall someone has to have used one......
    Thanks all
    Jean

  • KubotaMaster
    11 years ago

    I agree @12G to get the best help around here it helps to post the model number. Husqvarna calls several of their tractors "Garden Tractors" that aren't Garden tractors at all. IMHO usually if its less than 23Hp its not a "Garden tractor" but a "Lawn Tractor" there is a difference but that's just my opinion.. 8 out of 10 Garden tractors will have a 3-point hitch for accessories.

  • grass1950
    11 years ago

    It's not the engine, it's the transaxle.

  • KubotaMaster
    11 years ago

    Yeah you rite i didnt consider the trans axle. But i have only seen a few tractors under 23hp unless they are diesel powered.

  • exmar zone 7, SE Ohio
    11 years ago

    I've used them, great for going into tilled or plowed or otherwise disturbed soil and removing rocks and things. Not sure if you are intending to just put it on and attack sod and roots with it? Not sure it would do that-particuarly with a small (compared to a farm tractor) garden tractor. Also, previous comments about transaxles are very valid, I'd verify that your "rear end" will handle ground engaging implements or you'll have a very expensive repair bill.

    Is this an area that you plan to garden? If it is, go ahead and plow, rototill, or whatever and then see how bad the roots and rocks are. If you are just trying to eliminate the poison ivy and honeysuckle, get roundup and spray it. NOt the environmentally best idea, but it works. IMHO honeysuckle and poison ivy are very difficult if not impossible to eliminate unless you get the roots out AND plan on continuing doing that for years to come. e.g. I have an old fence on the road in front of the house which is totally covered with honeysuckle. The garden is about fifteen feet from it with lawn between. Every couple of years I "chisel plow" with a farm tractor a couple of times through that area ripping out honeysuckle roots. They migrate under the lawn and then steal nutrients from the garden, lawn too I guess.

    Also, a rock rake is a "wonderful thing," After the initial use how often will you use it? I have a barn full of "wonderful things," :-) Think about that for a bit.

    You could also try researching what type of soil the invaders like and add amendments to make it unpallatable to them. e.g. I started having wild onions appear, researched and discovered they don't like high PH soil. Limed the area very well and a year or so later, no wild onions.

    Good luck,

    Ev

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