Tedder Recommendations

Bill VA

Well-known Member
Starting to turn my attention toward a tedder for next year's hay season. Been reading a lot of stuff online, wherever I can find it - good reading.

Looking at used tedders and I see (I think) a lot tedders that look used hard and put away wet, if at all. These tedders look anything but heavy duty, the brands/makes are all over the place! I'm thinking good luck finding parts and support for these things - LOL!

So here is my question, out of all the 2 and 4 basket tedders you have used, which brand and/or model would you recommend? I'd like to narrow the field.

If used is asking for trouble, I'd consider a new tedder - 2 basket only due to cost and my limited acreage.

Another consideration is field ground conditions. We have holes scattered about from groundhogs and while we are filling them, one pops-up every now and then. One of the biggest jolts I got last summer was dropping one of the baler wheels in a hole - BAM!!!! With that, I set the position on my 3pt rake such that it sets on the ground, but can't drop into an unexpected hole - and that worked pretty good. Looking at these tedders, the wheels look tiny and the arms that come connect them look flimsy too. My fear is hitting a groundhog hole and bending or breaking a wheel assy, so I'm also considering a 3pt tedder too. Anyone use a 3pt tedder vs a pull behind?

Used tedders, prices are high in my area. New 2 basket tedders - $2k-ish and up.

One interesting tedder has belt driven spinners vs gear boxes. The concept looks OK to me, but I see a very few posts on them. Brands like JF Stoll, Grimm and JF Fabriken. Don't think any if these are still in production. There is a 2 basket belt drive tedder that looks similar in design to the Stoll/Grimm tedders, may be a clone? It is a Baltimatic (I think made in Denmark) and is a 3pt tedder and there is a pull behind type too. Price for the 3pt us under $1k, but my gut tells me it is flimsy and cheap! OTOH, my wallet says it's lower in cost (new) than most of the junk used tedders I've been seeing. Here is a link to it: http://www.agrisupply.com/hay-tedder/p/81256/

So what brand, make/model used tedder do you recommend? What should I look out for when looking at a tedder?

I have a feeling I'm going to spend the $$$'s on a used 4 basket tedder - the same $$$'s I'd spend on a new 2 basket tedder - but when I spend the $$$'s, I want to hit a home run.

Any tips/experiences are much appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill
 
I assembled pequa hay tenders in the mid 80's during high school for the local IH dealer and they were good quality. I looked them up and they seem to still be in business today which is rarity. Good luck
 
Bill,

I have Tonutti brand 2 basket tedder that I bought used about 6 or 7 years ago. I paid $700.00 for it back then. I use it on about 20 acres of grass hay, at least twice a year.

The only problem I've had with it is that I have broken about 3 or 4 tines during the whole time I've had it.

There's a Tonutti distributor in Memphis, TN, (about 150 miles away from me) but I have had very good results dealing with them by telephone.

Good luck on your decision. I wouldn't be without a tedder.

Tom in TN
 
Yep, out of production, but I happen to like my 2- basket Grimm pull type. Quiet and all the bearings are greasable. Really like the single belt/ no gearbox- that was the selling point to me. Can't say how it would take a groundhog hole.
 
Bill,

First, be patent and shop, you may find a deal.

Second, one company makes about 2/3ds the tedder brand sold. Befco, Tonutti, Hesston, and Sitrex are all made by the same company and just rebranded. Good luck.
 
I agree with what they said. Stop filling in them woodchuck holes, once there is a hole there, there will always be a hole there. You can plow a field for 10 years straight and as soon as you seed it back a woodchuck hole will appear in the same location. They borrow down 4 to 5 feet to survive a winter and will make a new hole where every they want to. Take my advice and make mental map of the field so you know where they are and then there won't be so many suprises
 
Interestingly enough - most if not all the holes in the fields and around the barn/sheds are old - no longer used. We saw 1 ground hog last year under a shed and it disappeared. The coyotes have moved-in and wiped them out.

But like you say, there's potential for new ones.

Thanks,
Bill
 
I bought a used Kuhn GF 5000 3 point tedder a couple years ago. It is 4 star and has the hydraulic lift for the 2 outside stars. I didn't really know if I would like it or not, as I never used one like it. It's not bad to hook it up and unhook it and it does a nice job. I had always used a tow behind one before. I am glad I bought it when I did as GOOD used tedders are hard to find. I like it. As for the woodchuck holes, I just try to remember where they are and go slow in that area.
 

I bought a used Kuhn at auction probably 15 years ago. It is far and away the most common around here. I have had to repair mine a few times. My wife tried to tedd a big old stump in the corner of a field once and broke one of the frame tubes, but other than that it has been just wear parts. I would say Kuhn is an excellent brand. A friend bought an old JD at auction last spring. It is identical to my Kuhn.
 
Kuhn seems to be the premium. I cheaped out and bought a new 2 basket adco a few years back. It was about $800 cheaper than a Kuhn. They'll all get the job done. Id think a trailer type will follow the lay of the land a little better than a 3pt one.
 
(quoted from post at 12:01:35 12/12/14) Kuhn seems to be the premium. I cheaped out and bought a new 2 basket adco a few years back. It was about $800 cheaper than a Kuhn. They'll all get the job done. Id think a trailer type will follow the lay of the land a little better than a 3pt one.
es I agree. I have a 3pt. tedder and I would definitely get a pull type next time.
 
I have a 3pt Kuhn and would prefer a pull type too. Peaqua still makes the horizontal Grimm type tedders. They work good IME. The Basket types work good too. Ive been told the 4 basket and larger tedders and built much heavier than the 2 basket types. Makes sense I guess.

I'd get whatever I could find at a good price, you'll never want to be without a tedder once you use one to save a crop.
 
Back in the 70's while I was still at home in WV, we got a 2 basket Kuhn pull type. The wheels were small and it was a pretty spindly looking thing that you would have thought that it wouldn't last a week. It looked more like a toy than anything else. Well, it was as tough as nails, we never had any problem with it at all. It was so light, it would bounce 6" in the air when we hit a groundhog hole.
We had been using a NH crimper that was prone to plugging, so the tedder was a big step up. It never plugged and we ran it at a much faster ground speed. I don't recall ever having to repair anything on it, just grease it regularly.
 
I have a 3 point tedder. They are rarer and much less expensive used than a pull tedder. I have used mine for 10 years with almost no repairs except a few teeth. It is easy to hook up and unhook (10 minutes max). Last year I saw an off brand almost new belt driven tedder go thru an auction for $250. That is a lot of service for a very small price.
 
Some people I know up here have a small, 2 basket pull type one, and it is AWESOME! I think that it is a Simpa? Don't remember, but something European sounding like that...

They pull it with a Farmall A in road gear, and he told me that it is the perfect tractor/power/speed for the tedder...
 
(quoted from post at 09:48:27 12/12/14) Some people I know up here have a small, 2 basket pull type one, and it is AWESOME! I think that it is a Simpa? Don't remember, but something European sounding like that...

They pull it with a Farmall A in road gear, and he told me that it is the perfect tractor/power/speed for the tedder...

Maybe Sitrex. They appear lightly built to me compared to Khun. 3 pt is good if your ground is nice and smooth. As others have said if your ground is uneven the pull types follow the ground much better and miss far fewer green bunches.
 
I'm not even sure what manufacturer this one was, but I did quite a bit of hay with it when I was helping a farmer and long time friend. It was very easy to adjust, and it did a great job in the orchard grass, clover and timothy mix hay grasses. A heavy crop was no problem at all, and it most definitely cut the dry time, as you would expect, given what it does.

These fields definitely had wood chuck dens, mounds and holes, never seemed to be an issue for this implement and the NH 256 or whatever model rake he had, that was tow behind and ground driven. I sort of retained the locations of most of the dens, or had a good sense if I was close to one during second cut and it was really cool that the late model JD disc mower was easily raised or steered around them, so later cuts you can see some taller or tan grass, and know to avoid those.

I don't notice any coyote predation on woodchucks in this area, they thrive on these rolling hills, might be different where you are. Sometimes dens will be abandoned or not seem used, these guys are masters of their craft, they do rotate in a network of unconnected dens and the young once pushed off, will explore any suitable den site and immediately start digging in. I have seen dens not in use, and that is a great time to fill them in, as it seems once a 'chuck has knowledge of any den, they do not forget. I have seen this by chasing them on foot, after watching from where they came from was a different den, and where they ran to was another. It seems even during "construction" by the young or new 'chucks they may commute to the "site" from the previous den somewhere else, returning until the job is done. I never hated them as species, as a pest most likely, as they do clash with gardens pastures. They are very intelligent, and as many times as I have ambushed and live captured some of them, I don't see a coyote being that cunning, I'm sure they might get lucky, that's nature. One has to outflank one that is grazing, without being seen/detected at all, or creating any noise, and you must get in between them and their den, on the path they use. Ideally, having another person or using some means of alarming them once in position, they'll run right smack into you, then freeze, if in tall grass. Thats all it takes, but if pursued or quite startled they might take another path as I mentioned above. When I was a senior in high school, I caught the same one 3 times, with thick leather gloves on, exactly as described above, he took the same path every time, once he freezes, you have to pounce, and clench him behind the head, they will submit that way. I've freed many from leg hold traps, shot quite a few in the last few years.

I had one here for 8 years, he liked coming up to the porch enjoying a hand fed snack and believe it or not some attention, he was territorial, and no other 'chucks were allowed, he fought one under the porch, and lost a finger, that's how I knew it was him all those years, wish he was still here, given the trouble I've had with them since he's been gone. He was a ladies man too, as there were times "woody' would not be here. One time he showed up with the significant other and one pup, under the front porch. Neither of them liked me at all, and they never came back, "woody" always did, he made his rounds in various dens, + the front porch. Most will think they are just vermin, but as I learned they are much more than just that. I'll never forget about "woody". The darned fool grabbed a broom off the porch one time and I had to tussle with him to get it back, like what was he going to do with it, sweep out the den??? I wish I had video of that, me playing tug of war with a woodchuck and a broom. I included a photo of him, as I sat on the front steps, '07 or '08. You can see the finger missing on "his" right hand, also some bread crumbs on his head, for some strange reason he liked bread as much as greens. He sure softened me up, I try and live trap them when possible and relocate to abandoned fields just out of range of them returning, and they will if you don't bring them, far enough. I painted the tail of one, brought him 1000 yds away, was back the next morning. Sometimes its not possible to trap them, so I do what I must, but its not something I like doing or am proud of, just another unpleasant part of life I try to forget.

Took til early October this year to rid the vicinity of my house and yard of them, and in the spring I'll have no choice but to reduce them even further, where I counted at least a dozen dens all along the base of the hill where I reside. I live trapped 3, shot 4, neighbor shot 3 and the furthest neighbor shot 3 as well, all coming from our land where there are large and healthy coyotes. Even the rabbits seem to thrive, must be the thick cover. I look at coyote scat and find fish scales, small rodent skeletal remains, even crayfish remains.
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I would recommend Kuhn - my buddy has one and they're well built and do a good job.
I have a Deutz-Fahr and would not recommend it. Does a nice job of tedding, but parts are expensive, and it's just about impossible to pull down the road
Pete
 
Bill, I have a Pequea Turbo. The only other two I'd look at would be the Kuhn's and an Esch. A neighbor jus bought one last year, so I don't know much about them, but they look pretty well built. If you look at used machines, better be careful- there's a lot of them just ready to give up the ghost, and some are awful hard to find parts for.
 

Get a Kuhn.

We run a 2 rotor Kuhn 3pt, bought it new in the 80's. Had to replace tines, tires and main gears. It's been over a LOT of acres since every acre gets tedded at least once per season.

You can buy a pull type 2 rotor for 2k something, you won't wear it out on small acreage.

A 4 rotor can be bought cheap used, but more gears, tires, tines etc etc to worry about, and most buying a 4 rotor new are buying it to cover a lot of acres......
 
I've got a 6 star Frontier, made by Pequea. The next one will be KUHN!
Pequea has some good ideas but I find the execution a bit lacking. Broke a spindle on it this year that appeared to me to have a defect in it so I was a good deal less than impressed.
If you're just looking for a 2 basket, I think it's hard to go wrong with a Haybob. I think Kuhn is actually making them today. They do tend to eat up teeth on rough ground... and if you run them hard they will eventually break the main frame bracket off the cross tube... but that stuff is easily fixed and reinforced. Aside from that they are a good tough reliable tedder/rake... and if you watch the sales you can sometime find a decent used one for 500 bucks. Their biggest downside is that they're slow... but if you're only doing a few acres a day that's not an issue.

Rod
 


The older Kuhn are not built as well as the newer ones. My 3pt model does not have caster wheels and I can't for the life of me figure out a good way to mount casters. Kuhn expected you to raise the tedder on every turn. Royal pain int he neck! If you don't raise it you'll eventually break off a leg. Very expensive. I've rebuilt it several times. I'm going to try to find some of the smooth, hard tires for it that would slide in curves easier. Why anyone would not put caster wheels on a 3 pt tedder is beyond me.
 

next tedder will likely be pull type for that reason, can just steer as opposed to doing more. I don't have an issue raising 3pt to turn, not as if moving the 3pt lever is hard work. I do like the fact a 3pt just requires picking up to hit the road versus having to angle the rotors with a hand crank every time.

I ran a manually folded Kuhn 4 rotor. Talk about fun going from field to field. Unlock wheels, level crank, swing outside rotors back, lock wheels etc. I will say a 4 rotor makes up for it once in the field.
 
I have had a 4 rotor Krone pull type tedder 8 years now and have covered 3-4,000 acres. I have replaced one bolt twice now and just regular greasing. The original tires were a joke and have been upgraded to small trailer tires. A 3pt tedder would make road work faster. However we just load tractor and tedder to move long distances. I dont know if other tedders offer the swing feature that is on the krone. A simple lever shift will angle the tedder ( only possible with a pull type). If we do get caught with wet windrowed hay we are able to lift the hay and set it on to dry ground next to the windrow. With wide pickups on todays Round or Square baler we can often bale those windrows without re-raking. Saving more time and leaves. Consider your rake and windrower widths in buying your 2 or 4 basket tedder.
 
Great info everyone! Very much appreciated.

I went out over the weekend to a few dealer lots and looked at some tedders, Peaquea, H&S, MF (surely made by someone else), Daros and saw a Krone Haybob 360. Sort of put a face to a name for future reference.

Thanks again,
Bill
 

I suppose if you're on the road a lot a 3 pt would be easier. My fields are all on my farm so that's not a big deal. The thing with lifting the 3 pt rig is that when you do the angles change and the rotors move a bit and often star striking the 3 pt arms. But like I said, that's a very old Kuhn, others might not have that problem. I also don't like the hay that's missed when turning and having to lift. If you have long straight fields it's not a big deal. I have lots of small, oddly shaped fields so it's a royal pain in the keester.
 
(quoted from post at 05:56:19 12/15/14)
I suppose if you're on the road a lot a 3 pt would be easier. My fields are all on my farm so that's not a big deal. The thing with lifting the 3 pt rig is that when you do the angles change and the rotors move a bit and often star striking the 3 pt arms. But like I said, that's a very old Kuhn, others might not have that problem. I also don't like the hay that's missed when turning and having to lift. If you have long straight fields it's not a big deal. I have lots of small, oddly shaped fields so it's a royal pain in the keester.

Ours is a GF22N (1985), I haven't seen older ones, but this one has no way for the rotors to strike the 3pt arms and no angle changing as only the 3pt leveling crank and top link affect the machine operation. It's used in a lot of odd shape fields as well, hence why I'd like a pull type at times.
 
I have a 4 star Kuhn must be 30 years old, do 4 fields a year numerous times never had any problems. Bought it new.
I can reach all fields without folding it up or going on the road. Only down side is it is a little bit of a pain to fold up.
 

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