Hay Tedder Options

Looking for a hay tedder (of fluffer, I guess they are also called) and would like to get recommendations on brands and models to look for. I currently cut hay with a 7 foot mower conditioner, are there smaller tedders out there that are any good?

Esche Hay equipment makes the best built tedder they make a 2 basket and a 4 basket,I am a dealer for them and have sold a lot of them and they do hold up to rough conditions if you are close to east tx I can sell you one'

I've got a Deutz Fahr - it does a decent job of tedding, but it's kind of spindly, you can't haul it down the road, and parts are expensive. My buddy has a Kuhn, and it's better all the way around. If I could afford it, that's wheat I would have
Pete

Haybob

I have a Grimm 7? real type Tedder and a Kuhn 17? 4 star tedder. I use the Kuhn right after cutting and the Grimm on windrows to fluff them lengthwise. I had only the Grimm for many years. The Kuhn is 2x as fast obviously and if I could only have one would have to be that one. But I bale alfalfa too and the Grimm is very handy on later cuttings.

Find a 2 basket tedder, that will be a good match for your 7ft cut. Used teddders can be used and abused, so have the seller run it before buying. It should not clang and bang or be out of balance,

I have a 2 basket New Holland 156 tedder which is a Kuhn with different paint. Being NH, I?ve got excellent parts support. It has been a good tedder - after some repair/refurb.

?They are the best, I sell them? is always a confidence builder.

I have been running a 2 basket Morra I bought from ASC many years ago. Upon initial purchase I didn't like the tire arrangement for 2 reasons: Being light weight and 3 pt, when you did a turn the wheels would just bounce sideways across the ground, not turn and follow as they were apparently designed to do.

Second, they made the rear of the baskets stick up in the air and I wanted mine more parallel to the ground to cover my 6' mower WWs. So I took the wheels off and shortened the length of the axle support rods.....basically all the axle rods did after modifying was to support the body of the unit while stored.

The central gearbox is oil filled. The rotators are grease lubed.

No problems till this season and I lost a bearing and nearly tore up one side as a result. Got her fixed for little of nothing and back in use.

Best I can tell, sitting out in the weather, the outer gearboxes are attached to the main arms (routing to the central gear box) with 4 screws and no gasket. Over the years, rain seeped into the bearing and ruined it.....don't know what else it could be.

Anyway, their 2 basket, as modified, works well on a 6' cutting width. 7' would be pushing it and if you didn't modify the machine as I did, I doubt it would be adequate for you. Next step is the towed 4 basket at 2+ X the price.

We have a 4 basket Heston. Made by a Italian company, enrosi I think. It's not heavy built. Works well enough, but the arms / main frame for the wings break a lot. Replaced the first one, now just weld them up. It's on the just fine replacement at some point

Buy a rotary tedder. Many of the cheaper ones are made in Italy and they are all good machines. I have a Vemeer which I think is a Tonuti. A 4 basket will do almost three seven ft windrows which is what I started with fifteen years ago. The Kuhn and Krone are top of the line machines and the Amish built Esh is great as well. For a small operation even a cheap two basket (or rotor) will ted a lot of hay. In alfalfa just make sure you ted before it is to dry to prevent excessive leaf loss. I had a bar tedder both ground drive and pto for years and would never go back to one because the rotary just spread the crop so much better. If the field is a little wet mow your hay in narrow so the ground has time to dry and then the next morning ted it out wide. I would hate to make hay without one. Good luck and post back and let us know what you buy. Tom

Two basket Kuhn, dead simple and easy to use.

Brand new they aren't too pricey so used market somewhat friendly...

RickB, I had to chuckle when I read your post. That said, the Esch tedders are some of the heaviest built around and will hold up to many years of use and abuse. However, I suspect the price may be a little higher than Kerwin may want to pay.

I have the 4 basket Hesston like Sparktrician mentioned below. I have had the same problems, weak frame and tine arms. Works well enough but needs a lot of repairs. Mine is going down the road when I find a Kuhn or Fella tedder. Neighbor has a Fella that I borrowed. It is heavily built and did an excellent job of tedding the hay.

Kuhn was the gold standard for many years. I have been using a four star 13 foot for probably twenty five years. You can't go wrong with them, even at twenty years old. just don't say that you tedder with it.

Thanks for all of the info. From the replies it would appear that a well-built basket type is the best option. I"d love to be able to buy new, but an affordable used model will have to suffice for now.

(quoted from post at 09:41:38 06/06/18) Thanks for all of the info. From the replies it would appear that a well-built basket type is the best option. I"d love to be able to buy new, but an affordable used model will have to suffice for now.

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A Ten year old Kuhn built, regardless of color will most likely last longer than many new ones of other brands.

Do you know what other manufacturers sold Kuhn models in their paint?

(quoted from post at 14:41:31 06/06/18) Do you know what other manufacturers sold Kuhn models in their paint?

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Two that I have seen are JD and NH