vermeer twin rake

Anyone have any experience with the vermeer twin rolabar rake ? Good points, bad points what to look for as far as wear ? Also how do they work as far as tracking and running downhill while working on a moderate slope. Thanks

I run a R23, and bought it based on running one for a big outfit for a couple years. They don`t follow ground contours quite as well as a wheel rake so you miss some hay in the low spots and scalp the highs, but not bad unless you are in a really rough field. They are clumsy in a little field, we have a couple 2-3 acres pieces that are a pain with it, but any big rake will have the same problem. A lot of people prefer the 23A because it has bigger caster wheels on the front of the gangs, but I have not had a problem on rough ground, just slow down a bit. The most annoying thing about ours is folding it into transport mode and back, the newer R2300 in all hydraulic instead of manual for that and is what I want next time.

Our neighbor runs a vermeer V wheel rake, and is quite impressed by our bar rake. He can not run as fast, and his wheel rake does not turn windrows over nearly as well. They are heavy enough that they track well on hills, we have some decent slopes and it does not try to move around at all, make sure your brakes are in good shape if it is put on a little tractor (I rake with a 4020, it doesn`t get pushed around).

On a used one, most things to check are standard bar rake pieces, on the hydraulics, check shaft seals on the motors, they get hay wrapped around them and will tear out that seal, keep them clean when running it as well, and check the hoses for weather damage or leaks. Other than that, the frames can take a beating, check it for cracks and bends, the discs will crack, and once they do welding is only a band-aid, you need new ones, wiggle the spindle bearings and the bar ends to check for play, and look at the rubber bases of the tines, they can get expensive if it has sat out in the sun and rotted all the rubber.

All in all, I like them, and when I need a second big rake, I will get another.

Josh

Mine is about 30 years old and it rakes 300-400 acres of rolling hills every year. I have replaced some of the bearings through the years and did all of them last year. I have thought about buying a new one, but I don't think I can wear this one out. It still has the same hydraulic motors(and seals) that it came with new.

They are the only way to go. Got one about a year ago, and went over it during the winter. New bearings, Tires, and teeth. Be sure you are hooking it to the tractor hydraulics correctly, or you will over heat the oil. Those rakes get a bad name by over heating the oil, but it is because no one reads the operators manual. The flow divider will only allow I believe 6gpm to go to the motors at a certain pressure. Modern tractors can flow much more than that, and the excess flow is routed back to the return, without going though the motors. You just turn down the flow control on your remote valve until you have enough flow to do the job without much bypassing. Also the return oil, needs to go to the filter housing or primary remote(JD terms) not to sump. I am not familar with using the rake on open center systems, only closed and PFC. As far as raking goes, it is great especially in our haylage operation. It will turn heavy wet hay over, when old ground drive rakes would just scoot on the ground. Mine is actually Green, but Vermeer built them for John Deere.

23A has a different bearing that will also work on a R23...

Vermeer now sells sealed bar bearing (bar to disk). JD still sells the greasable kind.I am switching to sealed as they go out. Finger prices vary sometimes between VM and JD, but many times will interchange, VM 23 and JD 705, for example(see where you can save the most if uniform color is not important)
Also make sure the bars are straight and not bend. Are expensive. Again, worthwhile to check VM and JD for best deal.

john deere sells bearing new style also

How did you connect the R2300 rake to the 4020? If you used the remote at the back how did you get continuous flow or does the John Deere 4020 automatically handle everything? Any special hookups is what I am asking.

I have a 2300 Behind a 4000 which is the same as a 4020The rake has four hydraulic hoses and electric over hydraulic.Tie your lever back for the continuous flow for the rake.The other set of hoses with the electric over hydraulic set your windrow width,and the transporting of the rake.You do not have to do anything manual to transport the rake.They are a really nice rake in my opinion.You won’t get a lot of junk in the hay like you do with a finger rake.