[jdcrawler]

Towards the end of the build on this tractor, I decided to make an implement to tow behind it.

I had gotten this rock rack that went with the 3-point hitch on the R/T tractor.
I decided to use it to build a "York Rake" for the Shaw tractor.

This is a small York Rake behind a garden tractor.
It is the style I'm interested in but mine will be larger.

A few weeks ago I saw these small steel wheels on ebay.
They are cultivator wheels off a 1936 Sears Handimam 2-wheel garden tractor.
These wheels gave me the idea of building a tow behind rake for the Shaw tractor.
The wheels are 10 inch diameter and 4 inch wide.
Here are the ebay photos.

The wheels are sand blasted and primed and have been fitted with bronze bushings.

The yard roller that I have has a standard ball type coupler on it in so I put a hitch ball on the Shaw so I could tow the roler behind it if I wanted to.
In keeping with the "period correct" looks for the year of the tractor, I found several of the old cast iron trailer couplers on ebay.
I bought this one because it is an unusual design that I've never seen before.

Here is the coupler taken apart.
The "ball clamp" is hinged at the top and one side rotates up so the coupler can be set down on the hitch ball.
The ball clamp is then closed and then the U-strap is slipped down over the front of the coupler and tightened with the hand knob to keep the coupler secured on the hitch ball.
The U-strap is bent out of shape and will not fit down on the coupler right now.

After the U-strap has been reformed and the coupler was sand blasted and is ready to prime.

This is where I figure all the rake parts should set in relation to the tractor.
The rear tractor wheels are 44 inch wide and the rake is 49 inch wide so that will work well.
The wheels for the rake are about 35 inch wide and should allow for the rake to be rotated.
Now I;m ready to start bending the steel tube for the upper frame.

 

[drbailey]

Thats gonna be great , cant wait to see more. Thanks jdc

 

[jdcrawler]

A section of U-channel is bolted to the underside of the trailer coupler.
The coupler is set on a jack stand to keep it in place.
The piece of wood underneath the coupler is so I have something to set the end of the frame rails on while they are being lined up for welding.

The rake axle is being lined up to the tractor.
A section of angle iron is clamped to the side of each rear tractor wheel so the rake axle can be centered between them.
I measured from the coupler to each side of the rake axle to get it
square with the tractor.
Two pieces of wood are clamped together under the wheels to keep them from rolling.

One of the upper frame rails is being bent into shape.

Both frame rails are being checked to make sure they match each other.

The axle end of the frame rail is being flattened so it will match up to the 1 inch square tube that is on the axle.
The other end of the frame rail is also flattened some so it fits along the side of the coupler.

Both frame rails are tack welded in place.

There is a section of 1 inch square tube on each end of the rake axle.
These have a locking bolt in them to tighten down on the axle shaft and keep it from rotating.
The end of the frame rail is welded to the 1 inch square tube.
This allows the axle shaft itself to be replaced if it should ever get bent.

The front ends of the frame rails are welded to the sides of the coupler.

Here's how the finished upper frame looks so far.
There is a section of angle iron welded in between the frame rails to support them.
The brackets for the lever to raise and lower the rake will also be mounted to this angle iron.

 

[hamman]

Great build Ray. Always a pleasure watching your builds. I learn a lot from your builds and explanations. One question-How do you like your pipe bender? Is it one from HF or is it one from another source. I want to buy one but don't want an expensive one. Thanks for the post Ray. Roger:thThumbsU

 

[jdcrawler]

One question-How do you like your pipe bender? Is it one from HF or is it one from another source. I want to buy one but don't want an expensive one. Thanks for the post Ray. Roger

The jack and bending dies are good strong units but the frame work was a flimsy flat strap thing that was made in China.
I got the bender off ebay and it didn't cost much and was only good for bending conduit.
The first time I used it the flat metal base warped out of shape and the sides pulled apart.
I beefed it up with heavy channel iron base with angle iron welded to the side brackets and it works good now.

 

[GT_80]

You build some of the coolest stuff ever!

 

[jdcrawler]

The rake has a round mounting pad on it with a hole in the center for attaching it to the 3-point hitch.
There are three holes on the side for the locator pin to hold the rake straight or at an angle.
The locator holes are on both sides so you could turn the rake around and face it backwards.

Using a piece of aluminum tube for a pattern, I cut a round pad out of a piece of plate steel.

The round plate is welded to a section of square tube and a center hole is drilled thru for the mounting bolt.
There is a boss welded to each side of the round pad for the locator pins.
The rake will only face forward on this stile of implement so I'm going to use both sets of locator holes.

With the arm mounted on the rake, I set it in place to mark the location for the front pivot mount.
The rake is set forward enough so that it can be angled either way.

The front of the mounting tube is trimmed off and the hole is bored in the end for the front pivot pin.

A piece of round steel tube is pressed into the bored holes in the front.
The pivot pin will go thru this round tube.

Two side mounting brackets are made up and welded onto the sides of the coupler.
The pivot pin has a tab welded on it and it is bolted to the side of the mounting bracket to keep the pin in place and keep it from rotating.

Here's how it looks so far.

 

[ray the sears man]

great work you build some really neat stuff

 

[Aksarben96]

I might be wrong but I see a conflict with the hinge point for the rake , with it underneath the draw bar. How will you get the rake to lift or the wheels lowered ,with it configured this way ? . Not saying your design is wrong , only that I ll wait to see how this goes.

 

[BOSOX]

Looks great Ray! It's going to look great behind that tractor.

 

[jdcrawler]

I might be wrong but I see a conflict with the hinge point for the rake , with it underneath the draw bar. How will you get the rake to lift or the wheels lowered ,with it configured this way ? . Not saying your design is wrong , only that I ll wait to see how this goes.

That is a good observation and it's an area in the design of the rake that I neglected to clarify.

The frame work under the trailer coupler is open on the bottom so the arm for the rake goes up into it when the rake is raised.

 

[nkaust]

seven

 

[Onan18]

Ray, are you planning on building some sort of ratchet mechanism to hold the rake up in the travel position?

Joe

 

[jdcrawler]

Ray, are you planning on building some sort of ratchet mechanism to hold the rake up in the travel position?

Joe

Yes, I'm working on that now.

 

[hamman]

One of those control levers from an old Manure spreader would work in that case or even one from an old horse drawn walk behind cultivator. Looks good Ray.:thThumbsU

 

[jdcrawler]

One of those control levers from an old Manure spreader would work in that case or even one from an old horse drawn walk behind cultivator.

Roger. the tractor had a lever like that mounted on the back of it that I think was used for lifting a plow.
I'm using it to lift the rake and to control the lift height.
Here's a photo of the lever on the back of the tractor.

 

[Aksarben96]

That makes perfect sense . thanks for explaining it .

 

[hamman]

Yup perfect for that.

 

[jdcrawler]

The lift mechanism turned out not to be mounted anything like I had originally visioned.
So I cut the angle iron brace out from between the rear part of the frame rails and replaced it with a section of round tube.

A piece of angle iron is then welded in-between the frame rails in front of the rake.
I made up two brackets to hold a 3/4 inch diameter pin and welded these brackets on top of the angle iron.
These will be the pivot mounts for the lift mechanism.

From what I understand, the lift mechanism should hold the rack at different heights but still let it float so it can ride up higher than that point if needed.
Rather than a lift strap with a slot in it, I've decided to use a chain to lift the rake.
This chain that is attached to a bolt on one end will allow some fine adjustment in the height of the rake.
I found a steel bar that has a piece of steel strap formed into U-shape on one end.
The bolt on the end of the chain fits thru this nicely.
This will be used as the arm to lift the rake.
I cut a piece of round stock that will get bored out for the 3/4 inch pin and it will be the pivot mount for the lift arm.

There was a lever on the back of the tractor that I figure was supposed to be used for a plow lift.
The locking mechanism was rusted up on it so I took it all apart and sandblasted everything.

Here's the lever with all the parts reassembled and it is welded to the lift arm.

the lift lever assembly is then mounted on the rake frame.

A piece of strap steel is bent into a "U" shape and welded to end of the control arm on the rake.
The end of the lift chain is attached to this with a pin.

There wasn't any type of ratchet plate for the lever mounted on the tractor so I have to make one.
This is the ratchet plate with the radius cut on the top but no notches cut into it yet.

Another piece of angle iron is welded in-between the frame rails to mount the ratchet plate on.
The ratchet plate will bolt to a piece of angle iron that will be welded to the frame.
Here I'm lining everything up so the bolt holes can be marked for mounting the ratchet plate to the angle iron mount.

The mounting holes are finished and the angle iron mount is welded in place.
Now the ratchet plate can be marked for cutting the notches.

The notches are being milled into the ratchet plate.

Everything is bolted back together so I can see how the lift lever works.
Here the rake is lifted all the way up.

Then to the second notch.

then to the third notch.

And to the fourth notch.
This is adjusted so the rake is about 3/16 off the ground.
A paint stir stick will just slide under the tines.

The lever will rotate a little past the fourth notch to let rake ride a little below ground level.

One last thing to do before it is finished.
I bought four, cup style freeze plugs that will be used a "hub covers" on the wheels.
The two on the left, have 3/8 inch holes drilled in them and will bolt on the outside of the wheels.
The two on the right, have 3/4 inch holes drilled in them and will fit on the inside of the wheels.

The inside lip of the cup will fit up over the hub on the wheels and help keep dirt from getting down into the bushings.
Leather washers will be made up to fit inside the cups to help seal the grease in and keep the dirt out.

The cups for the inside of the wheels are welded to the rear frame on both sides.

 

[tiretrx]

Great stuff, Ray.