Wheel Rake Kicker Wheels

[lucky7chief]

I haven't seen much discussion on here about kicker wheels. I just bought a Durabilt HC3108. I asked the dealer about a kicker wheel. He said I wouldn't like. Other customers have removed them. I like to rake a few rounds and then go back and forth. If I'm not following the original windrows, 2 or 3 feet in the middle doesn't get turned. What are others' thoughts on kicker wheels? Do some brands work better than others? Does it make a difference if is 1 or 2 wheels?

 

[ohiosteve]

Neighbor has a JD wheel rake very similar to yours. In heavy hay the kicker wheel plugs up leaving huge balls of hay in the windrow, major pain in the but. In lighter hay it works ok but is not really necessary. I don't think most folks use the kicker wheel. That rake works really well if the field is tedded flat and there's no need to follow windrows.

 

[turklilley]

I use a vemeer wheel rake. The kicker wheel has never given me a problem. Without it, the center of each windrow never gets turned to dry

 

[lucky7chief]

I believe the JD rake was made by Vermeer, so they should be the same.

Turklilley, what model do you have? Is it 1 or 2 wheels?

 

[Tim/South]

On thinner hay I have a problem not picking up the untouched hay. The side rakes roll the hay on top of flat hay. I hay to let the pick up down closer to the ground than I like to be able to pick up the middle.
I usually fluff all hay but am trying to get away from fluffing the thinner hay.
I have a Kuhn SR110 and would buy the kicker if that would get the middle off the ground some.

 

[TANK30705]

I have a sr108 with a kicker, and it will pick the have up in the middle. In really thick hay, I hav it ball up with or without the kicker down.