Harley Rake for Tractors: Is a Power Rake Worth It

A Harley rake is worth buying if you grade, seed or clear ground every year and your tractor has at least 20 to 30 PTO hp. If you have one big project, rent one for a weekend instead and spend the savings on seed.

Few tools leave a seedbed or a stone free yard as clean. But a new one costs as much as a used compact tractor, and the bigger sizes will overload a small 3 point hitch.

The right answer depends on three numbers: your PTO horsepower, your hitch lift capacity and how many days a year the rake will actually run. This guide gives you all three, plus prices and the rent versus buy math.

What is a Harley rake and where does the name come from?

A Harley rake is a power rake sold under the Harley brand. The name has become the everyday word for the whole tool type, the way Bobcat became the word for a skid steer.

The line started with Glenmac, and Paladin Brands bought its assets in 2005. Paladin still sells it under the Harley name.

We could not find a reliable record of who built the first power box rake, or why it carries the Harley name. Be wary of any tidy origin story you read online.

A 3 point power rake bolts to your hitch and takes drive from the rear PTO. A shaft turns a horizontal roller covered in carbide tipped studs.

Land Pride’s PR10 uses a 6 5/8 inch roller with 3/4 by 1 1/2 inch studs. It also has a #50 double roller chain and a slip clutch driveline.

The roller churns the top few inches of soil as you drive. A material control bar decides what size of stone gets pushed ahead and what falls through.

Gauge wheels at each end set your depth. The whole head angles about 15 degrees left or right, by hand or with a hydraulic cylinder.

What does a power rake actually do?

It loosens the top layer of soil, separates rocks and roots from fine dirt, and leaves a smooth, level surface ready for seed. It does four jobs well.

Seedbed prep

This is where it earns its price. The roller breaks clods, pulls out roots and leaves a firm, fine surface.

Owners who seed lawns say to keep the depth shallow. About 2 to 3 inches is the most grass seed needs.

Rock picking and windrowing

Angle the head and the roller pushes stones and sticks into a row at one side. Owners usually work one direction to windrow debris. They scoop the row up with a loader bucket.

Then they make a pass or two at 90 degrees to level. Several owners say it turns up more rock than they expected.

Leveling and finish grading

It is a finishing tool. Ruts, small humps and tire tracks disappear in a pass or two.

It will not cut a ditch or pull stumps. It will not dig through hard clay either.

Spreading and blending material

It also spreads topsoil and works gravel into a driveway shoulder. One owner ran a 6 foot rake on a 55 hp tractor.

He found it good for spreading gravel. He said peeling a compacted gravel drive was too hard on the machine.

Power rake vs landscape rake vs tiller vs box blade

Pick the tool by what the ground looks like now and what you need it to become. A power rake finishes and sorts. A box blade moves and shapes dirt.

A landscape rake drags and smooths. A tiller mixes soil.

The decision rule is short. If you must cut or move dirt first, start with a box blade. If you then need to pick rocks, break clods and leave a seedbed, add the power rake.

A landscape rake is the cheap stand in. It does not break up ground. Owners who have used both call the powered rake far better for serious work.

A tiller buries stones instead of clearing them. A tilled field often grows a fresh rock crop. Owners also say a power rake takes practice but is easier to run well than a box blade.

Can a compact tractor run a Harley rake?

Yes, if you buy a small 3 point PTO model sized to your PTO horsepower and your hitch lift. Harley’s TM line starts at a 48 inch rake rated for 15 to 22 hp. Sub compact and compact owners should look at the 4 and 5 foot sizes first.

3 point PTO models and hp needs

These are Harley’s published ratings for its tractor mount rakes, from the Paladin product page.

The page’s text says the range starts at 12 hp, but its spec table starts at 15. Go by the table, and confirm with a dealer before you order a TM4 for a tractor under 15 hp.

The page also does not state PTO speed. Land Pride’s rakes use a 540 rpm gearbox, which nearly every compact tractor delivers.

Other makers fit the same class. Land Pride’s PR10 series has a 48 inch PR1048 at 550 pounds. Its 60 inch PR1060 weighs 607 pounds.

Both are rated up to 33 hp on a Cat I hitch. Worksaver rates its 25 Series for 24 to 40 hp and its 40 Series for 35 to 75 hp.

Match the rake to your tractor, not the brochure

Owners disagree on hp, and that matters. One buyer with about 19 PTO hp was told by a rep that a small rake needed 16 to 22. A rental yard told him 40 or more.

Another owner says his 6 foot rake wants about 35 hp. A 6 foot Woods owner thinks 30 hp is enough.

Treat the ratings as PTO horsepower, not the engine number on the brochure. Your PTO hp is lower than your engine hp, so look it up.

Weight and reach matter as much as power. One renter with a Kubota B2710 could not lift his rake off the ground.

The tractor was rated for the weight. But the rake hangs well behind the hitch, so the lift arms feel more than the sticker weight.

Compare the rake’s minimum lift figure with your tractor’s rated lift capacity. Plan on front ballast too.

Our tractor sizing guide and the free tractor size finder and ballast calculator help with both questions. If you are still shopping, the best sub compact tractors list shows which small models have a usable rear PTO.

Loader mounted and skid steer versions

Loader mounted power rakes are hydraulic, and most compact tractor loaders cannot push enough oil to spin them. John Deere’s own literature lists a 13 gpm minimum for its 60 and 72 inch Worksite Pro rakes and 16 gpm for the 84 and 96 inch sizes. Digga recommends 9 to 20 gpm for its mini rake.

Blue Diamond’s 48 to 72 inch skid steer rakes recommend 15 to 24 gpm. Its larger sizes want 30 to 40 gpm.

Dealer listings put Harley’s MX skid steer line at about 13 to 25 gpm. We could not reach Paladin’s own MX page, so ask the dealer for the current sheet.

Owners report that compact tractor loaders make far less. One owner quoted a Kubota BX at about 5.5 gpm. Another said a 37 hp Mahindra tops out at 7.6 gpm, and called a loader mounted rake there a poor choice.

A third owner had roughly 15 to 16 gpm on his front remotes. A skid steer style rake still would not come up to speed.

Treat those flow figures as owner reports and read your own tractor’s manual. If your loader makes under about 13 gpm, buy a PTO rake.

Too little flow means a slow roller and poor results. Too much can overheat the system, so match the flow and the hydraulic fluid to the tool.

How much does a power rake cost?

The large new Harley models list for about $10,500 to $11,750 at dealers, and used ones are not much cheaper. These are dealer asking prices seen in October 2026, so call for a delivered quote.

Those are big machines, so they overstate what a small tractor owner will pay. We could not verify a current price for the 48 and 60 inch TM models or for the Land Pride PR10.

Older forum posts mention about $4,800 for a new 5 foot rake. Those prices are many years old, so treat them as a floor, not a quote.

Used rakes carry two traps. Owners say auction rakes are often worn out. Clean ones sell near new price.

Check the roller welds before you pay. One owner warned that fresh or cracked welds mean walking away.

Look at the studs, the chain case, the skid shoes and the bearings too. Studs and skid shoes are normal wear items.

Woods also sells a 3 point power rake. One owner, in an old post, said it ran about $500 less than the Harley equivalent.

Rent or buy: the math

Rent if you have one or two jobs. Buy if you have steady use, such as reseeding pastures or maintaining long driveways every year.

For an idea of rates, one New Hampshire yard has posted $133 for a half day, $200 for a day and $800 for a week, plus a 10% damage waiver. That page carries no date, so use it only as a rough guide.

Forum posts mention $566 a week, or $200 a day plus $150 delivery. Call for current rates in your area.

Here is the break even on an $11,500 new rake at those rates.

• At $800 a week, you reach $11,500 after about 14 weeks of rental.
• At $200 a day, you reach it after about 57 rental days.
• A used $8,500 rake breaks even at about 10 or 11 weekly rentals.

Most homeowners need a rake for a few days, so renting wins by a wide margin. The catch is finding one.

One 3 point owner said it was nearly impossible to rent one near him. Most yards stock skid steer versions.

A rental also lets you test sizes before you commit, which owners recommend. Buying makes sense if a small tractor cannot lift the rental yard’s 7 foot unit. A TM4 sized rake is a niche tool, but it fits where the big one will not.

Which brands and models fit the tractor class?

For compact and sub compact tractors, look at Harley (Paladin) TM4 to TM6, Land Pride PR10 and PR16, and Worksaver. Match the width to your hp, then confirm the hitch category and lift.

• Harley TM4 and TM5: 48 and 60 inches, 525 and 555 pounds, Cat I, for roughly 15 to 32 hp. The best fit for most compacts.
• Harley TM6: 72 inches, 865 pounds, for 30 to 40 hp. Heavy for the smallest compacts.
• Land Pride PR1048 and PR1060: 48 and 60 inches, 550 and 607 pounds, up to 33 hp, Cat I. Land Pride matches them to Kubota BX, B and LX lines.
• Land Pride PR16: 60 to 90 inch sizes for larger tractors. The 60 inch is rated 25 to 60 hp.
• Worksaver 25 Series: for 24 to 40 hp compacts, with a 40 Series for 35 to 75 hp.

The brand matters less than three checks. Is it Cat I? Does your hitch lift its weight with the rake hanging back?

Does your PTO make the rated hp? Browse more tools in our implements section.

Technique tips for a good finish

Go slow, keep the roller turning at full speed, and let the angle and depth do the sorting. Most poor results come from rushing.

1. Rip or loosen very hard ground first. Owners say the rake works best on loose soil. Pass over clay or rocky ground with a ripper first.
2. Work when the soil is slightly damp. One owner ran on damp ground, let it dry, then made a second leveling pass for grass seed.
3. Set the gauge wheels shallow and start with a small angle. Increase the angle as you see how the rake behaves. Too aggressive an angle stops the dirt and rock sorting.
4. Keep a small roll of dirt and debris ahead of the roller. Clean soil then spills over the top.
5. Drive in one direction to move debris to the edge. Collect it with the loader. Then make one or two passes at 90 degrees.
6. Make your last pass slow and shallow. Run it in the opposite direction to erase your earlier tracks.

In sod or thick weeds, go very slowly and lift the rake slightly. That is how one TC33D owner described it.

If the tractor bogs, the roller is too deep or you are moving too fast. Back off the depth first.

Mistakes that wreck a rake or the job

• Raking big rocks and buried junk. The slip clutch protects the gearbox, but a stuck roller can still bend parts. Pull large stones out by hand or with the bucket.
• Going deep in one pass. The rake loads up and the tractor bogs. Take two shallow passes.
• Skipping grease and chain case checks. Grease the bearings on schedule. Check the chain case oil level, and use the lubricant the manual names.
• Buying by engine hp. Ratings use PTO hp. Leave a margin if you work heavy soil.
• Starting a hard clay field with the rake. It is a finishing tool. Break the ground first.

Bottom line

A Harley rake is a great finishing tool for owners who seed, grade and clear ground regularly. It is also an expensive one. If your tractor has 20 to 30 or more PTO hp and a Cat I hitch that lifts it, buy a 4 or 5 foot PTO model.

If you have one project, rent. Skip loader mounted versions unless your loader makes 13 gpm or more.

Frequently asked questions

Is a power rake the same as a Harley rake?

Mostly, yes. Power rake is the generic term for the tool.

Harley is the best known brand. Woods, Land Pride, Worksaver and others make equivalents that work the same way.

How much horsepower do I need for a power rake?

Harley rates its 48 inch TM4 at 15 to 22 hp. Its 60 inch TM5 is 18 to 32 hp, and its 72 inch TM6 is 30 to 40 hp.

Owners often suggest more for heavy soil. Use PTO hp, not engine hp, and leave margin.

Can I run a power rake on a sub compact tractor?

Possibly. The 4 and 5 foot sizes weigh about 525 to 607 pounds, and some small tractor owners run them.

The risks are PTO power and lift capacity with the rake hanging behind the hitch. Check both before buying.

Does a power rake remove rocks?

It brings rocks to the surface and windrows them to one side. It does not carry them off.

You still collect them with a bucket or by hand. Many owners find far more rock than they expected.

Can I use a power rake to level a gravel driveway?

It is good for spreading and blending gravel on a driveway shoulder. For a rutted, compacted drive, one owner found it too hard on the machine. Use a box blade or rear blade to cut first.

Can I rent a 3 point power rake?

Sometimes, but most yards stock skid steer versions. Ask whether the rake is a 3 point PTO model and which hitch category it uses.

Ask for the daily and weekly rates too, and whether delivery is extra.