Chain harrows and other quad bike accessories

[abbijay]

Having just bought our own place Mr Abbijay has bought a quad to use for maintenance. This is making Xmas present shopping easy(ish). He wants a roller, harrows, trailer and flail mower. From what I can see the harrows are the cheapest of these options.
Are we better getting 4ft or 6ft (i think it's probably worth spending the extra for 6ft so it's quicker to do) but are there other considerations? Will any old harrow work or are there specific considerations I should look out for?
I can't tell you what kind of a quad it is other than "muddy green colour" and he assures me it's not mega powerful. Our land is generally flat so no big hills to navigate.
Other suggestions welcome, if I'm spending 3 figures I want to get it right first time!

 

[rabatsa]

The trailer will be the most useful attachment. I now have two trailers for my quad bike and use them to muck out into.

 

[setterlover]

Hopefully it's 4 wheel drive quad as anything other than dead flat dry land is difficult with a ,2 wheel drive and it won't have the pulling power and will slip and get bogged down.
We have a ballast roller ( weight adjusted by filling it with water) Harrows -go for the biggest it will tow, a medium size tipping trailer that you can remove the sides to make it a flat bed and a mower we have a basic mower but would have bought a flail mower had they been available at the time .
He will need warm gauntlet gloves as it's cold on a quad and should wear head protection.. (useful presents)

 

[tda]

If you're not sure of the power of the quad, go for the 4ft harrow.
I have a Kelfri tipping trailer, it's fab I use it every day
You are supposed to wear a helmet but many don't. I don't but when I had a 16yr old helping me I made her get one
My roller is one that you can add water for extra weight
I've also got a topper and a sprayer and a round bale trailer

 

[canteron]

I much prefer a spring tine harrow (I think that’s what it’s called) to a chain harrow from a quad. Just more efficient, better at pulling up dead grass and aerates the soils a bit more as well.

It depends on your fields but unless they are big and regular shaped a 4’ harrow is more manoeuvrable.

 

[dorsetladette]

We have a 4 foot harrow - it's one you can turn round to make it more or less 'angry' depending on what you want to achieve. I'm sure there's a more technical term. We found the quad struggled a bit with the 6ft one so generally that one only gets used on the back on the truck in the summer (just makes the job a bit quicker).

Look on facebook marketplace for the trailer and roller etc - people are often selling those sort of thing off cheaply.

I have a trailer for poo picking, but I would not recommend the one we have. They don't tip enough for the muck to come out so you either have to unhitch and tip it over by hand or fork it out.



With the flail mower the petrol ones go quite cheaply on marketplace. My friend bought one brand new and sold it 18 months later for 50% what she paid after only using it a few times. So you can get a real bargain.

 

[abbijay]

We have a 4 foot harrow - it's one you can turn round to make it more or less 'angry' depending on what you want to achieve. I'm sure there's a more technical term. We found the quad struggled a bit with the 6ft one so generally that one only gets used on the back on the truck in the summer (just makes the job a bit quicker).

Look on facebook marketplace for the trailer and roller etc - people are often selling those sort of thing off cheaply.

I have a trailer for poo picking, but I would not recommend the one we have. They don't tip enough for the muck to come out so you either have to unhitch and tip it over by hand or fork it out.

View attachment 151288

With the flail mower the petrol ones go quite cheaply on marketplace. My friend bought one brand new and sold it 18 months later for 50% what she paid after only using it a few times. So you can get a real bargain.

Is the one you have in the picture or is this what you're suggesting? Just found it on ebay and it's definitely in budget!

 

[dorsetladette]

Is the one you have in the picture or is this what you're suggesting? Just found it on ebay and it's definitely in budget!

Its the one I have.

a tipping trailer needs to be taller (bigger wheels/taller underneath 'stuff) so it tips more if you know what I mean.

 

[abbijay]

I much prefer a spring tine harrow (I think that’s what it’s called) to a chain harrow from a quad. Just more efficient, better at pulling up dead grass and aerates the soils a bit more as well.

It depends on your fields but unless they are big and regular shaped a 4’ harrow is more manoeuvrable.

Excellent advice thank you. Although the chain harrows appeal as if I ever get round to putting one of the boys to work they could pull that for me... like in the good ole days!

 

[Cocorules]

What acreage do you have?

 

[Lady Jane]

All good advice but find out the power of your quad and then buy the best equipment it can pull. We have a 495cc quad, a 4ft chainn harrow (inherited), a 6ft spring tine harrow, really pleased with the results, you can adjust the height to make it more or less viscious. Have trailer above, I love its so light but agree on tipping. We also have a proper menage leveller whih can do the edges. Decided about 5 years ago we were to old to dig edges when we used an old pallet. We weigh down the chain harrows with pallets to give it more bite when its necessary. This post has made me think how useful a flail harrow would be.....

 

[abbijay]

What acreage do you have?

About 8 acres of grazing