tow behind aerator

[scottt]

I am having trouble deciding whether to buy a tow behind or walk behind type aerator. If you use a ztr for the tow behind, how fast can you go. I do mostly average size residential yards and want to buy what will get me in and out quickly but also do a good job.

[Sammy]

I am thinking about getting a tow model so I can put my 1966 IH Cub Cadet to work.

[chrisbolte]

I have questioned using a tow behind aerator with a ZTR but everyone says it works well.

[lbmd1]

Scott,
I purchased a Grate Poker tow behind true core aerator this summer to use this past fall. I also purchased a hitch kit from Toro to tow it behind my Toro Z Master. As with most tow behinds, it has it's quirks but I am 100% happy with it's performance. You have to be careful with your turns or you'll tear some turf up. I have it completely filled with water and the soil penetration varies from lawn to lawn. I purchased the 36" model at the advise of the salesman. I thought getting the 48" model would cover areas faster but he was correct in saying the larger the unit, the bigger the turning arch needs to be. As for how fast you can go, (again on his opinion) the faster you go the better the penetration. When you slow down or stop, it lifts out of the soil sometimes. Our properties vary in size from 4000 sq ft to 30,000. It works awesome on the larger wide open lots. On some of our finer homes though, we still use a walk behind aerator unit that we rent. I paid about $500 including shipping for the unit which was beefier looking than I thought it would be. Their web address is http://www.7315.com Get the heavy duty transport wheels if you go with this unit for the constant ramping up your trailer gate it will encounter. I am very satisfied with it and it has already paid for itself 10 times over just this past fall.


Mike

[Stonewall]

Anybody hitched up a tow-behind aerator to a walkbehind to get through gates?

[YLC1]

Scott,
I'm putting the finishing touches on an aerator
that started out as a combination tow behind/3pt
hitch rig.It's now mounted to the front of a Toro
Z-Master.You didn't say what type of ZTR you have,
but I can supply you with the info on what I have
on my set up.The aerator is a 48" K-D brand.I can aerate about as fast as the mower will go.It has an electric lift
that will lift 1000lbs. at 3/4" per second with 6" of travel.E-mail me if you would like more info.

[lawrence stone]

Mike,

How long of a plug does that thing pull if the ground is good and moist?

Are the plugs big and nasty? How many weeks are they visiable after the aeration was done?

I called that company today and they answered all my questions. They will even provide me with extra steel so I can turn it into a sit down sulky to be pulled by a walk behind.

This will be my second try at a aerating sulky and I am going 1st class with this one by installing a high back suspension seat.

The problem with the first aerator I built is the tines are too fragile for sports (rock) field use. Most of the tines are shot and it costs $700 for replacement tines (that will be shot in a year) and about 2 days labor to replace them.

Since I only have $80 invested into that Dedoes greens aerator sulky (and used it for a season) I won't cry any when I leave it at the junkyard.

[Greenkeepers]

Scott-

Did you look at Jrco's line of aerators for the front of ZTR's?

[bob]

Scottt, This year a bought a Lesco 42" split reel tow behind. I'll never walk behind an aerator again. Do a search on this topic, you'll find a lot of info.

[Eric ELM]

I also suggest the Lesco/Classen built tow behind. I've had mine over a year now and it is very heavy duty and built like a tank. I fixed mine so it will only go in a certain depth, either 2", 3" or 4" which is nice when you have hard as soft spots on a lawn like most of mine are. It has a split axle so you can turn fairly sharp without tearing up the turf. After using it one spring and two fall aeratings, it hasn't bent any spoons or broken any. It has my stamp of approval, big time.

I did a search on aerating and found 96 threads on this supbject and here is lots of reading for you.
http://www.lawnsite.com/search.php?query=aerat&forumchoice=-1&booleanand=yes&searchin=subject&searchdate=-1&searchuser=&searchdateline=&exactname=yes&action=dosearch&getdaily=&pagenum=

[NC Big Daddy]

We use both tow behind and walk behinds. We tow with ZTR's and 4-wheelers both work great.
Chris
This is a great site. Ive been coming here daily for about 2 mths now. This is my first post.

[lbmd1]

Lawrence,
The width of the cores are about an inch in diameter. The length of the cores vary from lawn to lawn depending on how really compacted it is, but it averages about 2 14 inches, some as deep as 3". Only on poor turns does it leave a larger core (ripturn). The cores broke down in about 3 weeks, the holes on some lawns were still visible. The metal corers that are welded onto the metal drum are quite beefy and rugged. If you do smaller yards or need to turn alot, then maybe a split turn tow behind might be a better option. For wide open tuf such as you playing fields, it would be fine. I'm not sure on the cost of the other units that were mentioned so I can't compare cost to convenience issues. For $500, It suited my needs just fine. I aerated about 40 lawns this past fall and my goal for next year is 200 now that I have this unit. My ideal aerator would be one that looks like the perma green ride on spreader with a front drum corer that would lift while turning. Why hasn't anyone come out with a ride on aerator that could use your weight to counter balance the rocky, abusive effect that the walk behind aerators give you? Can anyone of you guys post a picture of your split drum tow behind unit? I would like to see it. Eric, is your split drum tow behind a 3 point hitch model,a true tow behind, or do you own both?

Mike