Tow-Behind Dethatcher

castlebb · Feb 8, 2002

How well do the dethatchers you tow behind a riding lawn mower work? Here is a URL to the type I am referring to:

http://www.brinly.com/products/dethatcher/dethatcher40.htm

I live in the Florida panhandle and I have a centipede lawn that is almost an acre big.

LarryF · Mar 20, 2006

castlebb,

Your post asking about how well the 40-inch Brinly tow-behind dethatcher works is now 4 years old, but I have the same question. Did you ever get an answer?

LarryF

fishinpa · Mar 20, 2006

The one I bought from Sears last year looks about the same but a little taller, and it has a handle for raising it that you can reach from the seat of a tractor. It works okay. It tore up a bit lawn more than I wished, but the yard was in terrible condition when I started, and it was probably a bit too dry that day.

I don't know or I didn't look to see how much that one was. I think I paid about 65.00 at Sears for mine.

LarryF · Mar 20, 2006

Thanks fishinpa. The Brinly is about the same price at HomeDepot, but I don't know if the Brinly has the lifting handle, which sounds like a good idea. A couple more questions come to mind, however. I lifted one of the Brinly cartons while at HD, and it seemed very light. Did you have to weigh the dethatcher down with concrete blocks or whatever when you were dragging it? But what I'm really curious to know about is how this item compares with the dethatching ability of a power rake such as made by Bluebird, Classen, etc.? Have you had any experience with those you can compare the drag-behind with?

POPO4995 · Mar 20, 2006

I have had Sears and Agri-Fab tow behind dethatchers in the past. It doesnt matter what brand you go with....theyre all the same besides a few minor mod's. Majority are made by Agri-Fab, even John Deere dethatchers. I have a 60" Front mount dethatcher for my 425AWS. I love that thing....the front mount makes it so much easier because you have more directional control over it and you dont have to weigh it down. Just my 0.02..

fishinpa · Mar 21, 2006

LarryF said:
Thanks fishinpa. The Brinly is about the same price at HomeDepot, but I don't know if the Brinly has the lifting handle, which sounds like a good idea. A couple more questions come to mind, however. I lifted one of the Brinly cartons while at HD, and it seemed very light. Did you have to weigh the dethatcher down with concrete blocks or whatever when you were dragging it? But what I'm really curious to know about is how this item compares with the dethatching ability of a power rake such as made by Bluebird, Classen, etc.? Have you had any experience with those you can compare the drag-behind with?

I did put a block or two on it and strapped it down tightly. I used a power rake the year before and don't think it necessarily did a "better" job, but I do remember it being alot more work and I remember the power rake actually worked better when you pull it backwards. It was easier to drag the power-rake debris stuff into a pile that way. (in reverse that is)

I just look at it as: for the 69.00 or whatever I can get 10 or 20 or 30 "rakes" out of it instead of 100.00 a pop for an afternoon with a power rake.

Be advised that if your yard is in bad shape you gonna get PILES of debris. I advise you mentally prepare to have several spots in the yard to drag to and clear the rake at. Then you just rake those piles onto a tarp and drag them to where-ever you going to burn, compost or can that stuff up to dispose of.

Also note if it's in REAL BAD shape as mine was, you going to expose alot of bare dirt spots and your be prone to more crabgrass than usual. This is one of the first steps in "making things right" as I call it though. Just plan to aerate and seed in the fall.

Good luck and feel free to PM me. I'm no pro (lco) just a homeowner "working it hard" and trying to learn from my mistakes and all the advice I've gotten around here.

LarryF · Mar 21, 2006

Thanks again fishinpa. That's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for.

I did some more searching and found another manufacturer of tow-behind dethatchers. The name is JRCO, and their product looks pretty much like the Brinly, but it seems to be a bit more husky and a lot more expensive, about $420 plus shipping. But it seems to be targeted for commercial landscapers, so maybe that justifies charging 6 times as much for the product. To them, perhaps, but not to me. They also have a couple of dethatchers that mount in front of a tractor, and I have to admit that looks like a good idea. But I'll probably go with the Brinly or the Sears tow-behind. For awhile I had seriously considered power raking. However, a lot of comments made by others contributing to these forums suggest that power raking is not only more expensive and time-consuming, it's not necessarily even good for the lawn.

fishinpa · Mar 21, 2006

I've looked at most of them and found I perfer the Sears model vs. the Agri-Fab. I really like the spring loaded tines as the final product is a bit more like the rental units. They are a bit more forgiving. I also liek the fact that every two spiked are tied together, not the who;e row of spikes. This allows the unit tu turn easier.

PaulJ · Mar 21, 2006

The Jrco tine rakes are commercial grade. I don't think those others are. The jrco has about twice the tines as the tow behinds.
The thing to remember using any tine rake is multiple paswses. If you really want to make a diference in the lawn go over it several times wiht the rake.

ONce is just for raking out somne leaves and sticks maybe but to make a dent in the thatch go in different directions multiple times.

Splicer · Mar 21, 2006

Craftsman front mounted dethatcher:

Re-Ignition · Mar 21, 2006

It's almost the same subject so I figured I'd post it here...

How's the (Tow) Agri-Fab Spike Aerator.

I need both a dethatcher and a spike aerator. For residential use I figure I'd use them both once or twice per year.

Is this just cheap "get you by" stuff... or will it last a few seasons before rusting out?

Thanks

LarryF · Mar 21, 2006

I hadn't come across the Craftsman front-mounted dethatcher before, Splicer, so thanks! I apprciate that.

Splicer · Mar 21, 2006

A spike aerator just pokes a hole and compacts the soil. You want a plug aerator that actually pulls a plug of soil/turf out.

LarryF your welcome. If you are interested you may want to get one soon ($99.88) as I was told they are being discontinued. I personally feel the front mount is optimal as you can then dethatch, cut and sweep all in one pass. Saves time and should be profitable...

fishinpa · Mar 21, 2006

Re-Ignition said:
It's almost the same subject so I figured I'd post it here...

How's the (Tow) Agri-Fab Spike Aerator.

I need both a dethatcher and a spike aerator. For residential use I figure I'd use them both once or twice per year.

Is this just cheap "get you by" stuff... or will it last a few seasons before rusting out?

Thanks

If your using it residentally, might be alright. I have not personally used the agri-fab stuff... to the best of my knowledge.

LarryF · Mar 21, 2006

Splicer said:
LarryF your welcome. If you are interested you may want to get one soon ($99.88) as I was told they are being discontinued. I personally feel the front mount is optimal as you can then dethatch, cut and sweep all in one pass. Saves time and should be profitable...

Splicer, I had just finished looking at the Sears web site, and it wasn't shown. But I'll stop in at the local store tomorrow to see if they have any. I haven't been having very good luck in my quest so far. I called one store today to ask about details of a dethatcher the yellow pages indicated was one of its products, and the guy responded with "Let me look that up", and then came back about two minutes later with "How do you spell that?"

fishinpa · Mar 22, 2006

LarryF said:
"How do you spell that?"

Now that's funny!

Re-Ignition · Mar 22, 2006

Splicer said:
A spike aerator just pokes a hole and compacts the soil. You want a plug aerator that actually pulls a plug of soil/turf out.

Any recommendations? Low end / high end...

Thanks

nmurph · Mar 22, 2006

i bought a Sears tow-behind last year. my grass had LOTS of thatch. i had to make several passes in multiple directions. i also used 3 concrete blocks for weight. the dethatching was done in may (?). i had lots of bare spots when i finished. after the dethatching i fertilized and limed. by the middle of june i had the most beautiful grass. i will be dethatching again in a week, or so.
one cautionary note. i was using a snapper to pull the dethatcher and i fried that wonderful friction disc that they use for a clutch. i was already planning on upgrading, so it was no big loss.

Splicer · Mar 22, 2006

Re-Ignition said:
Any recommendations? Low end / high end...

Thanks

I got my 48" Tri Global plug aerator at Lowes for $178 I think. Still working with the best method to use but I really really really like it as it most certainly does pull 2"-3" plugs out. I can put up to 150+# on it if need be and its nice. Heed the warnings others here tell you. Only plug aerate when the soil is moist, not damp or wet. A big mess and you have to clean the fingers and well just don't.

The front dethatcher I had to order it as my local Sears Hardware doesn't really stock too much of tractor accessories. The part # is 71-24300. Hope this helps.:drinkup:

Re-Ignition · Mar 22, 2006

Splicer said:
I got my 48" Tri Global plug aerator at Lowes for $178 I think. Still working with the best method to use but I really really really like it as it most certainly does pull 2"-3" plugs out. I can put up to 150+# on it if need be and its nice. Heed the warnings others here tell you. Only plug aerate when the soil is moist, not damp or wet. A big mess and you have to clean the fingers and well just don't.

The front dethatcher I had to order it as my local Sears Hardware doesn't really stock too much of tractor accessories. The part # is 71-24300. Hope this helps.:drinkup:

Lowes list a Precise Fit 48" plug aerator ($178) but it's out of stock in my region. Home Depot has a 40" Brinly plug for ($168).

About 4 years ago I rented a large gear drive plug aerator and found it easier doing push-ups for Uncle Sam that to use that huge machine. It kept pulling to the right and would tip over on small slopes.:laugh: I had to call my neighbor to help pick it up.

I guess for the number of times per year I'm going to use it I'll be "OK" with the Brinly Plug Aerator or Dethatcher.

Tow-Behind Dethatcher

castlebb

LarryF

fishinpa

LarryF

POPO4995

fishinpa

LarryF

fishinpa

PaulJ

Splicer

Re-Ignition

LarryF

Splicer

fishinpa

LarryF

fishinpa

Re-Ignition

nmurph

Splicer

Re-Ignition

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