Hay making equipment
Mowers, rakes, and a baler for a walk-behind tractor are those devices that greatly increase the functionality of the unit, allowing it to be used to perform a wide range of agricultural work. Harvesting hay and cleaning lawns are the main areas of work where you can’t do without a mower and other equipment on the site.
We list all the attachments on the walk-behind tractor, which are designed to facilitate the work of preparing livestock feed and lawn care:
- Mowers.
- Trimmers.
- Rake.
- Balers.
- Hay tedders.
We invite you to become more familiar with the varieties of each category of attachments.
Popular equipment models
The PPR-50 hay harvester can be installed with Neva walk-behind tractors; it has an affordable price and good functionality. This unit is compatible with walk-behind tractors with a power of 10 horsepower or more. Among the disadvantages, the absence of a protective casing is noted, which contributes to the loss of part of the dry plant mass through the rollers.
Mini R-500 . This Italian-made baler is almost 1.5 times superior to its Russian counterpart in terms of functionality and weight. The unit is characterized by high maneuverability and the ability to work in any area. The hay picker has small dimensions, high productivity and modern equipment.
RXYK 0850 . Today it is a roll type, which is highly powerful and can be used for working with roughage. The model is characterized by its small size and forms compact cylindrical briquettes, which greatly facilitates their loading and transportation by one person.
Model M60 Mini . Bale hay picker of Slovenian-Italian production. The device has a reliable design, small size and the ability to adjust the working width.
Walk-behind mowers
More and more often you can see how owners of dachas and small farms make hay with a walk-behind tractor. There are several varieties of this equipment, differing not only in appearance, but also in the principle of operation.
The following modifications can be found and selected on the market:
- rotary mowers;
- frontal;
Frontal models are divided into two categories:
- segmental;
- flails
Rotary mower with walk-behind tractor
When choosing attachments for yourself, you should consider the following features:
How the grass will be laid:
- in windrows - this option will allow you to quickly form a stack without using additional equipment (rakes);
- during mowing - the grass covers the lawn in an even layer; additional equipment will be required to collect and lay it;
- mulching - grass is crushed, becoming a natural fertilizer for plants (shrubs, trees, etc.).
Bevel height:
- 5 cm;
- up to 20 cm.
The grip width depends on the specific model.
Method of aggregation with a motorized device:
- in front of the walk-behind tractor - the most popular option;
- at the back are flail lawn mowers, which are increasingly used for cultivating lawns;
- on the side (semi-canopy) - the support wheel takes on the main weight of the mower; such models are more relevant for mini-tractors.
- Power of the mowing unit. The higher it is, the more functional the attachment is - with its help you can mow not only grass, but also shrubs and young trees up to 3.5 cm in diameter.
- Rotation speed of the mower's working parts.
Rotary mower
The rotary attachment to the walk-behind tractor can be attached in all three ways (rear, front, side), depending on the location of the cutting parts for a particular mower model.
Mower "Zarya"
Mower "Zarya-1"
The model range of disc (rotary) mowers assumes the presence of one, two, or three discs, which are mounted on a rigid frame. A support wheel is also attached to the same frame, connected to the working parts of the mower through a transmission. This support wheel, by its rotation, drives the working parts of the mower.
The main application of a rotary mower to a walk-behind tractor with a PTO:
- weed control;
- mowing grass;
- hay cutting;
- mowing fallen grass.
We invite you to watch a video of the operation of a disc (rotary) mower for a walk-behind tractor:
Segment mower
A segment mower for a walk-behind tractor is a type of frontal mower, designed for mowing grass and hay in areas with different topography, and the grass is cut directly at the root. Such mowers can be attached to the walk-behind tractor in two ways:
- from the front using a drive belt (it is better to use a three-groove pulley);
- at the rear, using a power take-off shaft (PTO) and a special adapter.
The attachment is used for both soft and hard grasses, and is also suitable for mowing stubble.
Segment mower 9G-1.4
Segmental front mower SCOUT SM-110
The design is very simple and easy to maintain. The mower consists of a rigid frame on which two bars with cutting elements (fingers) are fixed, one of which is completely motionless, the second makes reciprocating movements to the right and left. The principle of scissors is that the grass falls between the cutting edges and is cut off by them.
We invite you to watch a video of the operation of a Chinese mower for a walk-behind tractor:
Flail mower
This is also a type of front mower on a walk-behind tractor, but flail modifications are mounted with a motorized device only at the rear. The cutting height is adjusted with a special roller. The attachment allows you to mow not only grass and hay, but also bushes up to 3 cm thick. These are quite heavy attachments, their weight can exceed 100 kg.
Mower KM-0.5
The video will tell you how a flail mower works on a walk-behind tractor:
Balers for mini equipment
A baler mounted on a walk-behind tractor allows farmers to better remove dry plant matter remaining after harvesting grain crops. This device compresses dried straw into compact rectangular or cylindrical briquettes (depending on the type of device), which can then be easily transported and stored. There are hay pickers not only for full-fledged agricultural machinery, but also for low-power mini-tractors and walk-behind tractors.
It should be immediately noted that currently all models of hay pickers for walk-behind tractors, which are produced by Russian and foreign manufacturers, are designed for use with heavy-duty power units with a power of at least 10 hp. This is due to the fact that even light devices weigh about 350 kg, plus the mass of hay, even middle-class units can hardly cope with this, so what can we say about light walk-behind tractors. However, there are homemade balers that are also adapted to light power plants.
Rake
A rake for a walk-behind tractor is an attachment that is attached to the unit using a special adapter; you can also find models that are mounted using a hitch.
In addition, this equipment has several modifications:
- belt rakes (tedders);
- cross hay rake;
- rake “Sun”.
Let's look at each modification in more detail:
Cross hay rake
This attachment is used for high-quality raking of hay or grass into windrows.
The attachment is used in conjunction with an adapter that turns the walk-behind tractor into a mini-tractor. The working body is raised with the help of a lever and lowered with it. Work is carried out with the rake lowered.
Installation of this canopy is possible both in the front part of the walk-behind tractor (there is a special rotating mechanism) and in the rear part. The rake is made of durable steel, protected with a special anti-corrosion coating, and has a long service life.
If desired, owners of garden equipment can make a rake for a walk-behind tractor with their own hands; for this, there are many descriptions, detailed drawings and videos on the Internet.
Rake “Sun”
The tedder rake for the Solnyshko walk-behind tractor consists of a tubular frame onto which two to four independently rotating disks can be attached. Such hay tedders are ideal for areas with uneven terrain.
The discs are equipped with high-quality bearings and are fixed to the frame using special holders. The processing width can reach more than 2 m. This equipment is mounted at the rear of the walk-behind tractor and is suitable for both domestic units and Chinese equipment. If desired, the “Solnyshko” rake can be combined with a small tractor.
A short video will tell you how this tedder rake for a walk-behind tractor works:
Belt rake
Band rakes also belong to the tedder category. They can be purchased in stores, or made with your own hands from scrap materials. He will tell you how to make a rake on a walk-behind tractor with his own hands and show a video:
This equipment allows you to quickly form a stack, capturing and throwing mown grass, hay and even dried forage crops.
Hay tedders, whether “Solnyshko” or belt type, are much more productive than their transverse counterparts, their design is more complex, and the operating requirements are higher. In addition, it is important to use them to transfer hay from one side (dry) to the other, for faster drying.
Review and types of mowers, lawn mowers and trimmers for walk-behind tractors
Many owners of personal plots, summer cottages, and farms have adapted to using mowers for walk-behind tractors instead of standard trimmers and lawn mowers. Naturally, it will be difficult to mow hectares of fields with such devices, but it is quite possible to tidy up 30-50 acres.
When choosing a mower, they take into account the specific work for which the device is planned to be used, the terrain of the area, the height and type of vegetation, and the expected working width when mowing.
Manufacturers produce rotary and segment mowers of various designs, which are optimally combined with various basic types of walk-behind tractors: Pubert, Caiman, Neva, Centaur, Ugra, Oka, Cascade, etc. Models of mowers from domestic manufacturers are in great demand.
Rotary mower Centaur KR-01B
Rotary mower KRN-1M
Rotary mower Zarya
Rotary mowers for performing the functions of a lawn mower and trimmer are also produced by other manufacturers under the following brands: Iron Angel, Forte, Bulat, Weima. The Chinese brand Veima has been on the market for a long time and has proven itself well. Weima mowers are in demand; according to reviews from owners, today's brand products are wear-resistant and of high quality, unlike Chinese crafts from the nineties.
Balers
This device allows the owner of a land plot not only to carefully select cut hay or grass, freeing up the soil for further processing, but also to compactly pack them and prepare them for further transportation. The baler for a walk-behind tractor can be of two types:
- Bale.
- Rolled.
Mainly, due to their more compact size and simpler design, private households prefer to use roll-up awnings. Bale crops are more typical for farms.
Round baler
A roll baler for a walk-behind tractor forms rolls of hay or straw.
Round baler
- The material is captured by the pick-up and enters the drum compartment, where, under the influence of the grid, it is rolled into a roll.
- A sound signal will notify the walk-behind tractor operator that the roll has reached the required size and density.
- The roll is tied with twine, after which the back wall of the drum opens and the finished product rolls out.
- The outer part of the roll is denser than the inner part, which ensures excellent air circulation. In addition, the rolls have the same weight and dimensions.
At a price, a roll hay baler is more affordable than a bale baler; if desired, you can purchase a mini baler for a walk-behind tractor, which will allow owners of summer cottages and private estates to improve the procedure for preparing feed for livestock.
This video will help you understand how all this happens:
Square Baler
The pre-picker for a bale-type walk-behind tractor works on a different principle. The hay is also fed into the bale chamber using an auger, then the chamber is filled to the limit and the knitting mechanism is started - two threads tie a rectangular bale, after which it is pushed out. In bale-type units, it is possible to adjust the density and height of the finished bale; in addition, rectangular blocks of hay or straw are more convenient to store and transport.
We invite you to watch a video review of the operation of the square baler:
Another useful canopy powered by a walk-behind tractor is a homemade straw cutter. It will help grind the feed immediately before serving it to your pets. The walk-behind tractor drives the cutter knives.
We suggest watching the video to see how this happens:
Square balers
Square balers have only minor differences from their roll counterparts. The mechanism of such devices consists of a receiving and feeding screw, a pressing block and a knitting unit. The unit is driven by the power take-off shaft of the power plant used.
Balers of this type are more compact compared to their roll counterparts and are not as popular.
Specifications
When choosing a factory hay harvester for your farm or deciding to make it yourself, you need to pay attention to the main characteristics of the equipment, namely:
- Performance. According to the experience of most farmers, on a small farm the bale unit can easily be replaced with a less expensive roll analogue.
- Automation. The most effective models are those that are equipped with a loader and a knitting machine.
- Useful volume.
