horsepower pulling an core areator

[briankd 817]

I've have somewhat of a dilemma   looking to core aerator my yard. talked to two different places to rent one first place guy had a commercial core aerator  witch he says weighs in at 950 pound no weight on it he pulls it with a C-160 gear drive. he says it takes 16 horse to pull it with loaded tires / weights says my c-120 would struggle with it.

local hardware store rents them and I argued with them cause they said same thing minimum 16 horse to pull it 4" deep.  I think they are comparing the new box store junk tractors to the ole good wheel horses in H.P. and torque. this is what the hardware store rents- http://www.classenturfcare.com/product/tow-behind-aerator/ for 25 bucks half day

I never used one before so any suggestions on this ??

Edited January 24, 2017 by briankd

[farmer 1,075]

I would imagine that if a 16 horse tractor can manage this aerator, your 12 horse will cope as well, it's all about tyres and weight. If the work is carried out when conditions are right I'd say you'll be ok. 

[slim67 2,735]

I have a 17hp John Deere L-100 and had a 12hp Sears Suburban that would pull that Deere anywhere. I think your C-120 would manage it.

[Jerry77 1,218]

3 hours ago, briankd said:

 I think they are comparing the new box store junk tractors to the ole good wheel horses in H.P. and torque

I don't think you can compare vertical shaft lawn mower engines to horizontal shaft garden tractors - two different animals - I've pulled several of the neighbors 20 hp lawn mowers out of trouble with my 314.  Of course a lot of it is in the drive line too, just sayin..

[briankd 817]

never used an aerator don't know how hard they pulled watched some you tube vid's . just what I herd from the 2 gentleman I talk to. I thinks I should be fine

1 hour ago, slim67 said:

I have a 17hp John Deere L-100 and had a 12hp Sears Suburban that would pull that Deere anywhere. I think your C-120 would manage it.

my mother inlaw has something similar JD with 16 horse my 857 with the K181 in it run circles around it.

 

27 minutes ago, Jerry77 said:

I don't think you can compare vertical shaft lawn mower engines to horizontal shaft garden tractors - two different animals

 I totally agree with you

[Daddy Don 905]

I have a C-111 that I pull my bass boat all over the place and it is only a 12hp Koler.

[slim67 2,735]

1 hour ago, Jerry77 said:

I don't think you can compare vertical shaft lawn mower engines to horizontal shaft garden tractors - two different animals - I've pulled several of the neighbors 20 hp lawn mowers out of trouble with my 314.  Of course a lot of it is in the drive line too, just sayin..

I agree. People who dont know the difference between lawn tractors or garden  tractors just look solely at horsepower and nothing else.

[mmmmmdonuts 274]

Pulling it on flat ground should be no problem. The biggest issue you would have is on hills and even then it is traction and more importantly braking. I tow my 900lb utility trailer around with my Raider 12 all the time. 

Edited January 25, 2017 by mmmmmdonuts
Fixed typos

[slim67 2,735]

12 minutes ago, Daddy Don said:

I have a C-111 that I pull my bass boat all over the place and it is only a 12hp Koler.

Is it the K301?

Just now, mmmmmdonuts said:

Pulling it should on flat ground should. be no problem. The biggest issue you would have is hills and even then it is traction and more importantly braking. I tow my 900lb utility trailer around with my Raider 12 all the time. 

LOL your username makes me want to go get a dozen

[Tankman 3,518]

1 hour ago, Jerry77 said:

I don't think you can compare vertical shaft lawn mower engines to horizontal shaft garden tractors - two different animals - I've pulled several of the neighbors 20 hp lawn mowers out of trouble with my 314.  Of course a lot of it is in the drive line too, just sayin..

Neighbors laughed when I went out to plow a garden with an 8 hp Horse. Laughed till I turned a 50 ft x 25 ft plot 8" deep.

Beautifully too!

 

Your 12 hp Stallion can pull the aerator all day.

[953 nut 55,065]

23 minutes ago, mmmmmdonuts said:

traction and more importantly braking

[GlenPettit 1,716]

(1) Power:  Your older 12hp would be about equal to a newer 20-22hp tractor today; small engines used to rated on horsepower and today are more on just speed (as I understand it).  But, engines wear down in time, so a 50 year old unrestored 12hp engine may only have 8–10hp of output today.

(2) Traction:  That aerator is very heavy and with the prongs going down 3-4" into the ground, that creates a lot of drag, your Wheel Horse does have a transmission that is very strong can can pull it, but you need all your horse power going to it and excellent traction to keep your rear wheels down and "bitting in" without spinning (good 'lug' tires and lots of weight at the rear wheels, plus some weight on the front for steering).

(3) On flat fairly dry ground, your tractor may be able to pull it, but even the turns will be a chore for it.

(4)  You can purchase a new "pull plug aerator" from the box stores for about $200, no motor, maybe 50# empty, with each turn the new soil goes up the tube pushing out the former soil.  With 2-3 cement blocks on it for extra weight and in normal slightly moist soil, it will do a very good job.  The plungers will plug up, (for me, maybe just once every 8-10 minutes that I have to stop and unplug a stone from one the plunger tubes, my soil is mostly clay, not stones), but I have this aerator whenever I want it.   On our 4-acre pasture I always pull a "spike aerator" ($100) when I mow, to cut little slits in the soil, maybe 2" deep and about 4-5" apart.  Must drive slow in 1st gear for the de-plugger, but for spikes I run in 2nd while mowing.

 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2017 by GlenPettit

[briankd 817]

I should have good traction I have ag tires on my 857 has loaded tires all around my c-120 has ag tires but not loaded yet have stuff to do it but not got around to it yet and also have 45 lb weights I can put on. don't really want to buy an aerator hell have enuff stuff now to store. Thanks everyone for your input

 

 

[sorekiwi 761]

Late to the party here.  I have a tow behind plug aerator but I dont think it pulls plugs deeper than about 3".  

 

I throw two 60 lb sand logs on it for ballast, and pull it just fine with my Lawn Ranger with an 8hp Kohler (and standard 3 speed trans) on it.  

 

I dont have steep hills, but I do have some slopes in my yard.  If anything I run out of traction in the wet areas and start spinning wheels rather than running out of power

[oldredrider 2,548]

I pulled a commercial grade aerator (Land Pride) with my C-120. Ag tires and wheel weights. Had 6 cinder blocks on the aerator. My buddy, who weighs 260, rode on top of the blocks. Pulled it with no problem even in the up direction of the sloping yard.

[Daddy Don 905]

yes K301

[slim67 2,735]

On 1/26/2017 at 9:16 PM, Daddy Don said:

yes K301

Excellent engine. The school system I worked for before the one im working at now, had Gravely 5665s and Commercial 12s with 301s and they performed flawlessly. Most of their hardest use was for snow removal and the Kohlers were idiot proof. My dads Ariens S-12 has that engine. My feelings are that the premium tractors were the ones with Kohlers.

[Daddy Don 905]

It is a beast for the size it is. No problems with it and it does a great job for whatever you want to do with it. 

[WildHorses 382]

I pull this style of aerator with a 10hp 310-8 with no issues. I don't think you would have any problems with a larger aerator on a 12hp. I find that you want to use them when the ground is wet but not muddy, wait a few days after a rain. If the ground is dry you won't accomplish much, if it's muddy the tines will go in too deep and make a mess of your yard. I think traction on hills could be an issue with any kind of tractor but the Weight on a Wheel Horse rear end should give them an edge over most anything, especially if you add some wheel weights.

Edited March 21, 2017 by danielbaute

[Reel Mower Freak 125]

I pull at 46" plug aerator with my Raider no problem. I pull a large roller too. My JD Z445 struggles with both.

[briankd 817]

well i finally got this done the first place upped their rates and i told them to stick it where the sun don't shine. rented one for 20 bucks a day it was a 36 inch plug aerator i had it in where the axle for the spoons was right on the dirt couldn't go any deeper and pulled it with my 857 in third gear it did good but it did grunt a bit . ThaNKS EVERYONE FOR THE INPUT. BRIAN