3-Point core aerator?

[Fro65]

Wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a decent one that doesn't cost $4000.

We had something called grass smut attack our bluegrass this year and I have large patches that died. A local reputable lawn service suggested core aerate and overseed with a smut resistant variety of bluegrass.

Would prefer something in the 5 foot wide range.

Hoping to get first hand experience and recommendations...hard to tell how decent a unit is from pictures on the internet. Trying to get a start this fall yet but my window is rapidly closing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hope to float]

Personally, I'd deep scarify it twice at about 30 degree angles and overseed

 

[beex]

I recommend the Land pride 3pt core aerator. I have the 4’ version on my bx, but you can get 5’. The the same unit just wider. model is CA15xx. where XX is the width , mine is CA1548. They have another series for bigger tractors for doing golf courses and huge areas. Mine is 7 years old, no problems. 3pt units are way way better than the pull hinds, which are a lot of work to crank up an down to go over stuff like driveway, sidewalk....



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[hope to float]

Another option is pedestrian aerators like the Toro Procore 648. They last forever.

 

[BigG]

Maybe rent one. How often would you use it?

Just think'in

 

[origami]

I just recently picked up that 48" Agrifab core aerator shown above. At $229 from Lowes and given an estimated use of once or twice a year on 4-5 acres of lawn, I figured that it was worth the small investment. It takes a couple of hours to assemble and is built fairly sturdy. The knives are very sharp coming out of the box. I loaded it down with two 70# tubes of sand. Even then, it had a difficult time cutting a decent plug on our hard, clay soil. However, it rained soon after my first try and the aerator did a decent job for me on my second go. It's in the shed now and, if it lasts a few years, I'll consider it a good value.

 

[beex]

Just for comparison, the landpride 48” was about $1400 I think, was a long time ago, could be off. It has 9 rows, 6 knives each, grease zurk on each row. The unit is about 150lbs, plus I add 250-300lbs of sandbags on the tray. Which is why you want it on the 3pt. Works great, punches through clay. Easy to back it in a tight place and drop it on the grass.

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[Fro65]

Hope to float, thanks for the suggestions but your first suggestion is a tow behind model and not a 3 point model. Your second suggestion is $20,000 or more.

BigG, I tried to find a rental locally but the only thing available is a 19 inch walk behind model and I need to aerate at least 7 acres. I'd be walking for a week.

Origami, thanks, I had heard those are good units for the money but I really need a 3 point version.

BeeX, your unit appears to be just what the doctor ordered. I presume that is a BX in your picture. Do you mind me asking which BX it is? Do you think your tractor could handle the 56 or 64 inch units? My hope is to get one unit that I can use with both my L and BX.

Thanks to all!

 

[beex]

Fro65,
Yes, my bx is an 1860, but, any bx would work about the same, it doesn’t require power, just weight, I run at about 2000 rpm pulling, low range, you want to go about 3 mph.

I’m certain the BX can handle the bigger sizes, I contacted Landpride directly before buying and they said that it would handle all the CA15xx sizes.

I went with the 48” to make it easy to get small areas. my 1860 pulls the 48 with ease fully weighted, knives stuck in to the axel, on steep hills.

Also something not intuitive is that pulling up a steep hill with all the weight seems like it would make the front light, and have a tendency to pop a wheelie. But it doesn’t, it’s super stable, with the unit down the angle of the 3 pt lower arms is below the rear axel center line, so it’s actually holding the front down while pulling, in 4wd, you get really good pulling power. I’m on turfs and have no problems at all. Of course when you lift the unit on the 3pt, the front will lighten up, but I never had a problem.

Also on a side hill, super stable with the knives stuck in the ground, it feels like the aerator glues the tractor to the ground.

I rented the pull behind type a couple of times, didn’t like them, It was too much work manually cranking the unit up and down to get to all the places I needed to go, kinda sucked, and typically, because of that you don’t put as much weight on them, so doesn’t work as good on clay.

The rental walk behinds forget it, miserable, too much work on any yard bigger than a pillow case.

If you get one, I’m guessing you won’t want to used it with a bigger machine, on the bx it’s really super maneuverable and easy to use. I use to hate the aerating job, and because I have clay I need to do it twice per year. Now it’s actually a fun job, I look forward to it spring and fall.

Hope this helps.


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[JWool]

I also have and use the Land Pride Aerator, used on a BX2370 and now B2650, I think it's a 4 foot, either tractor would handle larger no problem, I went with 4 to sneak into tight areas.
Great unit had about 4 years.

 

[Fro65]

beex and JWool,

Thanks for the input. I have a CA1564 on the way. None in stock locally.
Hope the BX will pull it, if not, the L will get the aerating duty.

 

[mikeshep]

Too late now, but I just ordered this last night after extensive searching for the lowest cost 3-point aerator for my BX23S. Delivery timeline and overall cost better than at Tractor Supply.

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[skeets]

What if I may ask is the point of this core aerator?

 

[JWool]

What if I may ask is the point of this core aerator?

Core aeration is a type of lawn aeration whereby a machine (a lawn aerator) with hollow tines mechanically removes plugs or "cores" of soil and thatch from a lawn. Core aeration reduces soil compaction, creating a channel through which oxygen, water, and nutrients can penetrate the soil.

With the cores on the surface is a great time for overseeding, a little rain and the new seed the cores blend with seed and have a good foundation to grow.

 

[JWool]

Too late now, but I just ordered this last night after extensive searching for the lowest cost 3-point aerator for my BX23S. Delivery timeline and overall cost better than at Tractor Supply.

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That looks like the same design as the Land Pride, only difference I see is the color.

 

[Fro65]

That looks like the same design as the Land Pride, only difference I see is the color.

You are right, at first glance it appears to be a black land pride copy for 1/2 price.

It appears by the top link connection point that it might not be quick hitch compatible???...this would be a deal breaker for me right now.

Also, by the specs, it claims to be about 80 pounds heavier than the land pride. kinda hard to believe.

The vagueness of the description and specs would make me wonder about parts availability.

I'm sure that if it were subpar, I could alter it to my satisfaction but, as of now, due to time constraints I think I will stick to the land pride.

 

[mikeshep]

I first found it at Tractor Supply, but they don't stock it and give no useful delivery timeframe, so I looked around to see where else I could find it. It's available a few places and has good reviews (and with tax and shipping is still about half the price my dealer quoted me for the Land Pride of similar design).

Once it arrives and I get some time with it, I'll gladly follow up with my notes for anyone looking in the future.

I'd love to hear the same feedback on the LP model as a comparison point, if you've got time after using it a bit.


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[beex]

I agree in the pics the LP and Field Tuff looks the same, but If you study closely you can see differences between them. The LP has much heavier gage steel stock on the 3pt top link brackets. I’m guessing the rest of the unit might have similar differences. Most important, axels and knives. Just a guess though.

Also the LP has 2 connections point you can choose on the lower arms, wide and narrow, doesn’t look like the FT has that.

The Field Tuff will probably work fine but I don’t think they are the same unit rebranded. IMHO Tractor Supply generally sells lower quality cheaper stuff made in China. That’s probably the case here.


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[Fro65]

Just a follow up for those interested.

I received my Land pride CA1564 two weeks ago but didn't have time to try it until yesterday. Was snowing and/or raining the whole time I was using it so I didn't get any pictures. Ended up with 300 pounds of sandbags on it to get the desired depth of coring. We have very hard gray clay soil. Was very pleased with the results. Ground is now too cold to overseed so I will aerate again in the spring and then overseed. Pulling it is absolutely no issue. The only problem I could ever foresee would be if one were to weight the aerator heavily enough to make it difficult to lift. I did run with my suitcase weights on the front to make steering more positive when the unit was lifted up.

Also, my brother was looking for an aerator the same time I was. Told him he could use mine once I got it if his New Holland would pull it. He decided he would buy one for himself but he wasn't willing to part with $1400 for a Land Pride. He ended up getting one of the Field Tuff units mentioned above for about $700. This gave me the opportunity to compare the two.

The Land Pride is...well...Landpride. Pretty much top quality all the way around. The Field Tuff is typical Chinese implement quality...lighter built and sketchy looking welds but serviceable.

The Land Pride is quick hitch compatible and the Field Tuff isn't.

The Land Pride works well. The Field Tuff works...kind of.

After watching the Field Tuff operate, it became apparent that the single most crucial element of a core aerator is the spoon (tine, knife etc.) design.

The Land Pride spoons have a slight, for lack of better term, curvature over the length of the spoon. They also have sharper edges on the "punch" end as well as having a slightly conical shape at the tips. I think this design helps the spoons eject the cores more efficiently. The Field Tuff spoons basically look like 1/2 inch gas pipe cut at an angle. Not near as sharp or contoured. These spoons tended to just plug up to the point were they were not removing cores from the soil but merely making dimples in it.

Was the Land Pride worth it? Yes.

Could the Field Tuff be made to work well? Probably. It may work fine in softer soil.

Ultimately, you pay your money and you take your chances.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

[mikeshep]

After receiving the 60" Field Tuff, I can confirm that it works, but is about the build quality I expected at that price. One zirk broke off when I did the initial greasing of the axle. I only had about 100 lbs of weight on it, so it gave me ~2" plugs instead of the 3+ I'm looking for. Here in western WA, I should have warm enough weather to get another application in with more weight to really confirm how well it works.

For now, it's ok, but not magical. (But much more effective than the $1,400 one I'd have never bought...)

If you've got more time than money to put into aeration, the cheaper option might work for you. If you want to buy it once and not have to worry about it, then the Land Pride is probably the better option.