6 Best Durable Parallel Bar Rakes For Homesteaders That Old Farmers Swear By

You’ve just spent days cutting your precious hay, only to watch your wheel rake gouge dirt into the windrow on one pass and skip over half the crop on the next. That frustration is a familiar story on the rolling, uneven ground most of us homesteaders work with. A reliable parallel bar rake, also known as a side-delivery rake, is the simple, time-tested solution that generations of farmers have trusted to get the job done right.

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Why Bar Rakes Excel on Uneven Homestead Ground

A parallel bar rake’s biggest advantage is how it follows the land. The tines are mounted on rotating bars and gently sweep the hay sideways, consistently following the contours of the ground without digging in or missing low spots. This is a world away from a wheel rake, which often acts more like a plow on bumpy terrain.

This gentle sweeping action creates a light, fluffy windrow. Air can move through it easily, which is crucial for even drying and preventing mold. A wheel rake, by contrast, has a tendency to "rope" the hay, twisting it into a dense pile that holds moisture in the center. For a homesteader making a small but critical supply of winter feed, that difference in drying time and quality is everything.

The trade-off is speed. A bar rake is slower than a big V-rake, but speed is rarely the main goal on a small farm. Reliability and hay quality are what matter most. These machines are mechanically simple, with a ground-driven gearbox and fewer moving parts to fail when you’re racing against an incoming storm.

New Holland Rolabar 256: A Timeless Classic

If there is one bar rake that defines the category, it’s the New Holland 256. These machines have been workhorses on farms for decades, and for good reason. Their design is simple, effective, and incredibly durable.

The magic of the Rolabar is its basket design, which lifts and "rolls" the hay into a uniform windrow. This gentle action is perfect for preserving the delicate leaves on crops like alfalfa and clover, which is where most of the nutritional value is. Because they’ve been made for so long, finding parts is rarely a problem, which is a major consideration for any piece of used equipment.

When looking at a used 256, pay close attention to the gearbox—check the oil for water contamination. Also, grab the ends of the tine bars and try to wiggle them; excessive play means the internal bearings are worn. A well-maintained 256 will last a lifetime and is one of the safest investments you can make in used hay equipment.

H&S Rake King: Built Tough for Heavy Use

While the New Holland is a classic, the H&S Rake King is the one you buy when you need something a little more rugged. H&S builds their equipment with heavy-gauge steel and beefier components. It’s the kind of overbuilt machine that gives you confidence when you’re raking heavy, wet forage or navigating rougher fields.

This extra durability makes it a great choice for homesteaders who might be putting up silage or working with dense crops like sorghum-sudan grass. The stronger frame and heavier tine bars can handle the load without the flexing or stress you might see on a lighter-built rake.

That toughness comes with a bit more weight, so make sure your tractor is up to the task. You’ll need a bit more horsepower and tractor mass to handle an H&S comfortably compared to a lighter rake of the same width. It’s a premium option for those who push their equipment hard and value longevity over the lowest possible price.

Sitrex MKE Series for Compact Tractor Owners

Many of the legendary bar rakes were designed for 40-plus horsepower farm tractors, leaving compact tractor owners in a tough spot. Sitrex fills this gap perfectly with their MKE series. These rakes are engineered specifically for the lower horsepower and lighter weight of modern compact utility tractors.

They aren’t just scaled-down versions of larger rakes. Sitrex designed them with an appropriate weight and balance, so they won’t push your small tractor around on hills. They offer smaller working widths, often around 7 or 8 feet, which is a perfect match for the hayfields found on most homesteads.

While they are built to be durable for their size class, they won’t withstand the same level of abuse as a heavy-duty H&S. That’s not a design flaw; it’s a deliberate trade-off. The Sitrex MKE is about matching the implement to the tractor and the scale of the job, providing a reliable, high-quality option for the small-scale farmer.

Tonutti Dominator for Clean, Fluffy Windrows

Tonutti might not be as common as New Holland in some areas, but farmers who run them swear by the quality of the windrows they produce. The Dominator series is particularly well-regarded for its ability to create exceptionally clean and uniform windrows that are ideal for baling.

The key is in the tine angle and basket geometry. Tonutti rakes have a reputation for lifting the hay cleanly off the stubble and gently placing it in the windrow with minimal shatter. For anyone making high-value alfalfa or delicate grass hay, this leaf retention translates directly to better feed quality for your animals.

They are robustly built, with solid gearboxes and strong frames. If you find a well-cared-for used Tonutti, it’s absolutely worth considering, especially if your primary goal is maximizing the nutritional value of your forage. It’s a machine for the homesteader who obsesses over hay quality.

Enorossi Batrake for Small Tractor Efficiency

The Enorossi Batrake offers a simple, effective design that is particularly well-suited for homesteaders. It’s a ground-driven machine that’s lightweight and easy for smaller tractors to handle, but it’s built with Italian engineering that prioritizes durability.

One of the Batrake’s best features is its gentle handling of hay. It excels at turning and fluffing hay that’s already in a windrow, which can significantly speed up drying time after a surprise shower. Its simple mechanics mean there are fewer things that can go wrong in the field—a huge bonus when you’re your own mechanic.

This rake is a great example of smart, efficient design. It does the job without needing complex hydraulics or a heavy frame, making it a fantastic choice for someone with 25 to 40 horsepower who needs a reliable tool that won’t break the bank or the tractor.

Pequea HR Series for Hydraulic Adjustability

For those looking for a modern touch on a classic design, the Pequea HR series is a top contender. Pequea has a solid reputation for building durable equipment, and their bar rakes are no exception. The standout feature on many of their models is hydraulic adjustment.

Instead of getting off the tractor to manually crank a handle to adjust the rake height, you can do it from the seat with a hydraulic lever. This is more than a convenience; it allows you to make on-the-fly adjustments as you move from a thick patch of hay to a thinner one, ensuring a clean sweep every time. Some models even offer hydraulic control over the windrow width.

This feature is a game-changer for efficiency, especially on irregularly shaped fields or when you have to rake around obstacles. The ability to quickly lift and reset the rake without leaving your seat saves significant time and effort. It’s a premium feature, but one that many homesteaders with limited time find is well worth the investment.

Key Maintenance Checks for a Long-Lasting Rake

A good bar rake can last for generations, but only if it’s properly maintained. Neglect is what sends most of these simple machines to the scrapyard. A few quick checks can save you from a costly breakdown in the middle of hay season.

First and foremost, check the gearbox. The oil should be clean and at the proper level. If it looks milky or creamy, water has gotten in, and you need to drain it and replace the seals immediately before the gears are destroyed. This is the heart of the rake.

Next, inspect the mechanicals.

• Tine Bars: Grab each bar and check for excessive up-and-down movement. Slop indicates worn bearings, which will lead to poor raking performance and eventual failure.
• Tines: Walk the length of the rake and look for bent, broken, or missing tines. A single broken tine that gets into your baler can cause thousands of dollars in damage.
• Frame: Give the whole machine a visual inspection for stress cracks in the welds, especially around the hitch, wheels, and pivot points. A little preventative welding in the shop is far better than a complete failure in the field.

Choosing the right bar rake isn’t about finding the newest or fastest model; it’s about investing in a simple, durable tool that fits your tractor and your land. Any of these six rakes, when properly maintained, will deliver high-quality hay and peace of mind for years to come, letting you focus on the hay, not the machine.