I'm looking for a way to clear out my severely overgrown pine woods. The density in most of it is about 1 tree every 6 inches. I found the Forestry model Ratchet Rake which looks promising. I have a '67 Ford 4500 TLB. Will it be too powerful for this rake?
I think you'll be fine. Not that you can't break it if you tried, but you'd have to push a pretty solid tree or stump to hurt it. I don't know if that would be my first choice, do you have a bush hog and tractor? Or use the loader bucket to push it over one way, then the opposite way a month later?
I did mow some of them with the hog and tractor, but it still leaves sharp stumps. Figured the rake would be useful in getting them out. So far I've also tried pulling them with a thumb on the backhoe. That works, but very slow and the thumb isn't strong enough for the backhoe's strength.
I have the same Ratchet Rake on my 4500. You will not have to worry about damaging the rake at all.