Bale King VR581

Bale King VR581 wheel rakes are second to none in the haying business. Based on one of the strongest frames available, all Bale King rakes are loaded with premium features to get your crop up in the best condition. It offers:

The largest raking wheels
The most tines
Our patented spring suspension system
Large implement tires
Hydraulic windrow width adjustment

Still not convinced? Ask a Bale King owner!

Bridgeview - Bale King VR581 hay rake front

A Step Up

If you need to increase your haying productivity, don’t underestimate the value of a rake compared to an extra baler. Wheel rakes are half the cost of a new baler with much lower maintenance and repair expense. Rakes require less operator experience and their minimal tractor requirements let you gear up and idle down to save fuel. Critically, rakes give you options to deal with wet hay or wind blown swaths.

Bale King VR581 rakes take the idea to the next level. With over 15 years in the raking business, we’ve added key features and refined all aspects of our design to provide a machine that will deliver when you need it most. If you are looking for a rake that’s built to last in the rough ground, you need a Bale King VR581 from Bridgeview!

Overview

12 Wheel Model – Up to 28ft raking width
2 Wheel extension kit available
62″ Raking wheels with 48 spring tines per wheel
Single bolt tine replacement
Optional RMT wheels
Tool-free ground pressure adjustment
Standard Hydraulic windrow width adjustment

Standard Features

All Bale King VR-series rakes feature 62” diameter spring tine rake wheels: 15% larger than the industry standard of 55”. As a result, Bale King rake wheels roll easier and perform better in heavy crops. Because they turn slower, they’re also easier on fragile crops.

The large wheels also cover more ground. Many Bale King owners use 12 wheels rakes with their 18ft mower-conditioner.

Bale King rakes feature 48 tines per wheel: 20% more than the industry standard of 40. With closer spaced tines comes better flotation and better ground coverage in fine crops.

Bridgeview - Bale King hay rake tine wheels

VR Series rakes feature Bale King’s patented rake wheel suspension system. The spring travels along a central slide rod on poly guides which provides exceptionally smooth and consistent rake wheel flotation. This suspension system also eliminates the spring eye loops common on entry level tension spring systems which are prone to failure.

Tines are individually replaceable with only one bolt, and a single tine can be replaced in about a minute. Wind guards are standard on all models

On a Bale King, each boom has ground pressure adjustment and each wheel on the boom and also be independently adjusted.

Hydraulic windrow width adjustment is standard. Set your windrow width as wide as your baler pickup to minimize weaving. Make consistent bales throughout the field even if your crop is not.

Other rakes use a telescoping rear frame design to adjust their windrow width. This design reduces rigidity and often requires tools, jacks, and forward motion to adjust. The VR581 addresses those issues with hinged pivots rather than rather than sliding frames. The main frame stays rigid while the pivot boxes swing in and out for simple adjustment on the go.

A windrow width gauge clearly shows your width position

With nearly 4ft of clearance, the VR581 will handle heavy crops without plugging

Bridgeview - Bale King hay rake windrow width

Bale King rakes employ a fixed rear frame to tie the rake booms together while a scissor style opening linkage connects the center of each boom to the hitch pole. This design offers much more frame rigidity than floating boom style machines, but there can be a tradeoff. While adjusting the windrow width outward, the rake booms pivot around the scissor mechanism which pushes the front of the booms inwards.

The net effect is that while your rake may cover 32ft at its narrowest windrow width setting, it might only reach 26 feet at its widest setting. This can be a big deal if you need all 32ft to reach. Bale King’s standard compensation cylinder solves this issue by automatically repositioning the scissor linkage to maintain full raking width at all times.

Additional features include:

A cast hitch with optional clevis insert
A tapered hitch truss which prevents tractor tires lugs from grabbing on a sharp turn
A double trussed center pole for excellent bounce and side-pull resistance
All surfaces are either powder coated, galvanized, or plated for a durable finish
All mechanisms are protected by UHMW wear pads, poly bushings, or grease

Four 9.5Lx15 implement tires are standard on the VR581 12 wheel rake. 14 wheel models come standard with 6 tires.

An upgrade over common automotive tires, these implement tires are built to resist punctures and pinholes from short hay stubble.

The caster wheels pivot on a 2″ hardened shaft king pins shaft. In rough ground with pivot ruts or gopher holes, anything less will eventually bend.

Each caster is equipped with a spring loaded brake system to dampen the caster’s motion at transport speeds.

The wrap around front caster assemblies support the front side of the rake boom. This position offsets the weight and torque of the raking wheels which helps to keep a positive camber on the booms.

12 wheel models wings in to a narrow 10’6″ in transport mode.

Safety chains and road lights are standard

Telescoping transport links make hookup easy on uneven ground. Extend the links out to connect the booms to the hitch and when you drive away, the spring loaded locks will snap closed to secure the rake.

Bridgeview - Bale King rake in transport

Specifications

Base Machine (12 wheel)

Raking Scratch Width – up to 28ft
Windrow width adjustment range – 4’1″ to 6’5″
Transport Length – 32’8″ (12 wheel)
Transport Width – 10’6″
Weight – 4200lb (12 wheel)