can skid loader broom rake lawns?

[Daniel]

I just got an ASV track loader with the turf tracks... great machine for moving wood and brush out of the yard with little turf disruption...

An excavating company is selling a power broom attachment for the skid steer, and I was sondering if it can be used to rake lawns? I've never seen them used and I would think that most skid steers would do so much turf damage that they couldn't be used for this purpose. So only because the turf tracks do so little damage, is it even a possibility.

Also wondering if the power broom wold be any good for clearing snow from sidewalks, apparently it can be set up to sweep either frontwards or backwards..

So has anyone ever tried one on lawns? I could always go and borrow it for a day, but won't bother if someone has used it and says it won't work... The nice thing about the loader is the turf tracks... No worries about the lawn

 

[jim454]

I think it would work but IMO it would have to be modded with caster wheels to keep it up off the ground a bit. I use a broom (stiff bristle kind) and you have to be careful, they can be hard on turf.

 

[Northwind]

I've operated a couple of rotary broom equiped machines.

Re: Snow removal: Sidewalks are very abrasive. Will go through a rotary brush fast. If the snow is light, and very fresh, untrampelled you'd be better off with blower.

We used to use rotary brooms to clean sidewalks of sand AFTER winter melt off in Ontario, years ago. As soon as that was done, we used to go back over our work with grass seed for the spots where we may have strayed off the sidewalk a bit...

Now, if you can get a turf de-thatching attachment, that's the ticket for lawn raking.

Northwind

 

[willbranch]

I have used a skid loader mounted landscape rake a few times to clean up after large removals. It works great, plus if there was any turf damage from the removal the area is prepared for seed as it is being raked.