The forward and backward manipulation of landscaping substances such as dirt, gravel, sand, and snow in a quick, efficient, and time-saving manner has not been accomplished by any single device meant for a pick-up truck or tractor on the market today, hence the PLOWRAKE™ is unique and “revolutionary.” Regular plows are designed to push substances forward. Prior to the invention of the PLOWRAKE, when a plow operator wanted to pull a substance backward, they could only use the plow blade in an awkward “back-blading” motion to pull a landscaping substance backward, i.e. manipulating substances in the opposite direction that the plow was designed to push it.
Often this offers poor results and takes time. In order to move the substance in the other direction, a plow driver would have to turn the truck or tractor around, reposition the vehicle and prepare for another attempt with the plow in the other direction, which takes even more time. On a farm or landscaping job, time is money.
Here is an example that may be helpful to visualize the situation. If you were to spread peanut butter on a piece of bread you might load a butter knife with peanut butter, spread it across the bread and find that you have a little peanut butter on the left side and a lot on the right. You would simply take the knife and spread the peanut butter backwards. A truck or tractor is not that easy to work with and the plow, as mentioned earlier, is designed to push substances forward, not bring them backward. the PLOWRAKE eliminates the awkward, convoluted, and time-consuming repositioning of the truck and tractor and inefficient “back-blading.”
The PLOWRAKE’s design allows the vehicle operator to hydraulically lower tines of the raking portion, called clam shelling, put the vehicle in reverse, and rake the material with control and ease, quickly and conveniently. You could rake in reverse a few feet and then move forward again and plow the substance, or rake 50 feet depending on the job situation. You may need to repeat this operation a number of times to attain the results you require.
The major time savings is in the ease of the changing of direction process; as quick as changing gears from the driver’s seat. Not only does the PLOWRAKE save a lot of time with this new option, the raking process is by far a more effective, efficient way of grading landscaping substances. The PLOWRAKE tines, like a large comb with curved steel teeth, can be positioned to let a little substance or a lot of substance to be deposited while the truck or tractor is traveling in a reverse direction. The tines can extend a few inches below the raised plow blade or many inches below the raised plow blade, and it’s all controlled from the truck cab. As for getting close to a foundation, fence, etc., traditional plows are not designed to pull substances backwards, only to push them forward. While you might try to bring soil, gravel, and snow back with a plow blade, you will do it with it with a good amount of difficulty and the blade does not permit you to safely get close to foundations or fences without possibly damaging the foundation, fence, or other structure.