Bale King VR581

All Bale King VR-Series rakes are equipped with 62-inch diameter spring tine rake wheels—15% larger than the industry standard 55-inch. The larger diameter allows the wheels to roll more easily and perform better in heavy crops. Because of their slower rotation, they’re also gentler on fragile forage.

The increased diameter also means more ground coverage. Many Bale King owners comfortably match a 12-wheel rake with an 18-foot mower-conditioner.

Each wheel is fitted with 48 tines, 20% more than the industry standard of 40. The closer tine spacing improves flotation and delivers more consistent ground coverage in fine crops.

VR-Series rakes feature Bale King’s patented rake wheel suspension system. The spring travels along a central slide rod on poly guides, providing exceptionally smooth, consistent flotation. This design eliminates the spring eye loops found on entry-level tension spring systems—components that are often prone to failure.

Tines are individually replaceable with a single bolt, allowing a tine to be changed in about a minute. Wind guards are standard on all models.

Each boom includes ground pressure adjustment, and every rake wheel can be adjusted independently for precise setup across varying field conditions.

Hydraulic windrow width adjustment is standard on the VR581. Adjust your windrow width as field conditions change to minimize weaving and maintain consistent bale formation, ideal in uneven crops.

Unlike telescoping rear frame designs—which reduce rigidity and often require tools, jacks, and forward movement to adjust—the VR581 uses hinged pivots. The main frame remains rigid while the pivot boxes swing in and out, allowing for simple, on-the-go adjustment.

A clearly marked windrow width gauge shows your exact setting, and with nearly 4 feet of crop clearance, the VR581 handles heavy material without plugging.

Bale King offers a twist on a common rake design. The VR581 uses a fixed rear frame to tie the rake booms together with a scissor-style linkage to open and close. This offers substantially more frame rigidity than floating-boom-style machines, but there may be a trade-off. As the windrow width is adjusted outward, the rake booms pivot around the scissor mechanism, which pushes the front of the booms inward. The net effect is that while your rake may cover 32 feet at its narrowest windrow width setting, it might only reach 26 feet at its widest setting. 

Bale King solves this problem with our standard compensation system. The compensation cylinder automatically repositions the scissor linkage to maintain full raking width at all times, regardless of windrow width setting.

• Cast hitch tongue with optional clevis insert
• Tapered hitch to prevent tractor tire lugs from grabbing on a sharp turn
• Double-trussed center pole for excellent bounce and side-pull resistance
• All mechanisms are protected by UHMW wear pads, poly bushings, or grease
• Standard road lights and safety chains
• Powder-coated, galvanized, or plated finish for durability

This kit includes two boom extensions, a hitch extension, two raking wheels, and two extra caster wheels to turn your 12-wheel rake into a 14-wheel rake. It extends the raking width from 28 feet to roughly 32 feet.

Note: The caster wheels can be purchased as a separate kit for installation on a 12-wheel rake

Smooth out the bumps with tandem walking axles. This kit includes two extra rear tires on walking axles, especially valuable in rough ground or when bridging pivot ruts

When your windrows get tough and regrowth moves in, standard tines might fall short. Our rubber-mounted tines are built to dig deeper, ensuring a cleaner, more complete pickup in the most challenging conditions.

They aren’t just tough—they’re smart. If a tine takes a hit, you won’t be sidelined for long. With a single-bolt design, you can swap out an individual tine in about a minute and get back to work.

Note: Rubber-mounted tines include standard wind guards and require a specific rake wheel assembly.