This is my review of a scarifier i got a few weeks ago, I have only used it on 4 jobs so far, I might do a follow up review at the end of the year to let you know how its been operating.
Constructive criticism welcomed!
Overview: The Dori SC520 is a professional scarifier intended for use on medium to large size lawns and to be used by professional contractors and hire shops.
It features a reliable 5.5hp Briggs and Stratton engine and is also available with a 6hp Robin Subaru engine. The 21" working width makes it perfect for larger lawns but not practical for anything under 100m2.
The machine seems very robust and comes with a solid steel frame and strong, large handlebars. A word of warning though, this machine weighs 50kg! (without fuel/oil) which makes pushing it up even the slightest of slopes very difficult, (think of a steel wheelbarrow with 2 bags of sand in it).
The first time i used it we were doing a sloped garden and the grass was quite damp, the machine had hardly any traction at all and i had to get my co-worker to give me a hand pulling it forwards on more than one occasion.
However on large flat gardens the machine works perfectly and adjusting the depth takes only a few seconds. Unlike other scarifiers i have used the handlebars dont fold down, this may make transporting it more difficult, you will need either a trailer or a transit sized van.
The machine was supplied dry (without oil), the instruction manual doesnt say how much oil to put in and it doesnt have a dipstick! I had to guess how much oil to use and ended up putting in around 600ml.
Another problem was that the manual wasn't specific to the SC520, it was a 'general' manual for all Dori scarifiers, it seemed very basic and lacked detailed diagrams which may make sourcing spare parts more difficult.
The blades are swinging which means they wont get wrecked if you hit a tree stump or a large stone, they are also quite long so should give a good working life before needing replaced.
Overall i am quite pleased with the machine, it looks as if its built to last and will save you a lot of time doing really big gardens. My previous model was a Mountfield S38 which fell apart after 2 years, I will report back at the end of the year to let you know how its been getting on.
Model: Dori SC520
Engine: 5.5hp Briggs and Stratton petrol
Frame: Steel
Working width: 21"
Weight: 50kg
Blades: 21 swinging steel blades
RRP: £869
Best price: £712 (www.mowwithus.com)
Pros: Heavy robust frame, large working width, alloy wheels with bearings
Cons: Very heavy!, handles dont fold down, difficult to check oil level, crap manual
Rating: ****
Views: 3389
Replies
Any update on this machine Chris? Would you recommend it to someone?
Ive used it about 15-20 times now, going very well. i can get lawns done even faster than by using the big hire models so would recommend it to anyone who does a lot of scarifying. Although it is difficult to use on very small lawns.
I'm drawn by the dori as I prefer swinging blades. I find they give a cleaner finish and work better with the ground. My ideal scarifier would be 16-18", swinging blades, honda engine at least 4.5hp, not designed for use with a box, under 50kg and be easy to service. Anyone know of one?
Unfortunatly we in northern ireland often have to pay the silly prices.
I just got my 520 and I am quite impressed. It does seem a solid machine, the adjustments and controls appear heavy duty, the 205cc engine has loads of power and the wide working width will make big jobs quick and easy. I got mine as ex demo so it was filled with oil and fuel and ready to go.
It's a big wide lump, close to 30 inches wide in total, but should fit through most gates and paths.
Proper contractor's scarifier.
hi chaps!
first post here!
one thing that gets me here is, why would you not use a collection box when scarifying? surely the whole point in scarifying is to remove the thatch/thin the sward and remove that from the lawn? is it purely from a waste disposal view? i just can't get my head around scarifying without removing the rubbish that your taking out?
As soon as you scarify a REALLY mossy or thatchy lawn, you will realize that the machine boxes are virtually useless as the waste doesn't 'compact' into them like a rotary mower box...
In a season of using my Wolf scarifier I have never fitted the box, I just clear up afterwards with a plastic leaf rake and a rotary mower. Quicker than emptying the scarifier box literally every two minutes..
One man on the scarifier, another on the rake - much quicker!
You will have to stop every 30 seconds to empty it, thats why. Also, this model doesn't come with one, its far quicker just to scarify the whole lawn then collect afterwards.
Gavin Gray said:
Yup - the box is too slow. We collect the moss with blowers/ride on mowers/rakes afterwards instead.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next