With its folding wings, swiveling tine wheels and compatibility with ball and three-point hitches, the AET Series 36/60 is one of the most flexible towable aerators on the market. These tips will help you get the best performance from this aerator.
Tine Locking
The tine wheels on the AET 36/60 attach to swiveling arms. When these arms are unlocked, the trailer can turn with the tines lowered without tearing up the turf.
To unlock the tines, remove the lock pins from each arm. Once the trailer is lined up for the next pass, reinstall the pins to keep the tines tracking straight. The tines must be locked in place before towing.
Attaching the Aerator
Connecting to a Three-Point Hitch:
Slide the inner and outer tow bar sections together and swing the bar upright against the aerator. Insert a Clevis pin through the middle of the bar and through the bracket on the aerator, then lock it in place with a cotter pin. Install another Clevis pin and cotter pin on the hole directly behind the base of the tow bar.
Connect the hitch links using Clevis pins and cotter pins. The two lower links connect to the brackets on the lower corners of the aerator frame. The upper link connects to the bracket on the tow bar.
Connecting to a Single Hitch:
Remove the Clevis pins from the tow bar and lower the tow bar. Slide the outer section out until you have the right tow bar length for your equipment. Install Clevis pins and cotter pins through the back end of the hitch and in the middle through both the inner and outer tow bar sections.
Folding the Wings
This aerator has three different working widths. Tilting down both wings gives the AET 36/60 a total width of 60 inches. Either wing can be folded up over the center of the trailer to decrease aerating width to 48 inches, and both can be flipped up for an aerating width of 36 inches. Having both wings raised increases the weight on the active tines for deeper penetration on hard soil.
If you need to use the aerator with one or both wings extended, you may need additional weight. To do this, place cinder blocks or water jugs on the top of the aerator.
Preparing the Soil for Aeration
1. Mow the grass to its normal height.
2. Thoroughly water the soil a day before it will be aerated. The soil should be moist, but not muddy.
3. Remove obstacles from the lawn including rocks, wire, chain, string and anything else that can catch on the tines. Mark any fixed objects like buried cables, sprinkler heads, and water valves, so you can steer around them.
Raising and Lowering the Tines
Tine penetration depends more on soil condition and weight, not the tine position. The tines won’t penetrate as well if the soil is dry, regardless of tine height.
To set the tine depth, tow the aerator to the area that will be aerated. Rotate the crank on the front of the trailer to drop the tines into the soil. Turn the crank on the back of the trailer to lower or raise the caster to match the height of the front wheels.
When parking, keep the tines raised. Never park this trailer on a slope.
Aerating Hills
Do not use the AET 36/60 on slopes steeper than 15 degrees. When crossing hills, towing the trailer at a 45-degree angle will make it more stable.
Maintenance
– Thoroughly clean the trailer after each use, paying close attention to the tines.
– Inspect the aerator for loose, worn or damaged parts after every 10 hours of use.
– Great the wheel bearings and tine hubs every 50 hours.
Tine Replacement
Tines can be replaced individually without causing problems with older, worn tines. To replace a tine, unscrew the nut and bolt holding it on, then fit a new tine, nut, and bolt in its place.
Billy Goat redesigned the tines for the AET 36/60 and issued a new part number for the updated kit. These new tines are compatible with all versions of this aerator.
Keep Your Aerator at Peak Performance
Do you need new tines for your AET 36/60? Did you lose a Clevis pin? Are the bearings wearing out? No matter what you need, www.billygoatparts.com can ship it to your door. Our site can show you factory parts diagrams and descriptions for your model so you can be sure you’re ordering exactly what you want. We ship across the United States and Canada.
