Why Tractor Selection Matters
Choosing the right tractor is one of the most important steps when investing in a tractor-towed beach cleaning machine. The tractor doesn’t just pull the cleaner—it powers the system, controls the beach cleaner’s settings, and determines how efficiently your beach can be cleaned each day.
✔ A well-matched tractor ensures consistent performance, minimal downtime, and lower maintenance costs to your beach cleaning system.
❌ An underpowered or mismatched setup can struggle in soft sand, reduce cleaning depth, and put unnecessary strain on both the tractor and the cleaner.
Whether you’re maintaining a municipal coastline, a resort beach, or a private shoreline, the right combination of tractor and beach cleaner keeps your operations running smoothly season after season.
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Standard R1 AG tire works really well on the beach. You don’t need anything fancy. You do need a rear PTO shaft which is standard. You do need a three-point hitch which is standard. And you need one rear remote hydraulic valve which on
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almost any tractor above 50 horsepower that’s going to be the standard setup.
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What brand or what model
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tractor should we pair with the Surf Rake?
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That depends on the size of the beach, depends on how firm or soft the beach is.
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A softer beach is gonna require more horsepower, larger tires, maybe a little bit longer wheelbase than a beach that has a firmer sand.
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if you have a tractor already and you’re stable that you’re using for grass cutting or something like that, fantastic. We can probably be pair with that, you don’t need to go purchase a new tractor. If you are going to get a tractor
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depends on where you are in the world
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brand might work best for you. I’m suggesting you get a brand that has a good dealership close by so that if you need spare parts and maintenance you can go with that particular brand rather than one that we would recommend.
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We’re not in the tractor business, we don’t want to be in the tractor business, but if you’re getting a surf rig we want you to have a good reliable towing unit and I’m happy to work with any clients to make sure they get the
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right model tractor with the right features to do a good job on the beach.
Table of Contents
The Essentials: What Every Tractor Needs
Nearly every tractor-towed beach cleaner—including the H. Barber & Sons Surf Rake—requires the following three features:
#1 Rear Pto shaft
Powers the cleaner’s conveyor and tine systems.
#2 Three point hitch
Allows the operator to raise, lower, and control the cleaning depth.
#3 One rear remote hydraulic valve
Operates lifting or belt adjustments.
Tire Type: Why Standard R1 AG Tires Work Best
Many first-time operators assume that they’ll need wide flotation or turf tires for use on sand. In practice, standard R1 agricultural tires perform best on most beaches. They offer the ideal mix of:
traction and flotation, providing enough bite to pull through soft areas without digging deep ruts or compacting the surface.
Traction
Have enough grip in the sand to pull the Surf rake.
Flotation
Keep the surf rake & tractor from getting stuck in the sand.
Only in extremely soft or steep beach conditions might you need to consider wider tires or lower inflation pressures. Otherwise, the stock R1 setup provides excellent results across most coastal environments.
Matching Tractor Size to Beach Conditions
The correct tractor size depends on sand firmness, slope, and the size of the beach you’re maintaining.
Softer or wetter sand requires more horsepower and often a longer wheelbase, while firm, compacted sand can be cleaned effectively with smaller equipment.
An Example of Matching a Tractor and Beach Cleaner: The Surf Rake Line
To provide some real world examples of how to match a tractor and beach cleaner, let’s look at how the tractor size increases along the full product line of the Barber Surf Rake—a leading tractor-towed beach cleaner.
600xl:
110 PTO HP + 460/85R34
600HD
60 PTO HP+ 30 in/76 cm
400HD
35 PTO HP + 28 in/ 71 cm
400
30 PTO HP + 28 in/ 71 cm
These baselines apply to moderate, well-compacted sand. If you regularly work on soft or sloped beaches, you may need 10–25 percent more horsepower to maintain traction and conveyor speed.
Similar horsepower ranges apply across most brands of tractor-towed beach cleaning machines.
Already Own a Tractor? You May Not Need a New One
If you already operate a tractor for mowing, landscaping, or snow removal, there’s a good chance it can double as your beach cleaner power unit.
As long as your tractor meets the minimum horsepower and has a PTO, three-point hitch, and rear hydraulics, you may not need to purchase new equipment.
Barber’s team and other beach cleaner manufacturers can help confirm compatibility and, if needed, suggest small adjustments—like tire changes—for optimal balance and performance.
Choosing a Tractor BRAND: Prioritize Local Support
The primary consideration to focus on when choosing a tractor brand to pair with your beach cleaner is to choose a brand with a strong dealership presence near your location.
Local access to spare parts, filters, and quick service can dramatically reduce downtime—especially in coastal environments where salt and sand accelerate wear.
Ultimately, a reliable local dealer will provide far more value than any specific badge on the tractor hood.
How Barber Helps You Find the Perfect Match
H. Barber & Sons is deeply committed to helping every Surf Rake owner set up their beach cleaning machine for long-term success.
The Barber team has worked with thousands of customers from around the world for over 60 years to ensure the tractor and Surf Rake combination suits their specific sand type, beach length, and cleaning goals.
We’ve pretty much seen every possible beach, tractor, and beach cleaner combination. From horsepower recommendations to hydraulic setup checks, we’l make sure your equipment runs reliably from day one.
Conclusion
When selecting a tractor for your beach cleaner:
- Match horsepower to sand conditions, not just to the cleaner model.
- Verify required features—PTO, three-point hitch, and one hydraulic remote.
- Choose a tractor supported by a nearby dealer for faster service and parts access.
Getting this pairing right maximizes performance, minimizes maintenance costs, and keeps your beaches looking pristine every day of the season.
learn more
Need help confirming your tractor setup or finding the ideal pairing for your beach cleaning machine?
>>Contact Barber’s sales team for personalized guidance, or
>>Visit the Surf Rake Technical Specifications page for additional detailed technical data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, often it is. Even if you need to acquire a tractor, the combined cost of a tractor + beach cleaner is still typically significantly lower than a self-propelled unit with equivalent capacity. The advantages are a) flexibility — the tractor can be used for multiple maintenance tasks year-round (landscaping, snow removal, hauling, or irrigation). This shared use spreads out the cost of ownership. b) Reliability: Tractor manufacturers make hundreds of thousands of units, so their tractors are normally extremely tested and reliable. Whereas a beach cleaning manufacturer that makes self-propelled units will typically make fewer than 20-40 units per year, so the durability of their drive systems and other parts are far less tested.
Tractors used for beach cleaning generally experience light mechanical stress compared to agricultural applications. Routine maintenance—fluid checks, filter replacements, and cleaning sand from moving parts—is usually sufficient. Because beach cleaning involves steady, low-speed operation, tractors often log fewer annual hours than farm or construction units, extending their service life.
With proper care, no. Modern tractors are built with durable paint coatings and sealed electrical systems that resist corrosion. Barber also recommends storing both the tractor and beach cleaner under cover when not in use to further extend their lifespan.
Absolutely. Many municipalities and resorts share equipment between departments or contract services seasonally. If your beach cleaning needs are limited to part of the year, this can be a cost-effective way to operate a tractor-towed system.
t normally only takes less than an hour to set up the tractor for use with a beach cleaner. When setting up the Surf Rake, it requires removing the PTO shaft cover, so the pump can fit, extending the drawbars on the 3 point hitch, and connecting a hydraulic line. If you’d like to see this process, you can reference our ‘install instructions’ iin the Surf Rake customer service portal.
