My lawn has never been dethatched in the 22 years since we built here. My John Deere GT225 (15 hp single cylinder) pulled it with ease. I put two cat litter pails filled with water on the weight tray then tried without: both work well although with the weight on board, the tines filled with clumps of grass. Tip: make sure the grass is dry! It made a huge mess the first time I tried using this tool the day after a three day rain event.
In some spots, clumps of sod were pulled up which actually was thatch. I raked in some grass seed, covered it with mowing clippings, and the grass made a quick comeback. I did this at the beginning of October. With the cool, damp nights here in eastern Pennsylvania this time of year is when we get our best lawns.
Overall: easy assembly, heavy duty construction, and good results loaded or unloaded.
R.osman 
