3 bottom plow question

[bdw593]

Hello all...
I bought an old ford 3 bottom plow that is in great shape. One problem.... The pins are cat 1 and my 3ph is cat 2. I have used bushings in the past but the cat 1 pin is too short and won't fit through my cat2 arm in 3ph... This is not a removeable pin it looks to b cast as part of the main frame, if that makes sense.

Anyone else ever encountered this and if so how did you correct the problem... It seems to me the only way to get it to work is to cut off the pin on the plow and weld a new one on that is the correct size.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SandburRanch]

Hello all...
I bought an old ford 3 bottom plow that is in great shape. One problem.... The pins are cat 1 and my 3ph is cat 2. I have used bushings in the past but the cat 1 pin is too short and won't fit through my cat2 arm in 3ph... This is not a removeable pin it looks to b cast as part of the main frame, if that makes sense.

Anyone else ever encountered this and if so how did you correct the problem... It seems to me the only way to get it to work is to cut off the pin on the plow and weld a new one on that is the correct size.

Thanks in advance.

------------------------------------------------------------------
If it is a steel forging and not cast iron (can't imagine cast iron there) I would cut it off flush and convert it to a clevis design and then drill holes through the two pieces for a cat 1 pin.

 

[bdw593]

Your right forged steel.. What do you mean by clevis design?

 

[SandburRanch]

Your right forged steel.. What do you mean by clevis design?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the best example I could find at the moment and maybe you can see the clevis pin design on this box blade. The end view pic shows it best. It has two ears like a clevis. Manufacturers that boast heavy duty often have this style.
5' UNITED BOX BLADE, MODEL 560HD WILL NOT FIND FOR LESS on eBay!

 

[gwdixon]

I feel your pain. Here is what I did. There are also a couple of threads on the subject. Do a search.

 

[gwdixon]

Here is a clevis style hook up.

 

[bdw593]

I feel your pain. Here is what I did. There are also a couple of threads on the subject. Do a search.

What's the benefit of the original off set setup of the 3bp?... Yours is a pretty simple solution and I happen to have a drawbar laying around somewhere..

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

On mine the pin would almost go through, but the lock pin wouldn't go in, so I took a grinder and cut a notch in the hitch ball on the 3 pt arm, and notched the bushing also.

Took less than 30 minutes

 

[Ken Pike]

The offset is so your plow bottoms are level with the right side tractor wheels in the previously plowed furrow. It is "fine tuned" with the levelling box/crank on the right hand link arm of the 3 point.

 

[gwdixon]

The offset is so your plow bottoms are level with the right side tractor wheels in the previously plowed furrow. It is "fine tuned" with the levelling box/crank on the right hand link arm of the 3 point.

Ken is absolutely correct about the reason for the offset.

The original plow had a lever that would rotate the shaft to provide less offset for the first pass. Then the offset could be adjusted to make the shares all run level and cut to the same depth with the wheels in the original furrow (tractor tilted/plow level).

With a Top and Tilt it can all be done from the seat - extremely convenient. It can also be done, as Ken mentioned, by using the adjustable side of the 3PH. It looks like a top link but is heavy duty. It can require a lot of getting on and off the tractor if you don't hit the adjustment right the first time. Everything Attachments has a good video about adjusting a plow.

Nonetheless, the first pass needs to be level and then you have to monkey with the adjustment. The lever on the old plows made it easier.

Anyway, the bar welded on is a CAT 2 from TSC. The Ford plows that originally came with CAT 2 setup weren't adjustable but I don't have a photo of one.