Towed Cultipacker Vs. 3-Pt. Lift Cultipacker - Advantages / Disadvantages?

[jeff9366]

I am going to the Sunbelt Ag. Expo in Moultrie, Georgia October 16-17-18, 2012. I will be there one of the three days.

At top of my shopping list is a CULTIPACKER.

There are a lot of TBN posts on Cultipackers but none comparing efficiency/effectiveness of Towed Cultipackers against 3-Pt. Lift Cultipackers.

It is evident most of the older Cultipackers were towed but a lot of the current offerings are designed for the 3-Point Hitch. Why this change in emphasis?

I am in North Florida. Sandy-Loam, only rocks soft limerock. My tractor is a Kubota B3300SU 33-hp / 1,800 pounds.

Using my 'Bush Hog' Rollover Box Blade there are some issues with the tool going UP when the tractor wheels encounter a LOW spot or a hole; and vice versa. Same issue probable with a 3-Pt. Lift Cultipacker?

(Ken? Ted? Are you out there?)

PLEASE MAKE ME SMARTER. ( Starting low; should not be too difficult.)

[kebo]

I think I saw a post where Ted said he would be there with his new implements? Or maybe I confused that with someone else?? I have only used my 3pt 5.5ft wide cultipacker for a month now and am very happy with it. For me, 3pt is the only way to go since I transport my stuff to the hunt club on a 7ft wide trailer. If you will never transport yours, then maybe pull behind is an easier solution? As far as which works better between towed and 3pt? Disregarding the weight difference, I would think there would be no difference between the two? Unless your land is perfectly flat, you will always have some low spots where the cultipacker will not be able to get down into and pack because it will be riding above the low spot. So, I wouldn't worry to much about that, especially knowing how flat it is in Florida anyway! Good luck. Oh yeah, there is a place in Savannah that I saw on Craigslist that custom makes cultipackers. They look really good in the pic's, but I haven't seen any pricing on them. Maybe I can get you the phone number and a link to pic's if you are interested in them.
Keith

[kebo]

Jeff, you have a PM.

[flusher]

It's easier on the roads to transport a 3-pt hitch cultipacker from field to field rather than a conventional towed cultipacker--unless, of course, the towed version has hydraulically operated transport wheels. My 10-ft wide cultipacker is the towed variety (cost $600). One of these days I may add the transport wheels just for fun.

[TNhobbyfarmer]

If you are working in small areas like food plots where turning area is at a premium, a 3 pt cultipacker is invaluable. If you are working in larger fields with plenty of turnaround room, a pull type will work fine. As mentioned earlier, the 3 pt model is much preferable if you need to drive from field to field on roads or other ground that doesn't need to be packed, not to mention the extra wear and tear on the wheels. For my money, I like the 3 pt kind. Not sure why most of the old ones are pull type. It's almost like nobody thought to make a 3 pt model back in the day.

[Agent Blue]

How do you turn a corner with a three point lift cultipacker ? Unless it swivals it is not going to work properly. It would sure be a pain to lift it with every turn. The best I have seen is the cultipacker you flip the hitch over to put it on its wheels for transport. A couple used tires and you have the best of both worlds.

[sixdogs]

A towed packer will do a better and smoother job but is somewhat difficult to transport. Its weight transfers well to the ground.
The three pt hitch model does transport easier but is too close to the tractor when in use and the weight does not transfer efficiently enough to do as good a job as a pull-type model. That has been my experience and I have used both types over the years.

[sixdogs]

How do you turn a corner with a three point lift cultipacker ? Unless it swivals it is not going to work properly. It would sure be a pain to lift it with every turn.

You just sort-of lift it and slide around the corner with it only touching the ground a little bit. In time, you learn to lay the field out in a pattern of mostly straight lines and it works fine.

[jeff9366]

Thank you for excellent information in early post replies.
Keep 'em coming. I can feel the smartness just welling up........

Sixdogs: Any reason I could not take floating Top Link hitch off my King Kutter rotary cutter (Bush Hog) and use it on a 3-Pt Lift Cultipacker? Wouldn't this improve ground contact? Any manufacturer tried this or some other "floating" solution?
THANKS!

[foggy1111]

If you are working in small areas like food plots where turning area is at a premium, a 3 pt cultipacker is invaluable. If you are working in larger fields with plenty of turnaround room, a pull type will work fine. As mentioned earlier, the 3 pt model is much preferable if you need to drive from field to field on roads or other ground that doesn't need to be packed, not to mention the extra wear and tear on the wheels. For my money, I like the 3 pt kind. Not sure why most of the old ones are pull type. It's almost like nobody thought to make a 3 pt model back in the day.

Just to set your mind right.....going back in time.....the only 3 point equipment were the little Ford N tractors or Ferguson models. These were small tractors that lacked the size and hydrualic lift capacity of todays tractors. Even horses didnt have a three point lift. Therefore MOST of the implements were pull type equipment until tractors got bigger and the Ferguson 3-point patents were "up".