I"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

[stevenf]

I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

I have mounted two 40# propane tanks on my disc getting ready for fall planting the disc is an 8' Hay King Harrow disc it is very well made and has I think 21" serated disc, last time I planted in the spring it was kinda slow going and multiple passes and everyone suggested add weight so now in order to hold the tanks in place being welderless I mounted two 4" X 4"'s across the frame and chained the tanks to them the tanks empty plus the lumber and hardware weighed probably 200lbs, I have adapted the tanks with an inlet which allows me to put water in them adding another couple hundred pounds. Does anyone see a problem with filling them up, someone mentioned that I should not make any radical turns with the disc engaged or I could break a disc or pop the disc off the shaft or something any other words of wisdom before I start discing tommorrow at sunup.
Steve

 

[stevenf]

Re: I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

Well folks its sunup and I haven't received any other warnings or recommendations so I'm off to start plowing, Thanks to everyone for their prior inputs on this subject and I'll report back my findings for the other folks on TBN with similiar questions about discing and needing more weight lately.
Steve

 

[RonR]

Re: I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

Maybe I'm too late, but if your 3PH can lift it, I don't think you've added too much weight!

Ron

 

[stevenf]

Re: I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

It worked like a champ although I was forced to tighten up my chains once in a while so I need to perfect my mounts a bit. We haven't had a appreciable amount of rain in 4 months and it was discing down 6 to 8 inches. It was a trial run and mainly done to use the current growth as green manure I should be seeding in a week or so and now have eight 1/2 acre or so food plots on 350 acres. Thanks again to all who suggested weight on my original posting of how to disc the fields, Weight, Weight and more Weight was the answer. I was forced to quit for a lunch and more water break as its well over a hundred out there today and now a bit dusty to boot, I looked like I'd gone to one of those fancy mud bath spas by the time I finished maybe I should have followed some of my TBN peers and plowed naked that way my honey wouldn't be giving me the I'm not washing those clothes look.
Steve

 

[DMF]

Re: I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

I was told by an old-timer that the rule of thumb is 5lbs per disk... That said, my disk worked much better at 10lbs per disk.

 

[sweettractors]

Re: I\"m ready to weight my disc how much is safe

In our experience, If a disc does not have weight trays on the disc from the factory, it was not designed to carry any additional weight. Yes, I know you can ad weight and see improved performance. The trade off is shorter disc harrow life and more machine down time.--Ken Sweet

Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *Over 40 used Cultipackers in stock today*