I am preparing some small food plots up to 1 acre and would like to purchase a 4 WD tractor suited for 6 foot two row disc. I'd love to get 45 HP machine, but finances are more in line with 30 HP model. Any thought??
HP vs DISC
- Thread starter flINTLOCK
- Start date
dieselsmoke1
Platinum Member
You should be OK with 30, just don't plan to set any speed records. More acres have been disced with a 6 footer than you can shake a stick at with 30 - 35 hp 2wd tractors.
Sully2
Veteran Member
flINTLOCK said:
I wouldnt have any problems pulling a set of 6ft discs with my B3030..and its a lightweight setup. A heavier L series in the mid 30HP range with AG tires and 4wd..would have no problems at all.
Soundguy
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flINTLOCK said:
I've pulled a 6' disc with a 33hp diesel.. 4wd.. and did most of it in 2wd.
Pulled the same disc with a 27hp ford 8n.. 2wd... wasn't as easy.. or fast..
Soundguy
have_blue
Veteran Member
flINTLOCK said:
I pull a 6 foot disk harrow with my 35hp 4wd tractor. I have loaded rear tires, but I can still feel a little tire slippage in 2wd. No slippage at all in 4wd. I can pull it fine up to 8th gear (12 speed), but prefer 7th. I used to pull the same disk with a 29hp tractor, and don't remember much difference.
With the possible exception of a front loader there is no implement that benefits from fwd more than a disk. Your 30 hp fwd equals around a 45hp 2wd on this tool. What makes your setup superior to the larger 2wd these days is much better fuel economy. When you are working with your disk, if you want to find out how much better 4wd is, put the tractor in 2wd and give her a pull. Notice how much more throttle is required at lower gear to maintain the same pace as when pulling in fwd. More throttle equals more fuel. All that extra power is required of the 2wd to push the "dead" axle through the soft ground. A lot of people, especially on this forum, just can't grasp how 4wd can give better fuel economy due to thier automotive thinking where a 2wd is more efficient (because the road is not "soft"). Like Soundguy said, the Ford 8n was designed for a 6 foot disk with 2wd and only 27 hp. I used this combination for many years and did ok with it. Back then, fuel was almost free compared to these days and I would go broke quick if I was still using that combo now.
Soundguy
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I know a 4wd will have better drawbar hp to ground issues.. but do you really think 50% is the number? That seems kind of drastic.
When i pulled a 6' dual ganged disc, set agressively with my 4wd Nh 1920, the only difference 4wd made was when turning... I could turn much sharper with 4wd... Straight ahead made little difference.
I can easilly see where a smaller cut with 4wd can out traction a similar sized cut, and preform 'traction' duties of a slightly larger tractor.. But ZI'm not sure the number is 50%..
( the 1920 pulled the disc much better thant he 8n did.. I'll give it that... but then the 1920 is more in line with a Ford 660.. etc.. )
Soundguy
When i pulled a 6' dual ganged disc, set agressively with my 4wd Nh 1920, the only difference 4wd made was when turning... I could turn much sharper with 4wd... Straight ahead made little difference.
I can easilly see where a smaller cut with 4wd can out traction a similar sized cut, and preform 'traction' duties of a slightly larger tractor.. But ZI'm not sure the number is 50%..
( the 1920 pulled the disc much better thant he 8n did.. I'll give it that... but then the 1920 is more in line with a Ford 660.. etc.. )
Soundguy
You might consider a tiller as a better option. Unless you find a used disk they are not much more. A disc is great for a field but for seed beds you can't beat a tiller. I've got both...the disc rarely gets used but I use the tiller all the time. It's the most useful implement I've got.
It may depend on the type of soil you have also. I have a 52 Gross HP Long that I pull a 6' heavy disc with, through some very compact clay. I always wish two things when discing. 1 wish I had a bigger tractor, and 2 wish I had mud scrapers on disc. With having 46 acres and only a 50 HP tractor, I always want and recommend a bigger tractor. The 45 will not work so hard and last longer than a smaller unit. Pull type vs 3pt will also matter. Pull type may require less hp.
There should be some good used 45s out there if you have the time to hunt for them.
There should be some good used 45s out there if you have the time to hunt for them.