Breaking Up Ground Will This Implement Work For Me?

[Brandon1107]

I got this implement thrown in with an old David Brown tractor that I bought. Is it a chisel plow? I want to use it to break up the soil before I disk looking for deep penetration to break up compaction for food plots, kleingrass, and buffel grass. I think I will need to remove the sweeps. It has 7 shanks and I will pull it with my M8540. I am going to try it first before I put the money for a hydraulic cylinder, come-along works well. It needs some welding done on it as well but I have plenty of friends that are excellent welders. Will the shanks spring back if I hit roots, will the tractor stall, or will something break? I guess that's a good start on questions.

Thanks,
Brandon

 

[sweettractors]

A picture would be great. Most chisels have the C type shanks with spring built in the shank. Here is a picture if a 3 point 5 shank like I am talking about. Ken Sweet

 

[Brandon1107]

Don't know why pictures did not show up I attached with iphone web app. Trying from pc now.

 

[sweettractors]

You have spring built in to your shanks, I would take off the wide sweeps and put on narrow points that are approx as wide as the shank. This will let you penetrate the soil deeper. For about $35 you can get a ratchet jack at TSC to eliminate the need for a hydraulic cylinder. You will do fine. Ken Sweet

 

[Brandon1107]

Thanks Ken,

Do I need to raise this when turning corners like when discing? That was my reasoning for the hydraulic cylinder. I have an old ratchet from a rotary cutter in the shop that I can use if I don't need to raise on turns.

Any idea what this is called and who made it?

Thanks for the tip.

 

[sweettractors]

Thanks Ken,

Do I need to raise this when turning corners like when discing? That was my reasoning for the hydraulic cylinder. I have an old ratchet from a rotary cutter in the shop that I can use if I don't need to raise on turns.

Any idea what this is called and who made it?

Thanks for the tip.

I would think If you are running deep, you may have to raise on corners. Probably not if you are going 4-6 inches and making long turns on the corners. I don't recognize the mfgr. I would think it would be a chisel plow on transport wheels? Ken Sweet

 

[TripleR]

There was a much larger version of that working in our fields the other day being pulled by a JD 8000 Series. Most I have seen in use around here have the sweeps, the one we used when farming had the narrow points as mentioned by Ken.

 

[rScotty]

A picture would be great. Most chisels have the C type shanks with spring built in the shank. Here is a picture if a 3 point 5 shank like I am talking about. Ken Sweet

Around here we call that a "spring tooth harrow". It's the right tool for breaking up soil to maybe 6 to 8 inches deep. And then you can go back and sink it deeper. I've sunk them to the frame once the soil is broken good. If the soil moisture is right, the vibration of the spring teeth will almost powder the topsoil. They do have a bit of problem with rocks and also pick up a lot of trash.
rScotty

 

[texasjohn]

You have what you need for your objective. I've used exactly the same type of chisel plow for the purpose of breaking up ground, disking, then planting Klein seed.

You want to use the narrow chisel points, not sweeps.

You have a tractor large enough to pull it....very well...and it takes a LOT of horsepower.

A hydraulic cylinder would be WELL worth using. You WILL need to lift it out of the ground to make any kind of a tight turn...and if you don't, it puts lots of strain on many components.

With your tractor, if you hit a nearly immovable root or rock, you will break a tine. I have with much less horsepower. Nevertheless, it is what you need. With a hydraulic cylinder, you can EASILY set and change the depth of the chisel. If you hang up, you can raise it, back up a tad, get unhung, pull forward a tad, reapply the plow to the ground and go on.

Without a hydraulic cylinder, you will be there for 30 minutes racheting up and down and messing with stuff.

Cost of cylinder and hoses should be about $150 or less. Have your friends weld up everything first....

This is a wonderful tool. You will be very glad you have it after you see what it does. First pass is a little dull... looks kinda like scratches in the ground. Next make a pass at about 30 degrees angle from the first...you will be amazed at how it turns up the ground. A third pass at yet a different angle will complete the work....

 

[Brandon1107]

Thanks John very helpful and thorough. You are an asset to the forum and its members!