Drag harrow conversion to 3-pt harrow ???'s

[Johndeere3720]

If you want more ground clearance move the chains on both sides to the back corners. good luck, I just got a 3 point harrow that only adds about 2 feet to the back of the tractor and digs deep into the arena. I replaced the old teeth with new railroad spikes (old were railroad spikes half the length of the new ones). The implement is about 6 feet wide since it wont fit in the skidsteer bucket. I will take pictures soon but I dont have a memory card so it might be a while. I did make a rough drawing of it, I think I'll scan it onto the computer tomarrow. Good luck! Not to many 13 year olds like to work instead of play video games and collect tractor implements.

 

[jjmarotz]

After using the harrows tonite in the 1 acre pasture I noticed some problems..... having the front of harrows hanging on chains it put a tremendous amount of stress on the inside(middle), sections. But it did well until I raised them and tried using the bucket for some back draging......the rear right corner had droped far enuff to dig into the ground and by the time I realized it the right section was wadded up like a piece of bubble gum. Broke rear tine section, bent 3 other section bars and bent the side bar that attatches all 5 bars together
Luckily I went to uncles bone yard tonite and found 1 last matching 5' complete section that only needs minor surgery to be useable. Will get pics in tomorow of things.

Btw, JD3720...I admire your ambition at your age to do what you do. Reminds me of things I did back then. I did kinda get into vid games and such, but found myself outdoors and tinkering more than my other buds back then
Cheers to you and keep up the good work ethics!!!!!

 

[jjmarotz]

As far as the other posters about the boom pole idea....I see where it would work, IF I had a boom pole. I am just trying to utilize what I already have and keep the $$$ to a minimum. So far I only have roughly $40.00 into this setup.

I am thinking of bolting both sections together down the center, and rigid mounting the front of both harrow sections to the bar, then adding a 10' pc of channel iron to rear of sections to make them solid...ie..no longer free floating to follow contours of ground, or.... making them both hang off chains and full 360 degree frame Not sure which way to go yet?????

Any and all input is much apprecitated!!!!!!!!

 

[jjmarotz]

Another update...

1st pic is the twisted up section
Following pics are of new section after a little surgery and tweaking
Also I added tabs to the draw bar to bolt the sections solid to the bar. I am thinking of adding a 10' pc of channel iron to rear of both sections to make them solid (only thing I don't like about that is not having both sections flexible...ie it's now a 10' solid harrow that can't flex). But so be it I guess...Beggers can't be chosers when things are free

Anyhow..... will update as I progress with this project.

 

[Egon]

On your original design consider attaching the harrow sections with short chains for pulling. That way they are independent of each other and will do a much better job.

Then add the three arms as shown in the picture to pipe you now have and from each arm a chain goes down to the back of a harrow section. This chain will have to be adjusted for length.

Do that and you will have a nice three point flexible lift harrow!

 

[JoeinTX]

JJ, like the final product. Pretty much the way I would have done it myself.


I don't understand what you're saying about the pressure toward the middle of the gangs when they were attached by chain....? They should pull the same from the drag pipe regardless of how they are attached to the tractor, pulled or mounted. The three point lift and attaching chains should only be a lifting mechanism and should have no effect on how the harrow works in the ground.


I see the semi-rigid mounts you welded up and I hope they work for you. I just don't see why the chain-linked drags were giving you trouble......

 

[jjmarotz]

Joe, What I noticed with the pressure in the center was when I lifted them. They are so old and "flexible" that they would not lift at the same rate and the outside corners wanted to squeeze and push the centers together. I am getting a pc of 2"x 10' channel iron today and weld across the back of both sections, thus creating a solid 4'x10' harrow.

Egon, if this idea doesn't work I will pursue the pipe method you mentioned.

Thanks fellers!!

 

[jjmarotz]

Got em done....... I think Welded in the 2" channel iron, reatatched chains, and adjusted tines best I could

As soon as this snow/rain weather gets outa here I will be able to test them in the west pasture and see how it works. 2nd pic I added a 30" pc of rebar to help stiffen the center of each section, they still have ability to rotate the tines from 90 to 0 degrees. Hope this time things work

 

[mjncad]

Interesting build you have going on with the harrow; but I'll admit the door art is even more interesting.