First Time PLowing - Maybe this weekend

[jeff9366]

What size, what brand, is your three bottom plow? Are the ground contact parts undistorted and matched?

Dave5264: I read the manual, used the block under the rear left wheel to do initial setup.

Did you use 'a' block or two (2) blocks, one under the left front wheel, one under the left rear wheel?

Use a Level to check level adjustments in both planes when you start Round II.

Setup - what i think i did wrong:

on the first 2 passes (Dead furrows) I had way too much sod roll back, I had the plow on left/right tilt/cant ready for the wheel to drop in the dead furrow, so I think I should have used the leveling lever to have the plow level with the tractor on the dead furrow passes and then off set it once i got the wheel in the dead furrow.

I doubt moving the Adjusting Lever (integral to some plows) would help. Its purpose is to adjust width of cut to space bottoms equally. (If we are comprehending the same lever.)

Or are you using incorrect/confusing nomenclature for the 3-Pt. Right Lifting Rod?

Was your 'dead' furrow the correct depth (+/-) for the width of your plow? Reasonably even depth? (If the tractor wheels are going up and down, the plow will move up and down in response.

When I put the tractor and plow back in the shop and dropped the plow down, i noticed I was probable a bit too nose down and too aggressive (did initial setup on the driveway), I have now lengthened the top link a wee bit.

Good. If you only used one block under the left rear wheel, rather than blocking both the rear and front wheels for pre-adjustment, too nose down highly probable.

My main Question is this ---- > I did find the plow pushing to the left a lot, and subsequently I was having to compensate by steering left, coz the tractor wanted to go right. Im not sure if the plow being too canted left/right or the aggressive pitch (nose down) would have caused that ?? any ideas. I do know i shouldnt have to fight the plow. Of course with th eplow pushing left you dont always get 100% of the sod on the right.

Adjusting Lever, which sets width of plow furrows so they do not overlap, probably would help here, IF the plow is centered behind your tractor.

Is the plow directly behind your tractor or offset to one side more than the other?

Is the Top Link falling naturally to the middle beam on the plow? Stabilizers a little loose?

I also think my 6.5 km/h plowing speed may be a wee bit slow ? should be up around 8km/h or 5 mp/h ?

Experiment a bit. Often I set the desired engine power with the hand throttle, then adjust speed over the ground by moving hydraulic 3-Pt. control lever just 1/8" in one direction or the other, depending on soil draft resistance.

Looking forward to the next field, it started to rain so I figured Id stop and get some more advice before round 2

 

[Ivan49]

Does your tractor have draft control? If it has draft control you can use it to adjust your depth on the first 2 passes then set it where it is plowing good and leave it. Plowing takes a while to get the hang of it but once you do it is like riding a bike. Plowing is one of my favorite things to do. My new tractor does not have draft control so I will have to learn about that as it has been 30 years since I used one without

 

[Dave5264]

Thanks, its a Swedish Overum plow.

im definitely plowing too deep. plow is 12" wide and im plowing 7-8 deep , i should be plowing 6"

Draft control set too deep maybe, and too aggressive on the top link ?

I didnt have the front left wheel blocked, so thanks for that.

top link isnt naturally falling to the center the plow is pulling left, so the top link is going left. I have slack in the 3p arms, but that slack is taken up when the plow pulls left. plow is not centered behind the tractor like it needs to be.

the lever on the plow rotates the offset 3 pt link side arms on the plow, this allows the plow to tilt side to side --- my assumption was this was for dead furrow vs being in furrow...may be not

here are some pics of the rig & plow


the white lever controls the 3pt attachement pins on the plow, pull it all the way back (like pic 3 ) and th eplow is basically level side to side, push it forward and the left side drops down to allow the plow to be level when in furrow (i assume)


this is with the white lever all the way back (almost level...not quite), with it pushed forward the left side of the plow will drop


still a bit too short on top link....



if im measuring in the right place, its a 12" plow so i should be 6" deep

 

[Ivan49]

I was talking about draft control on your tractor it would be a second lever next to the one that raises your 3 pt hitch abd is usually between the fender and 3 pt lever

 

[Dave5264]

Yes, I have draft control, its a knob on my tractor console, as is position control (no levers). Draft Control knob was set a bit high, i have backed it off for the next time -- thanks

Position control on the left (bigger dial with inner and outer dials), Draft control on right, set closer to 7, should be 6



The center knob here controls how fast the pt draft control reacts to the change in the terrain, lower number means it takes longer to react :

 

[Ivan49]

On mine I had it set to 5 or 6 in that range and that was with a 2 bottom 16 inch plow. On the first 2 passes if I start in the center of the field I would just leave it there. Every other year I would plow from the outside in

 

[Ivan49]

On your speed you have to change it to how the dirt lays as it flops over and your speed will vary for different types of soil and different moisture levels

 

[Dave5264]

Thanks Ivan, I appreciate the tips very much.

 

[jeff9366]

Dave5264: It is a Swedish Overum plow.

Your plow is a 3/12", Overum Plow

im definitely plowing too deep. plow is 12" wide and im plowing 7-8 deep , i should be plowing 6"

Think of a range, 5" to 7". You cannot hold steady 6" in varying soil.

Draft control set too deep maybe, and too aggressive on the top link ?

If, if, IF the plow is level in two planes and you LENGTHEN the Top Link the front of the plow will run shallower. Express yourself in terms of long/short, which I can understand. Adjustment should be minor.

We will deal with the Draft Control after the plow is working well.


top link isnt naturally falling to the center the plow is pulling left, so the top link is going left. I have slack in the 3p arms, but that slack is taken up when the plow pulls left. plow is not centered behind the tractor like it needs to be.

Most likely your plow is not level in the horizontal plane. Check it against a Bubble Level for reference. You really cannot adjust to level by 'eye'. Achieve level across plow by adjusting the 3-Pt. Right Lifting Rod.

It may require refininement by moving white adjusting lever somewhat to the rear from mid-point position, which will decrease width of cut AFTER the plow is level across.


If this does not center the plow, you may need to change the position of the adjustable cross bar to set the plow more to the center of your tractor, especially if plow was adjusted for a significantly larger or small tractor before you acquired it. This will require removing bolts from dog holes, moving the bar and tightening bolts into different dog holes.

((Or you can reposition your tractor wheels.))

the lever on the plow rotates the offset 3 pt link side arms on the plow, this allows the plow to tilt side to side --- my assumption was this was for dead furrow vs being in furrow...may be not

On a Ford plow your white lever, attached to the "J bar" cross shaft is known as the Plow Adjustment Lever, sometimes as a Landing Lever. The Adjustment Lever sets the width of the furrow cuts, so there are no gaps between cuts and no overrun. Start with the Adjustment Lever in a center/middle position of its arc.

The cross shaft on most plows is adjustable/movable.

here are some pics of the rig & plow
View attachment 445135

the white lever controls the 3pt attachement pins on the plow, pull it all the way back (like pic 3 ) and th eplow is basically level side to side, push it forward and the left side drops down to allow the plow to be level when in furrow (i assume)
View attachment 445136

this is with the white lever all the way back (almost level...not quite), with it pushed forward the left side of the plow will drop
View attachment 445138

still a bit too short on top link….

Cannot tell, out of the ground.

View attachment 445137

if im measuring in the right place, its a 12" plow so i should be 6" deep

Measure from the center of one plow beam to the center of the next plow beam, that is your plow width. 12" is most common width for compact tractor plows.

View attachment 445139[/QUOTE]


TOO MANY COOKS.

 

[Dave5264]

Thanks Jeff !