Followup; Plowing with a 30 Hp Compact Tractor

[Barneyhunts]

Earlier this year I posted a request for advice on plowing with a B7800 compact tractor. Well, I plowed, disced and planted about 2 acres of food plots and they are growing nicely! I used a 2 bottom Howse 12" plow and did have some problems. I ended up removing 1 bottom and installing a depth gauge wheel, but at the last I was turning furrows nicely. I don't know if this ground had been plowed B4 (the rocks sure hadn't been removed), but my plans for next year will be to plow it with both bottoms on the plow again. Although I'd never plowed B4, because of the advice I'd received in this forum I felt like I could deal with the problems as they arose. THANKS EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO GIVE ME ADVICE .... IT REALLY HELPED ME.

 

[Soundguy]

got any pics of that turned earth?

I'm surprised you had to drop to a 1-12 on a 30 hp machine.. but if it was solid hard pan i can sure see it... especially if going deep.

soundguy

 

[Greyfields]

At 43 HP I ended up dropping from a 2 bottom to a 1 bottom as well. It's not that I couldn't use 2, but it just felt like it was working the tractor too hard. I ended up going much faster with the single bottom, so it made up for it.

 

[art]

I always like to see customers plowing fast! They wear out far more shins, landslides and moldboards! About 4 to 5 is max plowing speed for most ground although I've seen it a good day to plow at 3!

 

[Oleozz]

I remember your post Barney and am glad things worked out for you.
I am in the process of plowing now, using a 45 hp tractor and a 2 bottom Howse 12 incher. You will be amazed how much easier the plow pulls once you have the ground worked up and you aren't plowing in sod. I'm pretty sure I could not go with anything bigger than the 2 bottom. Wish I would have known you needed the depth guage wheel, mine is sitting unused in the shed.

 

[schmism]

i could only manage a 1x14 with my TC but that was turning virgin sod.

i look forward to doing it again (hopefully useing both bottoms) late this fall when i add some of the neighbors horse manure on top to turn it in.

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm.. they must just be making hp 'smaller' these days... perhaps metric hp? (wink).

40 ys ago a 45hp machine was a 3 bottom machine... and on a 2wd machine too....

( A 2-12 or 2-14 was made to be pulled by a 1939 ford 9n with a scant 23hp. I'm setting here in my office looking at a vintage ford NAA sales add showing it pulling 3 bottoms.. it was 33hp (pto).. though I will add that it was likely not in virgin soil. The naa and 600 were the 134ci engine.. whereas the 800 and similar models were the better 3 plow machines with the 172ci engines and 45 or so hp.. )

Soundguy

I remember your post Barney and am glad things worked out for you.
I am in the process of plowing now, using a 45 hp tractor and a 2 bottom Howse 12 incher. You will be amazed how much easier the plow pulls once you have the ground worked up and you aren't plowing in sod. I'm pretty sure I could not go with anything bigger than the 2 bottom. Wish I would have known you needed the depth guage wheel, mine is sitting unused in the shed.

 

[N80]

I pulled a largish (very old) middlebuster through virgin clay and rocks last week on my 45 hp 4wd tractor. No problems except for a few places where I hit dense hardpan. It didn't slow me down, it just skipped along the top of it.

I'm hoping to get a 2 bottom plow by next year (I always hoping , and its always "next year" ) but I suspect the tractor will handle it just fine.

As for speed, with that middlebuster you had to have a little bit of speed to get the topsoil/sod to turn all the way over. I guess with a plow, speed (or lack of it) won't be as critical.

 

[Barneyhunts]

One acre of the ground I plowed was heavy sod in what had been about a 15 acre hayfield. I took off 1 bottom B4 I finished because the furrows were not turning over well. But I may have been plowing too deep and I added the gauge wheel after I had removed the bottom. My neighbor who farms and is experienced plowing told me to keep it to 6" deep max.(afterwards). The other acre I plowed was in three sections in weeded open areas in some woods between fields. I bent a plow share in these areas on the rocks, and had some difficulty with tree roots but other than that I thought they plowed easier that the heavy sod, which also had plenty of rocks. I disced with a 5' Kingkutter disc. and that worked really well although the first pass over my first plowed furrows in the sod were pretty rough.

 

[JerryG]

I use a three bottom 14" behind my 40 hp and used it behind the 33 hp tractor that I had before. Most of the pulling hard has to do with the plow design. Some brands plow a lot better than others. My MF model 66 plow pulls like there is very little back there.

Hmm.. they must just be making hp 'smaller' these days... perhaps metric hp? (wink).

40 ys ago a 45hp machine was a 3 bottom machine... and on a 2wd machine too....

( A 2-12 or 2-14 was made to be pulled by a 1939 ford 9n with a scant 23hp. I'm setting here in my office looking at a vintage ford NAA sales add showing it pulling 3 bottoms.. it was 33hp (pto).. though I will add that it was likely not in virgin soil. The naa and 600 were the 134ci engine.. whereas the 800 and similar models were the better 3 plow machines with the 172ci engines and 45 or so hp.. )

Soundguy