Which direction to Pull Chain Harrow

[Luremaker]

I picked up a used 18' Chain Harrow yesterday and I thought I'd ask how must people run their harrows. I see you can pull it four different ways.

Chain points about 8 inches long or about 3 inches long and the points pointed forward or reverse. I want to break up cow droppings and lift last years dead pasture grass from the pasture. Which direction way would be best to pull the chain harrow?

 

[HammerFour]

To break up manure clumps, I just pull mine around upside down with the points upwards.

For thatch removal, I would try it with the small points forward first, that should do what you want. I use the more aggressive direction to prepare for overseeding our pastures when I want to break up the top inch or two of dirt a bit.

 

[3CW_Alberta]

Luremaker,

The chain harrow that I use is reversible with 3" teeth on both sides. One side has the teeth angled back 15º which will provide the maximum agitation and penetration and is most aggressive. The opposite side has teeth swept back at 45º angle allowing the chain harrow to be used in heavy trash without plugging, in roots and in rocks. See http://www.tramsales.com/tramstory.php for more information and pictures.

For normal harrowing of our pastures and hayfields without ripping and tearing too much, I use the less aggressive 45 degree teeth facing back and have good results for spreading muck and stirring up the dead grass. I also have a float bar (a split 8" pipe) in front of the harrows that helps to level mole hills and allows the trailing harrows to smooth behind it.

On pasture land, I would first try the harrows with the teeth facing in the back position. I am afraid that if you faced the teeth forward, it would be too aggressive and you would be prone to rip and tear (and maybe tear something apart ... like your new harrows).

Let me know how you make out with pulling 18 ft of harrow with your L3130. I pull 13 ft with my MF135 (35 hp), an old gas tractor and don't know how much more width that I could comfortably pull on our rolling land.

 

[PineRidge]

Just finished up using one yesterday to break up the top two inches before seeding and fertilizing. We found it to work best with the points down and pointed forward. In this position the harrow is very aggressive which would suit your needs as well.

 

[Soundguy]

I use least agressive for busting maneuer clods.. and most agressive for leveling out furrowed land.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[Laminarman]

I find my 6' chain harrow the most annoying, difficult, PIA implement to handle that I have. I have many times I need to lift it and clean it off of sod/debris and it's a chore. That puppy weights a LOT! I built a lifting frame, but it broke, then built another...and it broke. I love it and hate it all at once. I only use it in the aggressive mode unless covering seed with it.

 

[Luremaker]

Well I got to use my chain harrow for a few hours on Sunday. I decided to pull half (9 feet with the 18 foot bar) of it in the least aggressive mode for a while and it worked really well. I then added the other section for a total of 18 feet and it was very easy to pull at around 3-5 mph with my L3130. It broke up both last summers manurer and this summers as well. I did cut a the pasture down to about 4-6 inches before pulling the harrow. It was a pain to get it to lay nice and flat but after pulling it around for a while it seemed to loosen up.