Disc Harrow TANDEM LIFT DISC HAROW, Monroe Tufline 18/20", TH971820B, REVIEW

[jeff9366]

After two years consideration and replacement of my light Kubota B3300SU by a heavy Kubota Grand L/L3560, I purchased a Monroe Tufline Tandem Lift Disc Harrow, TH971820B, $2,428.15 delivered (no sales tax on ag equipment in Florida) January 2015.

Tufline specs this DH with 20" diameter pans, 6'-8" cutting width, 915 pounds (45.75 pounds per pan) and recommends 35-55 tractor horsepower. It is all my 37 horsepower tractor wants, with 4-WD engaged, R4 tires, in HST Medium range, on second pass in my Florida sandy-loam. With full throttle I can pull the Tufline fast enough to get good soil mix.

Unusually, rather than being symmetrical front and rear, this Tufline Disc Harrow has eight notched pans with 9" spacing on the front gang, and ten notched pans with 7-1/2" spacing on the rear gang. The rear gang is wider than the front gang.

I have been using the implement with Top Link adjusted around 60% weight on the forward, cutting gang and 40% weight on the rear, smoothing gang. With this assymetrical adjustment I get a smooth soil finish. To a certain extent the outer pans on the less immersed rear gang function as "outriggers" which do not leave behind irritating furrows.

Axles are 1-1/8" diameter, 60% stronger than a 1" diameter axles and almost standard on DHs with 20" diameter pans. Axles housed in pillow block sealed bearings.

The lightest Disc Harrows that cut plow clods effectively have 18" diameter pans, yielding 37- 40 pounds total DH weight bearing on each pan. This Tufline has 20" diameter pans, yielding 46 pounds of DH weight bearing on each pan. This is the lightest configuration which will begin to cut sod. However, even with 20" notched pans the Tufline is a secondary tillage tool.

A = Pi X R[SUP]2[/SUP] indicates how quickly weight increases with pan diameter, as does pan thickness.

Tufline penetrates much better than my Howse 16/18" Disc Harrow, 587 pounds, notched pans, which complemented the lighter weight of my former Kubota B3300SU. The B3300SU would not have pulled the 915 pound TH971820. The Howse cost $1,000 delivered in January 2013.

TH971820 features LEVER ADJUSTMENT of gang angles. Lever permits faster adjustments than ubiquitous CLAMP PLATE gang angle adjustment, which requires removing a center pin and loosening/tightening two nuts and two bolts to change. Lever adjustment locates four adjustment holes on the lever, a non structural part, from four holes piercing the center frame member.

Lever adjustment is convenient; I make regular gang angle adjustments for different DH tasks and over different soils.

Tufline applied just one coat of paint. Kubota orange paint should have been applied over primer. I expect two coats or more of durable paint on a $2,428.15 Disc Harrow. The $1,000 Howse has better paint.

Did I mention it was 82 degrees Farenheit today, in Fanning Springs?


Photo #1 Beauty shot.

Photo #2 Lever Adjustment of Gang Angles. Note adjustment holes in handle.

Photo #3 Gang Hangers (Heavy duty design, more durable/reliable than generic U-bolt gang hangers, which soon deform from stress.)

Photo #4 Axles are DOUBLE NUTTED and outside nuts are STAKED. A laudable feature.

Photo #5 "Open" (or Bolt On) 7/8" draw pins. I like a two ear clevis on heavy duty implements, but Tufline's open draw pins have been fine.

Photo #6 Another beauty shot.

Photo #7 At work in food plot.

Photo #8 Small Palmetto fouled in rear gang. Notched pans snatch trash from below the surface occasionally, a good thing.




OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE:
Regular Scraper Kit
Heavy Duty Scraper Kit
Outrigger Kit
Plain Discs
Center Balk Breaker


MONROE TUFLINE LINK: Agriculture TH Series Tandem Discs - Monroe Tufline


LINK 'DISC HARROW SELECTION FOR COMPACT TRACTORS': http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I really like your disc, and it would be just about perfect for my Kioti DK50SE. I wish they would put a clevis style (i.e., captured) type three point hitch attachment points on it. But it looks like a good, heavy duty disc harrow for compact tractors.

 

[jeff9366]

Thank you.

Brown Manufacturing, best known for their Tree Cutters, also produces heavy duty Disc Harrows for compact tractors; too heavy for my L3560.

I am happy with the Tufline, paint excepted. It is full-on ag quality. I like my tractor stuff over-engineered, when I can afford it.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, Georgia is a marvelous venue to shop equipment and talk with factory reps.


LINK: BDH Disc Harrows | Brown Manufacturing | 800-633-8909

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Jeff: I'm wondering about having notched discs on the front and the back. My first inclination was that I would want smooth discs on the back gangs. But, as I think about it, the disc harrow is for plowing the soil and is never going to leave a truly smooth surface whether it has all notched discs or notched on front and smooth on back. I'll have to use a drag anyway to get a smooth surface.

The notched discs on front and back should provide a bit better soil penetration, especially on harder soil or heavy clay like I have. I'm liking it more every time I look at it. I think the one with 18 22" blades would be the right one for my DK50SE. Plus, I would need scrapers since I have sticky clay soil.

 

[C4Ranch]

In photo 7, is that your working depth?

 

[jeff9366]

Photo #6 and Photo #7 are the same. Gangs were resting on ground surface for photos.

I should have had the gangs in the ground for Photo #7.

My working depth approximately 8" for front gang, approximately 5" for rear gang with more float.

 

[jeff9366]

Notched discs on front and back should provide better soil penetration, especially on harder soil or heavy clay like I have. I think the one with 18/22" blades would be the right one for my DK50SE. Plus, I would need scrapers since I have sticky clay soil.

The first reason to have smooth pans is to reduce wear. If you are going to pull your Disc Harrow 500 miles per year this would be a consideration. The second reason to have smooth pans is to reduce potential for deforming on rocks. If you pull at 10 mph+, in a train of implements, which some people do, this would be a consideration.

Agri Supply offers replacement notched pans through 36" diameter.

36" x 12mm Notched Disc Blade 2-1/2" Round Center Hole 4 Bulges 5-1/2" Concavity
The 36 inch notched disc blade is made in Brazil. Each notched disc blade is 12 mm thick, has 5-1/8 inch concavity, and a 2-1/2 round center hole. It is a great tillage tool that is built to last. These disc blades are made of sturdy steel and will dig through compacted soil. $231.57 each
( I would like to know weight.)

Once you get enough pan diameter, notched or smooth is secondary consideration. Eighteen inch and twenty inch diameter pans should always be notched for penetration.

I think your DK50SE will pull assymmetrical Monroe Tufline TH971822 fine, weight 969 pounds. The 7-1/2" spacing on rear gang gives noticeable additional float over symmetrical layout with 9" spacing front and rear. If you start to bog, which I doubt, you can Top Link adjust more weight to the rear gang and giddy-up again.

Make sale conditional on two coats of factory paint.

 

[C4Ranch]

Pappy, check the price difference between 22" vs 20" pans. Not sure you'll see that much difference vs cost. I've been looking at a 24x20" at 1,249# but my soil is different and my fields were worked a decade or so ago.

Jeff, great disc! Looks like a perfect match for your bota. I like the different spacing and gang lengths. Seems like it would provide a more universal use. I'm torn between notched discs vs smooth and 9" vs 7.5" spacing.. Just not sure what would be best for me.

 

[jeff9366]

Penetration is better with 9" spacing, smoothing is better with 7-1/2" spacing. I could not make up my mind, so I bought the Tufline "both" option.

(Actually, I was concerned my L3560 would not pull TH91620 16/20" in aggressive set, even though TH91620 weighs slightly less at 890 versus 915 pounds. I wanted the additional float in the 7-1/2 spaced rear gang. A good decision, made from experience with the 16/18" Howse. I had to ponder two years before I could make a decision.)

If you plow, maybe 7" spacing.

If you are "no till" choose 9" spacing, which will better chop crop residue. If you maintain firebreaks, or prepare food plots, which I do, 9" spacing should be your choice.

 

[C4Ranch]

Do you know what mm thickness the discs are?

TIA

 

[vtsnowedin]

Did you compare it against or consider a harrow from everthing attachments?
I'm considering their ETA-XD-LD-BF-DA-20-20 FOR $2425.
Everything Attachments XTreme Duty Large Deluxe Box Frame Disc Harrow

 

[jeff9366]

Do you know what mm thickness the discs are?

Sorry, I do not. Contact Tufline and let us know.

 

[jeff9366]

Did you compare it against or consider a harrow from everthing attachments?
I'm considering their ETA-XD-LD-BF-DA-20-20 FOR $2425.
Everything Attachments XTreme Duty Large Deluxe Box Frame Disc Harrow

I always consider ETA.

I have a Landscape Rake and a Cultipacker from ETA of ETA's design, both very fine, and a King Kutter Rotary Harrow marketed by ETA. However, I wanted deeper pan penetration than ETA's 7-1/2" pan spacing would give.

I think screw adjustment is worth paying for; I was willing to pay the Tufline premium partly for Tufline's lever adjust.

ETA exhibited at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in 2012 but was absent in 2014, where I shop.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I always consider ETA. Excellent internet marketers.

I have a Landscape Rake and a Cultipacker from ETA of ETA's design, both very fine, and a KK Rotary Harrow marketed by ETA. However, I wanted deeper pan penetration than 7-1/2" configuration would give. I think screw adjustment is worth paying for; I was willing to pay the Tufline premium partly for the lever adjust.

ETA exhibited at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in 2012 but was absent in 2014.

ETA has a line that is made quite similar to your Tufline. and the LD line I linked to above. The thing I don't like about how yours is made (and the lighter ETA line) is the cuts in the box tube that let the gang hangers through. Seems to waste the strength of the box tube by just cutting it off and welding on a fishplate top and bottom. The LD line of ETA and some other manufacturers runs the box tube all the way around and welds a single half inch plate to the side of it with the hole for the gangs tube cut in that plate. It just seems like a much stronger and better engineered design.

 

[jeff9366]

It may be. (Welders will tell you that a properly welded joint is stronger than the material.)

The LD line of ETA and some other manufacturers runs the box tube all the way around and welds a single half inch plate to the side of it with the hole for the gangs tube cut in that plate. It just seems like a much stronger and better engineered design.

This may be true. ETA is competent at design and evolving existing designs.

Strength of tubing purchased by manufacturer is a variable unknown to the consumer.

One thing for sure, my 6'-8" wide Tufline is overbuilt for my weight and horsepower tractor. There is no way I can break it.

That moots design fine points relative to strength.

 

[vtsnowedin]

It may be. (Welders will tell you that a properly welded joint is stronger than the material.)

That would depend on the length of weld and it's quality, but the flat bar stock would not resist twisting moments any where near as well as a angle or box section.

This may be true. ETA is competent at design and evolving existing designs.

Strength of tubing purchased by manufacturer is a variable unknown to the consumer.

Hardly an unknown. The steel industry has very high quality control programs and testing regimes. All you would have to do is look up a shape and grade in a steel manual to know exactly what you have.

One thing for sure, my 6'-8" wide Tufline is overbuilt for my weight and horsepower tractor. There is no way I can break it.

That moots design fine points relative to strength.

That is probably true but I, having a heavier tractor and very rocky ground ,need all the advantage I can get. When I buy it will be all smooth disks and as heavy as I can afford. If you can have a more durable design with the same quality fabrication for the same money why not have it?
Now remember we are just chatting about the merits of two similar machines that neither one of us sells so don't need to win the discussion.

 

[jeff9366]

The ag equipment business is highly competitive. Monroe Tufline has remained in business for 50 years, in a quiet way, while other brands have failed. Businesses that survive 50 years depend on repeat customers, in Monroe's case repeat customers over generations.

John Deere is a good customer for Tufline Disc Harrows, painted green and sold under Deere's Frontier brand.

Perhaps you should consider a Monroe Tuffline Disc Harrow in the heavier TL43 series.

Agriculture TL43 Series Disc - Monroe Tufline

I think you should spend your hard earned money on whatever equipment you want.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The ag equipment business is highly competitive. Monroe Tufline has remained in business for 50 years, in a quiet way, while other brands have failed. Businesses that survive 50 years depend on repeat customers, in Monroe's case repeat customers over generations.

Perhaps you should consider a Monroe Tuffline Disc Harrow in the heavier TL43 series.

Agriculture TL43 Series Disc - Monroe Tufline

I have looked at that model on line only as they have no dealerships within 250 miles. And again I just don't like that particular design. Their LO40 series is the only one where they don't use the top and bottom strap method and those are offset harrows and heavier then even I'd want. I certainly wouldn't shy away from a set of used Tufline harrows. I'm just being a nit picker while shopping for new.

I think you should spend your hard earned money on whatever equipment you want.

Your a hundred percent right on that. Be sure to show us some pics of the food plots you put in this spring when to get a stand of growth.

 

[C4Ranch]

Interesting that the Monroe Tufline drag type actually have a few gussets welded to the front gang flat bar stock to give it the "angle" strength.

But then again, that harrow is raited to 100hp.

 

[HarryN]

Being new to disc harrows. I assume the 18" disc's go on the front and the 20" disc's go on the back, correct?
And, why 2 different sizes? Thanks.....