Restoration of an old disc, any advice?

[cowski]

i would get tires and cylinder then hook it up and try it out.your tractor may pull it some but it will not pull it with new blades in soil where it will sink up to the axle.the old bearings may surprise you.as much as they cost ,i would only replace when necessary.

 

[hrcarver]

Looks like an offset harrow rather than a finishing harrow. I'd say 90+hp would be best, but you can tote it some if you have too. I'd start with the bad bearings and used tires before I sunk too much money into it. You should get years of service for that $100. I have one just a little heavier than that and it will flat squat a 130 hp mfwd tractor.

You can adjust the angle of the cut to make it easier to pull to, probably better suit your needs if you set it at a light angle, and it will be TONS easier to pull. Also, a more shallow angle will make the bearings last longer too.

 

[wolc123]

I am curious why your 3 pt disc is "just about worthless"? Especially if it is a good one, and heavy? My biggest problem with 3-point discs is the extra fuel they require to get the job done, compared to a tiller or a pull-type disc. A couple of folks on this site have never agreed with my reasoning however, but every farmer I have met in real-life concurs. That particular pull-type disc you pictured does look to be a lot heavier than would be needed for most foodplot work however. A few years ago, I picked up a much lighter, old, 8-foot JD "drag" disc, that basically gets the job done for me using less than half the fuel than the 6.5 foot, Dearborn, 3-point that I used for (20) years prior. The best part was, it didnt cost me a dime, because an old farmer threw it in with a wagonload of "junk" for $100, and I got more than that for the rest of the load. All that old JD disc needed was a new rope (controls the angle from the tractor seat), and a little work on one rack of "cleaners". I really needed those cleaners this year. Here in Upstate NY, we had record spring rains so I had to use it in a little mud to get all my corn in in time to beat the frost. Also, it sure was nice to be able to pull a single pin and leave that disc in the mud hole, the one time I did loose traction with even my 4wd tractor. Unleaden,the tractor walked right out, I pulled a chain out of the toolbox, dragged the disc onto some dry ground, and was back at it in under 5 minutes, hardly getting any mud on myself. After every use, I give it a few shots of grease, and I dont worry about storing it outside since it was free. Maybe I am not doing as much "work" as I was the years I used the heavier 3-point disc, which may explain some of my fuel savings. What explains the as-good, or better crop yields I have obtained these last (3) years for less than half the fuel input however?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I am curious why your 3 pt disc is "just about worthless"? Especially if it is a good one, and heavy? My biggest problem with 3-point discs is the extra fuel they require to get the job done, compared to a tiller or a pull-type disc. A couple of folks on this site have never agreed with my reasoning however, but every farmer I have met in real-life concurs. That particular pull-type disc you pictured does look to be a lot heavier than would be needed for most foodplot work however. A few years ago, I picked up a much lighter, old, 8-foot JD "drag" disc, that basically gets the job done for me using less than half the fuel than the 6.5 foot, Dearborn, 3-point that I used for (20) years prior. The best part was, it didnt cost me a dime, because an old farmer threw it in with a wagonload of "junk" for $100, and I got more than that for the rest of the load. All that old JD disc needed was a new rope (controls the angle from the tractor seat), and a little work on one rack of "cleaners". I really needed those cleaners this year. Here in Upstate NY, we had record spring rains so I had to use it in a little mud to get all my corn in in time to beat the frost. Also, it sure was nice to be able to pull a single pin and leave that disc in the mud hole, the one time I did loose traction with even my 4wd tractor. Unleaden,the tractor walked right out, I pulled a chain out of the toolbox, dragged the disc onto some dry ground, and was back at it in under 5 minutes, hardly getting any mud on myself. After every use, I give it a few shots of grease, and I dont worry about storing it outside since it was free. Maybe I am not doing as much "work" as I was the years I used the heavier 3-point disc, which may explain some of my fuel savings. What explains the as-good, or better crop yields I have obtained these last (3) years for less than half the fuel input however?

Discing in mud? Why would anyone want to ruin their property like that. Why not just pour concrete on your ground....That wouldn't result in any harder, more compacted seedbed. If it's so wet you're getting stuck, it's WAY too wet to be discing.


3-point disc uses more fuel? More than double.... Now it gets even MORE hysterical. That's nonsense and anyone with a lick of sense understands that unfounded claim is just pure and simple....WRONG. Back THAT claim up with hard numbers...instead of anecdotal comments that aren't even close to being believable.

So how do you determine "better crop yields"....? Did you do side by side comparison in the same field in the same year? Yeah, I know...You didn't.... Do you have numbers.....(Not make 'em up as you go stuff,,,, REAL yield numbers...) How do you determine yield on a food plot where you don't actually harvest anything? (Oh wait! I know! You make 'em up as you go to support a fictitious claim!!)...So THAT claim is just as bogus too.

You would think that with NO ONE agreeing with you, on this site as well as several others, that you would begin to look at reality and see your claims have NO....NONE.....ZERO.....basis in fact, just the on-going fantasy you're living with...

Every farmer you've met in real life concurs? Now THAT'S funny stuff right there!!! Apparently you've never met a "real farmer"....Just the ones that live in your make believe world....A couple people don't agree? You might want to get some help counting.....NO ONE agreed with you....NO ONE. (because your claims are utter nonsense)

Gotta hand it to ya though....You DID get one part right....The part about a "wagon load of junk".

 

[hrcarver]

Its hard to find a 3 pt disk heavy enough to work, but they are out there. Also helps if you run the top link longer, not sure why but makes a world of difference.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Its hard to find a 3 pt disk heavy enough to work, but they are out there. Also helps if you run the top link longer, not sure why but makes a world of difference.

Yep...There are some EXCELLENT 3-point disc's available. A few older versions as well as a limited number of newer brands/models. Most of the cheaper, lightweight "play toys" are a waste of time, but a GOOD 3-point disc will do a great job.

The longer top link puts the rear gangs into the equation. Too many people use a 3-point disc improperly. They want to put ALL the weight on the front gangs just to see them dig. Unless you get equal soil penetration front to rear, you get no leveling action, just digging ruts. ANY disc does a better job when it's operated LEVEL, side to side, and front to rear. The rigid frames combined with level operation give you a level, consistent seed bed.

As evidenced by one post above a ways, you'll see where people try to use equipment improperly (wrong conditions, ect)............... Blaming equipment for poor results that are directly the result of "operator error"..............

 

[wolc123]

HJC, are you ever going to tell us why your 3-point disc is "pretty much worthless, even though it is a fairly good one and heavy". Dont let FWJ scare you, he really means no harm. For some reason, this is a very sensitive subject for him. I saved enough cash in fuel alone, since changing to a "drag" disc, the last (3) years to take my family of (4) on a week's vacation in Disney World (just got back). That is my motivation here, which I see as quite a noble cause. I want some more folks, such as yourself, to keep a little more of your cash out of the hands of OPEC. Sending a few more 3-point discs to the scrap heap would be a fine place to start.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Do any of you have pictures of the 3pt units that you have given up on and the drags disks that you are now happy with? I am curious what the difference actually is other than how they are attached to the tractor.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

HJC, are you ever going to tell us why your 3-point disc is "pretty much worthless, even though it is a fairly good one and heavy". Dont let FWJ scare you, he really means no harm. For some reason, this is a very sensitive subject for him. I saved enough cash in fuel alone, since changing to a "drag" disc, the last (3) years to take my family of (4) on a week's vacation in Disney World (just got back). That is my motivation here, which I see as quite a noble cause. I want some more folks, such as yourself, to keep a little more of your cash out of the hands of OPEC. Sending a few more 3-point discs to the scrap heap would be a fine place to start.

From the content of your latest post, it seems you're still in a "Disney World" state of mind. The latest loonie toons claims are the wildest, most imaginative yet, .....Enought to pay for a vacation to Disney World......Do you actually think ANYONE will beleive you saved that sort of money of fuel discing a 1/4-acre food plot? You should really think about what you post before you hit the send button. You claim you cut fuel use in half.....A trip from where you live to Fla, a week at Disney World, and back home would EASILY cost $1000 for 4 people...(If you slept in an alley, ate crackers and drank water, not to mention travel cost......So you previously spent $2000 on fuel to disc a 1/4-acre? You couldn't burn $2000 worth of gas with an old 8N Ford in 100 years of the kind of discing you do. I gotta hand it to ya, that's probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever read on the internet. When you post a whopper, you go all the way! I can't wait to see what you post NEXT.....Gonna save enough fuel on your garden to go to Mars next year?

Not a "sensitive subject" for me....More like a moment of hysterical laughter every time I read the nonsense you post. You mightw ant to consider NO ONE has ever agreed with you, and the FACT that drag disc's disappeared from equipment line-ups half a century ago. My posting a reply to you is just to keep the levity flowing when you post the NEXT ridiculous post about "saving fuel". Noble cause....That there is some funny stuff!!!!

If you want a shred of credability (which you now no longer have ANY....) , you MIGHT wanna try posting something even a slight bit believable next time...Your latest installment sure isn't.

 

[wolc123]

I am still waiting to hear back from the OP. It sounds like he may agree with me. I am sorry to have gotten under your skin again FWJ. One thing you wont get out of me is a personal attack but I do welcome yours. By the way, my total plot/garden acreage is closer to 50 than 1/4 which helps a bit with the math.