Help with Faulty Furrow Diagnosis

[Chilly807]

It looks like an offset problem to me... that or the trail angle. The fact that the first two furrows are ok says offset is the problem. Generally, a 2-12 plow makes 2 12 inch wide furrows, not 12 inches deep as some think.

If the inside of your right tire rubs the left edge of the previous furrow, the landside of the first plow should be 12 inches inside the edge of that right side tire. That way you get consistent 12 inch wide furrows every time. My MF 2-12 has "tails" on each moldboard to better flip the sod, but I don't think that's the problem here.

Sean

 

[tmajor]

Take a good look at those pics again. It's not the left (rear) share that's shallow. The right (forward) share is the shallow one. It really looks to me like it's just not taking a wide enough bite..

I looked again, it looks like the inner/front share flipped it, while the outer/back share didn't. Yet, it looks like there was room enough for it to flip.

 

[nspec]

The last furrow in the pics is completely flipped. That would be the rear/left plowshare that turned it. I think you're looking at the pic wrong. Chilly: I'm with you 100% on offset being the problem. Look back earlier in the post and I describe how to change the trail angle.

 

[nspec]

Hey tmajor, sorry. I reread the original post and he actually stated that the rear share was the problem. My apologies. I should get my facts straight next time.

 

[tmajor]

Hey tmajor, sorry. I reread the original post and he actually stated that the rear share was the problem. My apologies. I should get my facts straight next time.

That's OK, .. it's a hard to read picture. In the first picture, on the left, you can see the tire track, but the "green side up", is the rear furrow, un-flipped. ... I thinkl

 

[nspec]

Perhaps if the original poster could take a few pics of the tractor in the furrow with the plow down, we could help diagnose the problem better. Don't even know if thats still an option, but a good pic of your setup from the rear and sides would help a lot.

 

[Erik Graham]

Thanks to all for the various insights. Weather permitting, I'll be back at it tomorrow, field and home are 2 hours apart, so this is a weekend warrior activity for the moment. Will look at all the settings, scour the plough surface and will especially ask my neighbour to tether that wandering cow!!

The first pass I made was with the plough as level as I could judge. On that pass the sod flipped in both furrows. On the next pass I did set the tractor in the first furrow but as mentioned really had to guess at the angle to set to compensate for the tractor angle. In hind sight (not necessarily from the tractor seat) I think I might have been adjusting the angle opposite to what it should have been. Also, I was adjusting the plow in increments of 4 or 5 turns at a time instead of the 1/4 turn that was suggested. That might explain the left (rear) furrow perhaps being a little too shallow and not making the flip. We'll find out tomorrow.

Again, thanks for the help.

Cheers, Erik

 

[tmajor]

With the right wheel in the furrow, the plow points (not necessarily the frame) should be about level, when dropped on/into the ground.