Sub soiler - bevel leading edge or not?

[Texasmark]

I use a Hay King brand and it can run 10-12" deep. It has an adjustable coulter in front of the blade for ripping at the surface and the blade is long and sharpened. The shank isn't.

Mine has 2 bolts per shank, a main retention (pivotal) bolt and a much smaller sacrificial bolt whose purpose is to be the sacrificial lamb on things such as you mention.

If I had a root problem then yes, I'd sharpen the cutter blades more and sharpen the shank........why not? Can't hurt anything and who knows might help you through a potential breakdown situation where you'd at least have to stop and reset the shank and rebolt it.

 

[bcp]

To cut through trash, the sharpened, swept-back shanks are often recommended, if not using a coulter to cut through.



Bruce

 

[sweettractors]

I got a 1x6" chunk of AR400 today for my sub soiler shank and now the question is whether or not to bevel the leading edge above the tooth or leave it flat?

Does it make any difference?

We sell the Fred Cain and Dirt Dog subsoilers and both come with the leading edge beveled. They will pull a little easier this way. Ken Sweet

 

[Jim Timber]

We sell the Fred Cain and Dirt Dog subsoilers and both come with the leading edge beveled. They will pull a little easier this way. Ken Sweet

Thanks Ken!

 

[Gem99ultra]

I got a 1x6" chunk of AR400 today for my sub soiler shank and now the question is whether or not to bevel the leading edge above the tooth or leave it flat?

Does it make any difference?

I can't give you a comparison, but I do have an old homemade SS with the shank made of 1" hard steel, beveled. With my little L3400 it will cut through smaller roots (1"-3"), but when I hit the big guys - that's a show stopper.

My WAG is that you won't hurt anything by beveling the leading edge, but you're not going to make a grown-up tractor out of a garden tractor either.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If it is as hard and w/o drainage as you say I would think that there may not be many roots in there anyway. Just a thought.

gg

 

[Rustyiron]

Jim if we were neighbors, I think we'd have a good time in the shop :thumbsup:

 

[Jim Timber]

If it is as hard and w/o drainage as you say I would think that there may not be many roots in there anyway. Just a thought.

gg

I've got 84.5 acres and it's got numerous soil types and conditions on it. Some areas are growing weeds well, but no trees have come in (former log landing), some are stone hard and nothing grows (buggy trail that's at least 100yrs old), and some is just plain clay infused sandy loam that holds water at the surface, but you can dig it with ease. The one thing nearly every square (100sf) of my land has in common is roots. I have trees everywhere. So when I plan on dropping a tooth down over 12", I just expect to hit roots of some size. Being that my land is also in a drumlin field, I also expect rocks of all sizes.

Rusty, having a competent neighbor would be a joy. We could have all kinds of fun as partners in crime.

G99u, while not as capable as a D3 Cat dozer (I'm 10,000lbs too light), my little 60pto HP utility tractor can still hold her own in the tugging department. I pulled the rear end of a 20' rollback tow truck while my 5,000# cargo container was on the back of it, in the mud no less, with my crappy R4 tires to boot... The little Deere has some stones when it comes to dragging a load. If, no, when I encounter a big rock that stops me dead, I hope I have the rear lift capacity to pull it out with the 3pt. If not, I'll just have to dig it out with the bucket or maybe get my neighbor's backhoe for a couple hours. We have boulders, I'm not going to deny that. Where they are 12" down is anyone's guess. There's good size landscape rocks all over a few of my trails. I need to pop those out and move them this spring when the ground thaws. Been a mine field for the ATV for 5 years. Time to smooth things out a bit.


I do appreciate all the comments and insights on this. I'm working on buttoning up a customers project and then have some more production work to do, but the subsoiler is going to happen before too long. Of course I'll post pics when I'm working on it.

 

[sweettractors]

Thanks Ken!

A shearpin in the Subsoiler would be worth considering. Ken Sweet

 

[Jim Timber]

5/8" grade 2 bolt and pivot assembly - already got it covered.