3pt cultipacker question

PSEbowhunter · Mar 16, 2015

So here's the deal. I used to do all my food plot work with my ATV. Everything from corn to clover. I finally got myself a tractor and now re thinking some of my implements, mainly my cultipacker but I'm also tossing around the idea of replacing my corn planter. (JD 290).
Anyhow, i built a packer out of an old car dolly and a brillion packer. The idea was to make it a flip packer like you see for sale for the ATV market. It works great but takes some muscle to flip back on to the transport wheel side. The other downfall is how wide the tires make it sticking out the side.

Long story short, I'm considering doing some cutting and welding and changing it over to a 3pt hook up instead of a tow behind. Are there any draw backs that i should consider before going ahead with that? The only one that comes to mind right away is turning will cause it to skid sideways rather than turn like a tow behind.

A pic just because.

And my little 290, because I'm proud of it. Haha( never mind the marker arms being on wrong, i figured that out later!!)

Baby Grand · Mar 17, 2015

The way you have it set up, now, with a single point ball hitch, allows the packer to float & always be level with the soil. A rigid 3pt mount will always be leveled by the 3pt hitch's 2 drag links, which are normally linked to move up & down, together. So the packer won't contact the soil across it's length on a side slope if the slope is different under the packer from how it is under the rear axle. Since the packer is narrow, not floating may not be a problem for you, but if you decide to widen it with more wheels, it may become an issue.

If you use a length of chain to replace one of the lift links, then the packer will "float" for you, the same way it does now. If you have Top-N-Tilt and can float the tilt cylinder, then you needn't bother with the chain.

That 290 seeder is a gem, by the way. Did you restore it?

-Jim

PSEbowhunter · Mar 17, 2015

I hadn't thought about that. I wonder about making sliding sleeves of some sort on the sides of it where the 3pt pins attach to give it a couple inches of flex. I'm really putting too much effort into changing something that already works (good enough). But hey, that's what we do.

And the planter wasn't a full out restore but a lot of clean up, and repainting. Mounted the tires backwards to get the extra traction in the soft sandy soil we have in spots. I wanted to make sure it lifted and didn't just skid.

This was what it looked like when i picked it up.

Ed of all trades · Mar 17, 2015

The corn planter could be converted to 3 point fairly easy.

HCJtractor · Mar 17, 2015

I think the packers towed have better ground contact than the 3 point versions. I have a Brillion 7 footer 3 point style. How about redesigning it to be towed , but with transport wheels that could be engaged with a ratchet jack. I've seen several of these and that was always my plan, but never got around to it. I'll try to find pictures .

HCJtractor · Mar 17, 2015

HCJtractor said:
I think the packers towed have better ground contact than the 3 point versions. I have a Brillion 7 footer 3 point style. How about redesigning it to be towed , but with transport wheels that could be engaged with a ratchet jack. I've seen several of these and that was always my plan, but never got around to it. I'll try to find pictures .

Here are some examples. You could use your existing wheels, add more rollers for width, and redesign the frame. Then you have the advantage of the pull type but the ability to transport it. The additional weight would also help. Just a thought!