3PT Down Pressure

[pat32rf]

Other than a post hole digger I cant see why it would be needed....well maybe if you don't load your trailer right..

 

[newbury]

The factory 3ph for my Case backhoe (replaces the hoe) has downpressure and float, but no position or draft control - works great with the Gannon box blade/hydraulic rippers, but not so good for other stuff. It got to be enough of a PITA to swap I just bought another older tractor. Box works OK on that with TnT (the Case hitch has that too) but normal 3ph controls aren't as good using the box.

It was kinda cool though, had enough grunt I could use the implement for a jack if I wanted to take off the rear wheels for anything...Steve

Other than a post hole digger I cant see why it would be needed....well maybe if you don't load your trailer right..

Like Steve wrote.

I've used my backhoe's stabilizers to lift the rear so I could fix a flat.

 

[Soundguy]

Other than a post hole digger I cant see why it would be needed....well maybe if you don't load your trailer right..

that might be iffy too. could lead to a bent bit and stripped flutes.. besides, most of the time phd's dig too fast, and then you get to use the 6' pipe wrench on them.

 

[swines]

Other than a post hole digger I cant see why it would be needed

The local dairy farm has a lot of acreage in alfalfa that is irrigated using flood irrigation. The flood irrigation causes the soil to compact over a couple of years so they use a John Deere 6350 with a 5 tine sub-soiler to loosen the soil.

The sub-soiler tines are about 3-4 feet long. The operator sinks the sub-soiler at the start of a new pass using down pressure. Without down pressure, he would have to just let the sub-soiler dig its way into the soil to whatever depth it could reach given the soil compaction - which would defeat the purpose of the cultivation for a substantial part of each pass.

The down pressure keeps the sub-soiler at its maximum depth from the start to the end of each pass.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

My Belarus has down pressure and it is handy when using the phd even if it's just to sink the tip firmly prior to starting the hole.

Using down pressure with ground engaging implements does usually result in a loss of traction. When I use the box blade I run it in float and adjust the cut with my hydraulic top link. It has an adjustable stop to limit the downward travel but I don't normally use it.

Since my Kama usually has the backhoe attached, I run most of my 3-point implements on the Belarus: PHD, 72" rough cut mower, box blade, angle blade, bale spear, cement mixer, and even my log splitter. The hyd. flow is low but I added a regen valve to the splitter which helps.

 

[CalG]

The local dairy farm has a lot of acreage in alfalfa that is irrigated using flood irrigation. The flood irrigation causes the soil to compact over a couple of years so they use a John Deere 6350 with a 5 tine sub-soiler to loosen the soil.

The sub-soiler tines are about 3-4 feet long. The operator sinks the sub-soiler at the start of a new pass using down pressure. Without down pressure, he would have to just let the sub-soiler dig its way into the soil to whatever depth it could reach given the soil compaction - which would defeat the purpose of the cultivation for a substantial part of each pass.

The down pressure keeps the sub-soiler at its maximum depth from the start to the end of each pass.

Draft control does the same without the "complication" of down pressure.

A properly designed and mounted ripper will head for the depths faster than a tractor can make forward progress, so the "let the sub soiler dig it's way ..." is not an issue!

 

[Soundguy]

Agreed, properly adjusted plows dig on their own, and you have to limo their dig, not help it

 

[swines]

Draft control does the same without the "complication" of down pressure.

A properly designed and mounted ripper will head for the depths faster than a tractor can make forward progress, so the "let the sub soiler dig it's way ..." is not an issue!

Whatever...you're apparently an expert on these issues...I'm only reporting what the local dairy does with their equipment and how they use down pressure and why.

They've been farming the area for 3+ generations and own about 20 tractors. I'm assuming they actually know what they're doing and how to use the equipment.

I can tell you I know they were using down pressure with the sub-soiler because I've watched them in their fields for the past 18 years. I see the operator sink the sub-soiler to its full depth with the tractor stopped at the end of the field - and then proceed forward with the sub-soiler at it's full depth for the length of the field, stop, raise the sub-soiler, turn the tractor around and repeat the process.

I'll have to tell them that an Internet keyboard farmer has absolutely determined they're using the equipment incorrectly...I'm sure they'll be duly impressed...

 

[Fallon]

Wow, a lot of hate there... Almost all 3 point implements do work off of weight or self burying action though, not down pressure. Maybe 5% of tractors have down pressure, so its the exception rather than the rule.

It takes my subsoiler 5-10 feet to bury itself all the way down. I was hanging a bucket of cement on it at one point to help it go faster.

 

[LD1]

The problem with down pressure is that it is hard to control. Unless your land is as flat as a runway of course.

IF someone were to design a system with PRV to control it instead of full pressure, and you could add say 200# of downforce to a rear blade that is too light, that would be handy at times. But with current tractors with down pressure, its all or nothing. So if you set it for what you want and get your rear blade to take a good bite. Then lets say you start up an incline, blade cannot float UP, instead it trys to burry itself until you unload the tires enough you spin out.

And with downpressure, there is no float either. So lets say the front tires start down a hill, blade comes up and looses all the dirt.

Now down pressure (IE float) is better for 99% of the stuff you can do with the 3PH.