8' pull-type disk behind L5460, possible?

[riverpro]

I'm in the market for a disc harrow. My land is flat and soil is easily worked up, sandy so to say. Tractor has r-4's loaded so tractor weight is right around 5500lbs plus loader. Looking to work up approx 5-10 acres per year, starting with 5 acres virgin ground this spring. I had my heart set on an 8' pull-type, 22" pans x 24 pans coming in right about 2000lbs. 8' seems to be the narrowest tractor pull-type disc without going to a utv type which wouldn't make any sense. For those that have some experience with an L6060 or L5460 do you think this is feasible? or just too big? Do I need to start looking at HD 3pt discs and most likely add weight to get decent depth? Purchased an L5460 hydro with a multitude of tasked to be done so I realize this is not a farming tractor but this is the only task on my long list where a bigger geared tractor obviously would've worked better. I'm not interested in purchasing any older discs as time for accessing and rebuilding is not something I have time for now. I also have a 6' tiller but cringe at moving at a snails pace. I know multiple passes will have to be done with a disc too. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!!!!! Just hoping to have all my ducks in a row by the time spring rolls around so I need to shop soon.

 

[jeff9366]

What is the spacing between pans on prospective Disc Harrow?

Nebrfarmr
Veteran Advisor - Successful Farming
‎09-22-2011
Re: Disc spacing

We have both a 9" and 7 1/2" spaced disk, both are older IH disks, so they are built similarly.

9" disc spacing - goes deeper, pulls just a little easier for the depth you are going, doesn't plug. Usually with the wider spacing, you go with bigger blades. Chops through heavier residue easier.

Better for going deep, and burying some stalks.


7-1/2" disc spacing - smoother seedbeds, doesn't make as big of clods if the ground is a little wet, cuts stalks into smaller pieces, but will plug sooner in heavy trash. In wet conditions you better be sure the scrapers are in A-1 shape, at least on our soils. One pass with it on bean ground leaves the ground as smooth as 2 passes with the 9" spaced one. However, in heavy cornstalks, and deep ridges, it is hard to get it down deep enough to chop the stalks in the bottom of the ridge all the way through in tough conditions.




jeff9366
1/31/2019
Disc/Pan Spacing

My primary Disc Harrow objectives involve CUTTING; opening new game feed plots, maintaining vegetation free fire breaks and vegetation control along woodland trails. Harrow weight on 16 discs, rather than 20 discs, puts more cutting weight on each disc. Spacing between discs is 9". If you have rocky soil, 9" disc spacing will collect fewer rocks.

Tractor users with SMOOTHING (plow furrows) as their priority may consider the 20/18 or 20/20 configuration. Both have 7-1/2" spacing between discs.

Disc Harrows are available with two types of discs: notched and smooth. Notched discs cut pasture grass and crop stubble better; in open soil notched blades jerk out trash, meaning vines and tree roots, which sporadically stick in the notches. Smooth discs roll over some vegetation that notched discs cut through.

 

[jeff9366]

Three Point Hitch mounted Tandem Disc Harrows have a significant proportion of implement weight supported by the tractor. This improves tractor traction. However, there is less pan weight on the ground so pan penetration is less.

Drawbar attached articulating towed Disc Harrows have all pan weight on ground so they cut better, which may be an advantage or disadvantage. A towed Disc Harrow with same weight and pan spacing will exert significantly more draft resistance force to the tractor, while there is less weight on the tractor, meaning tractor is more likely to lose traction.

Drawbar attached articulating towed Disc Harrows follow the ground better than TPH Disc Harrows unitized with the tractor. Not an overly valuable characteristic harrowing flat ground.

A transport Disc Harrow with hydraulically adjustable wheel height will vary pan penetration.

I am dubious an open-station L5460 has enough weight to pull an 8' pull-type, 22" pans x 24 pans coming in right about 2000lbs more than one pass through a sandy field. However, all my experience has been with TPH mounted Tandem Disc Harrows.


Is there a reason you are reluctant to use a 3 X 12" = 36" wide or 3 X 14" = 52" wide moldboard plow for primary tillage?

Then a 1,200 pound Disc Harrow with 7-1/2" (+/-) pan spacing for secondary tillage"?

How deep is your top soil? You do not want to mix top soil with infertile subsoil.

How many total acres do you wish to process in yearly segments?

My L3560 and your L5460 are close in bare tractor weight. I have air in L3560 rear tires, not liquid.


PERHAPS INTERESTING: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/332493-tandem-lift-disc-harow-monroe.html?highlight=

I'm in the market for a disc harrow. My land is flat and soil is easily worked up, sandy so to say.

Consider an APP/Field Cultivator for 10"+ depth. You do not want to mix top soil with infertile subsoil.

MORE: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=

VIDEO: Fred Cain 7 Shank 3 Point Field Cultivator 85in bar

 

[RickB]

You should be fine with an 8' tandem disc behind your Kubota. That said a 6' tiller preparing a seedbed in a single pass at a slow speed will do a far better job than a medium duty disc attempting to perform both primary and secondary tillage in multiple passes. In the long run the tiller will probably take less time and maybe less fuel.

 

[SDT]

I'm in the market for a disc harrow. My land is flat and soil is easily worked up, sandy so to say. Tractor has r-4's loaded so tractor weight is right around 5500lbs plus loader. Looking to work up approx 5-10 acres per year, starting with 5 acres virgin ground this spring. I had my heart set on an 8' pull-type, 22" pans x 24 pans coming in right about 2000lbs. 8' seems to be the narrowest tractor pull-type disc without going to a utv type which wouldn't make any sense. For those that have some experience with an L6060 or L5460 do you think this is feasible? or just too big? Do I need to start looking at HD 3pt discs and most likely add weight to get decent depth? Purchased an L5460 hydro with a multitude of tasked to be done so I realize this is not a farming tractor but this is the only task on my long list where a bigger geared tractor obviously would've worked better. I'm not interested in purchasing any older discs as time for accessing and rebuilding is not something I have time for now. I also have a 6' tiller but cringe at moving at a snails pace. I know multiple passes will have to be done with a disc too. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!!!!! Just hoping to have all my ducks in a row by the time spring rolls around so I need to shop soon.

You will be able to pull it but you will be working the HST tractor hard and it will not be moving very fast if the disc is angled aggressively and cutting deep.

I certainly would not try it with my L6060.

SDT

 

[RickB]

You people are funny. When I was a kid we pulled an 8’ IH 37 disc all over the farm with a 35 hp Cockshutt 30 that probably weighed less than the Grand L. You bought a tractor, put it to work.

 

[Tx Jim]

You people are funny. When I was a kid we pulled an 8’ IH 37 disc all over the farm with a 35 hp Cockshutt 30 that probably weighed less than the Grand L. You bought a tractor, put it to work.

IMHO there's a big difference in HP of older tractors & their new counterparts similar to comparing Clydesdale horses to regular horses. Yrs ago I square baled hay with my JD BO(14 HP)/JD214 baler utilizing the tractors trans driven pto. I've pulled a 2 bottom moldboard & 2 disk breaking plow with it also Do you have a newer 20 HP that will do the same thing?? I doubt newer low HP tractors will pull plows in the concrete type soil where I live.

R-4 rear tires aren't designed to pull a plow & I think in tilled soil(2nd or 3rd) pass with disk harrow that the L5460 will not have good traction if any traction at all.

 

[RickB]

Get real. We are discussing a 46 PTO hp 4wd tractor weighing over 5k as equipped. Just exactly how much tractor do you recommend to pull an 8’ tandem disc with 20 or 22” discs?

 

[ptsg]

IMHO there's a big difference in HP of older tractors & their new counterparts similar to comparing Clydesdale horses to regular horses. Yrs ago I square baled hay with my JD BO(14 HP)/JD214 baler utilizing the tractors trans driven pto. I've pulled a 2 bottom moldboard & 2 disk breaking plow with it also Do you have a newer 20 HP that will do the same thing?? I doubt newer low HP tractors will pull plows in the concrete type soil where I live.

R-4 rear tires aren't designed to pull a plow & I think in tilled soil(2nd or 3rd) pass with disk harrow that the L5460 will not have good traction if any traction at all.

Well, yes you can do it with an newer 20 HP tractor... That's how most people who farm for a living work over here. They use tractors from 20 to 50 HP as it's a good compact size still capable of doing some real work.

Of course, these tractors are setup either with R1 or R1 Radial tires and used hard in farming, in all kinds of tasks, brush mowing, disking, tilling, plowing, you name it.

In the US, most compact tractors are bought to mow the lawn or push snow around, hence the R4s, Hydrostatic transmissions, mid mounter mowers, etc. So you don't see many people using their tractors to do what tractors are designed for.

 

[jeff9366]

I'm in the market for a disc harrow. My land is flat and soil is easily worked up. Looking to work up approx 5-10 acres per year, starting with 5 acres virgin ground this spring. I had my heart set on an 8' pull-type, 22" pans x 24 pans coming in right about 2000lbs.

How much tractor do you recommend to pull an 8’ tandem disc with 22” discs?

OP is considering a drawbar-attached, pulled Disc Harrow weighing 2,000 pounds harrowing behind a 4,000 pound bare weight tractor.

5,000 to 6,000 pounds bare tractor weight with 4-WD would be good. Plus weight options OP's tractor has.