Chair harrow size for L3400 Kubota - to buy or not

[canoetrpr]

I'm thinking about getting a drag type chain harrow to drag over my pastures this spring. Figure I will use it a couple times a year or so - particularly in the spring to loosen the soil a bit.

I got two quotes CDN $
6' 6" width $ 533.00
8' 8" width $ 671.00

I'm on a budget here so these are the drag type - using the drawbar not a lift type.

I'm tempted to just go with the 6'6" one given how expensive these are working out to be but wonder if I would regret not getting the bigger one later.

As an aside, my neighbour has sections of another type of harrow. Hard to describe it. Its not chain but rigid with rigid tines that go straight down - can't be angled one way or the other to be more or less aggressive. My wife is trying to talk me into taking him on his offer to borrow his harrow instead. I'm not sure if it will work as well.

What do you think?

 

[KiotiJohn]

I think it would be a good idea to at least try it out and see what you think. If for no other reason than that you will then have some experince using something like that. You can pass your info on to others, or just enjoy knowing that you tried something new.

Maybe you'll like his, and maybe you'll want to get one like it.
I'm sure it will do the job. Probably not a lot that could happen to it if you're careful, but if you break it, you should repair it. That IS someting to consider, but if he doesn't mind your using it, I'd jump on it.
John

 

[JerryG]

Like John said, I would jump on it to at least try. It might do just what you want and you could get a good deal from him if you like it.

 

[greg_g]

A six footer would be a waste of time in my pasture. I use an 8x9 and wish it was bigger. How many acres to you plan to scratch? How big is the neighbors tooth harrow? What is your engine horsepower rating?

//greg//

 

[canoetrpr]

Hi Greg:

I've got about 12-13 acres of pasture. Tractor HP is 34 hp - about 27 at the PTO. Figure an 8 footer should handle just fine.

The neighbour's tooth harrow seems to be two 3.5 foot sections I would say.

We've just moved here 6 months ago. Neighbours are great and have both offerred to let me borrow anything I need knowing that I am a city boy and am just building up my arsenal .

 

[greg_g]

The tooth harrow doesn't really sound heavy enough to do what you want, I'm afraid it would just bounce. Probably ok to break up dirt clods in a plowed field or garden, but penetrating your sod......???? But that's no reason not to take it for a test drive at least.

My 8x9 weighs ~500 lbs, and even at that weight will bounce occasionally. I have a 45hp/4wd tractor, probably 33-34 drawbar horses. Knowing then what I know now, I should have gone bigger. That said, I think you'll be much happier with the larger one. Your drawbar horsepower by the way, calculates to ~25.

//greg//