Diagnose a bottom plow

[Haywire]

Bought a used plow today. What it seems to be doing is this.

If I shorten the top link enough that it will dig in, it wants to dive straight to the bottom. Lengthen the top link a little and it skips along the surface. Prior owner said it did the same with him.

Would a worn share cause that or is it more likely that the beam is tweaked?

Ian

 

[gwdixon]

With a BX it must be a single bottom plow. They are not that easy to adjust to run just right.

Look at the video on "Everything Attachments" on how to adjust a plow. Although theirs is a two-bottom it is generally the same.

A photo of the plow, shares, shins, and land slides (rolling and attached to the frog) would help to diagnose the issue. Also, post a photo of it hooked up to the tractor.

Someone here will help figure it out.

 

[Haywire]

Yes, It's a 12" single. I'll take some photos tomorrow and get them up.

thanks,
Ian

 

[Farmwithjunk]

EITHER worn shares OR ground that's too dry/hard.

A plow should NEVER have that "nose down attitude". If it takes that to get it in the ground, there's another problem.

"nose down" tends to make a plow "porpoise". (ie digs in deeper, then raises back up, then digs in again, and so on...)

 

[Egon]

Try and set it up so the plough is level when it is at the proper ploughing depth.

 

[MIKE R]

The plow should sit level. Watch the video from "Everything Attachments" on plow set up. If you have the time just play around until you get the setting right. I set my plow up once and then measured the length of the top link so the next time I only have to extend the top link out to the right length and I'm ready to go.

 

[bigtiller]

Our small plows are fun but can be frustrating especially in hard ground. I found that a 30 pound weight placed on the beam and behind the share helped some in getting the plow to get into the hard ground. But then other problems arose like drifting to the left and traction.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Our small plows are fun but can be frustrating especially in hard ground. I found that a 30 pound weight placed on the beam and behind the share helped some in getting the plow to get into the hard ground. But then other problems arose like drifting to the left and traction.

Plow drift to the left can be remedied by putting more pressure against the landslide. That's accomplished by rotating the offset drawbar (if possible on your plow) to skew the rear of the plow towards the furrow wall. Most of the smaller CAT 0 or CAT I single bottom plows I've seen tend to lack that adjustability.

And on the weights....Look at plows used in "Match Ploughing" competition. They'll almost always carry weights to get that instant soil penetration, as well as to help hold a more constant depth (prevents plow from riding up when it encounters a hard spot)

 

[Haywire]

Here's the pics. Looks like the frog under the share is bent back and there is a good bit of wear on both. The previous owner guessed that it was an older Howse but really didn't know. What do you think? --Ian

 

[Farmwithjunk]

IIRC, Howse plows use a Ford frog. (Ford wear parts fit them) There is some sort of issue with the frog, and how the share is not tight against it. Also looks like the share is wider at the heel end than at the point end, although that may just be an illusion.

Typically, Ford shares aren't terribly expensive. I'd start with a new one and see how it fits, as well as how it WORKS. There should be a bolt through that hole towards the point end of the frog. I'm assuming there's a hole in the share that lines up with the one in the frog?

Possibly someone replaced the original share with one that doesn't fit so well. (????)

In any event, the share SHOULD extend a bit below the bottom of the frog. Looks like it doesn't. I'm betting that's your problem.