Disc Harrow Disc Size for John Deere 950?

   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #1  

Olympus

Platinum Member
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
773
Location
Cape Girardeau, MO
Tractor
LS R3039
Hey gents, I need some advice. I just had two acres of woods cleared for food plots, two separate sites that are 1 acre each. The excavator guy did a good job of getting all the big chunks of roots and rocks out, but there are still some smaller roots sticking up and some smaller rocks, so I don't think it would be a good idea to start using my tiller yet. So I'm looking at buying a used disc harrow strictly for food plot tilling. I'm concerned that my little LS J2023 won't have enough traction to pull a decent sized disc, so I'm thinking about borrowing my father in law's John Deere 950 2WD. It's 31 or 32HP and has front weights, so it should be well over 3000lbs plus it has ag tires instead of the R4s that my LS has. So I'm trying to decide what the biggest disc that the 950 could pull. I've seen some YouTube videos of tractors that are smaller than the 950 pulling a 6.5" disc without any problem, so I'm thinking that a 7.5" disc should not be a problem. But I wanted to get some thoughts from the experts here. We're talking a 950, although 2WD, it's a gear tranny, heavy tractor with ag tires, so it get pretty good traction to pull. My sites are on top of a ridge, so there won't be any problems with muddy or low spots so there's not much potential for getting stuck. So what say you all?

My overall plan would be to use the disc harrow and buy a used landscape rake for the first few years in order to get a good amount of the rocks and root chunks removed and then maybe it would be in a good enough condition to use a tiller lightly instead of the disc.
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #2  
You can probably pull a Disc Harrow with 20" diameter pans behind the Deere 950. Keep in mind draft force resisting the tractor and Disc Harrow width are variable, depending on gang angle adjustment. In all ground contact work weight per unit of width is key. Pan diameter determines your weight per unit of width with Three Point Hitch mounted Tandem Disc Harrows.

Pan spacing is usually 7" or 9". As you have rocks, go with 9" pan spacing.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ing-three-point-hitch-mounted.html?highlight=


I would consider a Field Cultivator as well. I use both in food plots. Sometimes one; sometimes the other.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=
VIDEO: How to Use a Ripper / Field Cultivator - Gardening Series - YouTube

I plant both Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter food plots. Walmart sells Spring/Summer seed cheap. I buy Fall/ Winter seed from Hancock Seed in Dade, Florida, not far away. I mow the end of season crop short, then turn it under as green manure with the Disc Harrow. Food Plots improve in productivity each year.

For the LS J2023 consider a Ratchet Rake.
 
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   / Disc Size for John Deere 950?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Ford?

And I'm also asking about width of the implement.
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #4  
Keep in mind draft force resisting the tractor and Disc Harrow width are variable, depending on gang angle adjustment.

The more aggressively the gang angles are set/swept back, the narrower the operating width of the Disc Harrow. For smoothing, the gang angles are set less aggressively/flat and the Disc tills wider.

If you buy a Tandem Disc Harrow with 20" diameter pans with an operating width much wider than the two-wheel drive Deere, you will bog down with gang angles set aggressively. The first pass is easy. You bog on the second pass.
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
You're not really telling me anything I don't already know. I'm looking at angle iron discs so the gangs are not adjustable. And I can reduce draft force by not going as deep.

So again, any ideas about width?
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #6  
Angle iron Discs usually have small, THIN pans, 16" or 18". Most angle iron frame Discs have 7" pan spacing. Operating width between pans is reduced by whatever gang angle is set as default. Pans spacing is 7" only when gang angle is "0". You may jam rocks between the pans. Angle Iron Disc Harrows are kitchen garden implements.

Open the LINK on Disc Harrow adjustment.

My experience in Missouri is wide but shallow. I saw a lot of clay during my travels there.

I suggest a Field Cultivator over an angle iron frame Disc. Effective Field Cultivators are cheaper than effective Disc Harrows.
 
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   / Disc Size for John Deere 950?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Well thanks for the recommendation. I'm still interested in hearing more about discs though.
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #8  
I wouldn't go any bigger than a 6' disc with a 30 hp 2 wheel drive tractor, I have a Farmtrac 360 4x4 which is about a 36 hp tractor and I pull a 6' bush hog brand disc, when it is adjusted to cut fairly aggressively it is all it wants, soil type angle of cut do play a big part in how well the tractor can handle the disc. Good luck. Charlie.
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950? #9  
Olympus, as others have mentioned the soil type is important. If you are looking at a 3pt hitch disc a 6 foot disc will work. But for newly cleared ground, it would be good to have a shank tiller that will cut deeper than a disc. Be aware you will be picking up a lot of rocks and roots for several years especially after you run the shank tiller. Another option is to purchase a small six foot offset design disc. That cuts a lot deeper than the 3 pt hitch discs. With your 950 and 2WD the offset disc can cut deep enough to cause the tractor to spin. I have used both for nearly 50 years and can tell you the offset design will work the soil up better. The 3 pt hitch discs are more for smoothing the soil after it has been tilled deeply.

Also not having 4 WD is limiting. I have pulled a 6ft Dearing offset disc with a JD 750 in 4WD and gotten the same disc stuck using a Ford 3000 diesel 2WD tractor.

It it were me and I had limited options I would get a 7 or 9 shank tiller and a 6 ft 3pt disc. That will enable you to work the ground up to sufficiently deep. Willie Jones
 
   / Disc Size for John Deere 950?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I have a tiller already. Hesitant to use it for the first few times until I get some of the bigger root chunks and rocks picked up.
 
 
 
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