draft control

[troweller]

I have Kubota 3010 and want to add draft control for the better operatation of a 3 pt pto potato digger. How much? How do I do it? Is it possible to disengage it?

 

[KennyV]

I don’t know that you can ‘add’ draft after you have your tractor… If you can it will be expensive, lots of parts… check at your dealer.

Yes if you have it you can set it to be as active as you like… all the way from too responsive to not working at all, takes just a slide of the draft control lever. Good luck, and please post back with what your dealer lets you know. KennyV.

 

[MadReferee]

The L8312 draft control option is what is used on the L30 series so I guess that means the L3010 too. It retails for about $400 and is a dealer installed option so you could do it yourself. I have no idea how it connects or how it works.

 

[DUMBDOG]

Have you used a 3 point pto potato digger before? I have with my NH. Just lowered it down to the desired depth and went for it. Stayed at that level without a problem. This will vary with the type of planter being used, if it is mounded or not.

On my new 4630, ordered the draft control for plowing, do not know how it works as will not have a chance to try it out until spring and then only if I can find a plow.

 

[troweller]

I have used my zaga one row potato digger and it works well in dry soil. Once the soil is damp, the dirt does not sift through the chain well. I found digger late in season and my hills were wider than digger. this year i will make narrower hills. I guy i got it from said than down pressure would help. I think that plowing and potato digging would benefit from getting draft control.

 

[DUMBDOG]

In soils that are wet, none of the chain type potato diggers sift well. However by using draft control, I do not see that changing. Draft control will just manage the depth of the soil, not the soil going through the sifters. What is the spacing on the chain? Mine are set up for one inch potatoes so that we can cater to the early markets, it does get to be a pain later in the season when you no longer need the small ones.

Mine does not handle the damp soils well either, the clumps do not sift through either and you have a lot of dirt going over the top with the spuds. Tractor speed also plays a big factor in the amount of the dirt being sifted through. When the soil is damp, draft control will be of no use to cure this problem, unless you are not maintaining a steady depth.

 

[slowzuki]

Draft control doesn't try to keep depth, it just pulls the implement out of the ground more when it pulls hards. Prevents you from getting stuck if you catch some tough ground to plow.

 

[_RaT_]

Exactly Ken. The greater the resitance to pulling the implement offers, the more the 3 pt hitch is raised. It works very well for some things.

 

[slowzuki]

Another point is big tractors sense draft on the lower links, works better. I'd bet the kubota draft works on the top link. Can be a bit quirky as the top link can push back towards tractor in some situations.

 

[troweller]

I heard that farmall tractors have down pressure on the 3 pt, is that different than draft control?