ETA Subsoiler

   / ETA Subsoiler #11  
<ship>

. I have never used one without a shear pin but I have never sheared a pin but by going very slow and very deep the tractor would spin out if hitting something solid under ground.

That's been my experience, too. As long a you're geared way down and moving slowly, you just lose traction.
 
   / ETA Subsoiler
  • Thread Starter
#12  
I had no doubt ETA was the way to go due to their reputation. I hope I didn't assemble anything wrong and it was simply the bushing being a bit short, although I would be sorta shocked if an 1/8th inch short on the bushing would make the sheer bolt that finicky and bend rather than break. Perhaps just an oddly strong sheerbolt? After getting home and getting things together to ship back to ETA, I noticed that orienting the top link bar correctly, oriented the ETA sticker somewhat upside down, which is now making me question which way I did have it on there... I understood the geometry and how it was supposed to go together before assembling it, but during the assembly process did I look at that sticker and put it in upside down? I really can't say at this point, but I'm sort of leaning towards possibly a combination of things... I'm just happy to have dealt with a reputable company like ETA who stands behind their products and wants their customers to have the proper tool for a job. There are hammers of many styles, having the right one for the task can make all the difference in the world...

I hope to give them much more business in the future as my projects require new tools. Next thing I'm sure I'll need and be looking to order is one of their wicked root grapples to clear a good bit of undergrowth in my hills. There are a couple other projects pending of greater priority such as a building to store all the toys in (running out of room in my barn). But I have a feeling I'll be ordering several goodies from them for the next several years for quite a few future projects.

I seem to build pretty decent tractive force with my tractor (with the loader and loaded tires I think I come in about 6000#), very little has made me spin a tire. When I do, my hydrostat generally has enough pressure built up inside that once I release the pedal to come to a stop, it still pulls for a moment. That's partly why when pulling a hard load I tend to start at an idle and only bring the throttle up as much as is needed to do the work, so if something does grab and cause pressures to increase, it can stall easier and it is not creating excess power against whatever has grabbed in the moment between when I let off the HST and it quits pulling. This is how I was taught to plow with geared tractors so if something would catch, the tractor would stall instead of mangle the plows. The same seemed to hold true with HST. Going slow also is pretty much needed for the draft control to work, which it seemed to be doing well on both passes up until the loud POP of the sheer bolt. I had been watching the 3 point and watching ahead to keeping my line, just so happened at the moment of the POP I was turning my head forward to check my line, so I didn't see it happen and reacted on the sound alone.

My parts arrive tomorrow, I can't wait! :)
 
   / ETA Subsoiler #13  
Great to hear. It's hard to tell, but based on where the paint looks worn off and where it looks like the main beam hit it kinda looks like it was upside down to me. I also can't see the top link bar sticking above the top of the main beam in your pic.

The top link bar should be angled a little upward when the main beam is vertical. The "groove" should be on the top. You can zoom into my pic and get an idea. Sticker right side up.

I too have been very happy with ETA and would buy from them again.
 
   / ETA Subsoiler
  • Thread Starter
#14  
I too see where it appears to have made contact where it shouldn't have, which is one of the reasons I do question if I did indeed install it upside down. At first I attributed those marks to the being part of the big bang of the sheer pin half breaking and half bending and everything coming apart.

I wasn't able to stop by yesterday and pick up the parts ETA sent to me, I ended up dealing with work emergencies from dawn to dusk, which spilled over into today, and partly got brought home with me tonight. I was able to stop by today and nab up the parts, brought them home and unboxed. I also fired up the tractor long enough to go get the rest of the unit and bring it over near the house to work on as soon as I have time.

Upon unboxing, I noticed ETA tossed in two of the bushings. Not sure the reasoning, but it is always great to see a company go the extra mile in being sure you have everything needed, and even the occasional spare.

Summary to this point:
Everything Attachments rocks!

Will update more as more happens. Thanks!
 
   / ETA Subsoiler #15  
Glad to hear that ETA backed up their product.

This tool does not look compatible with a real Quick-Hitch, the full frame one, but does anyone know if it is?
 
   / ETA Subsoiler
  • Thread Starter
#16  
No clue on that. I've never had a need personally; this being my only tractor, having telescoping lower arms, and my current lineup of implements makes one more trouble than benefit. ETA or any other ETA subsoiler owners with quick hitch experience are welcome to chime in with relevant info (no need to worry about hijacking my threads, I love conversation).

On another note, I found myself with ten minutes to walk out back and snap a couple side by side pics of old versus new.

newversusoldtoplink.jpg

Original on right shows the sticker was indeed reversed on my first one, but would have been oriented properly if put together properly... I really don't think I could have gotten it backwards by mistake, but I'm still as confused as ever on which way I actually had it together. Still makes me rather angry (at myself) to think that I'd got things reversed somehow...

newversusoldbushing.jpg

Original on left is significantly shorter than the one provided. Travis told me they would send one that had not been ground to length and some may need ground off, I told him that wasn't a big deal as I have nearly a dozen ways to manage that. I haven't yet test fit it to see if it needs ground or not, I'd imagine since he said it would, it will.
 
   / ETA Subsoiler #17  
Both stickers are upside down!!! That groove must be facing up so the main beam can tilt into the groove.

Travis, time to retrain your sticker stickerer.........
 
   / ETA Subsoiler
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Errrr, yea, what he said... lol I was looking at the picture and got to thinking backwards again... Quite possible I did put it backwards I guess...
 
   / ETA Subsoiler #19  
I'm looking forward to you going back after that spot the last one broke... Bet you tractor right through it....
 
   / ETA Subsoiler
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Well, no such luck. I had too many chores to finish up last year to have a chance to play with it more. Just had my first chance today, Happy Easter!
Rather than doing around the barn to dry up some spots, which is where I broke it last time; this time I was breaking up the hard packed clay that resides deep under the garden (that hasn't been a garden for 30 years) and causes a few spots to hold water. This time it was going along smooth, draft was just high enough to keep it from bogging the tractor too bad. Ground speed was minimal. Everything was going so good I went and grabbed my phone to take a quick video of it in action to give the ETA guys a "happy customer" action video.

On the very next pass I came across a deep rock that stopped the tractor. Tried to lift it with the 3pt and wouldn't budge. Backed off and raised it a little a couple times to find the top of the rock and pull over it then dropped the position control to go back down once past the rock. Kept going and had no issues. Once I got to the end and raised it, I shut the video off and backed up for another pass and when getting ready to drop it and turned to look, I saw I had bent the entire mainshaft. Now looking at the video I can see that the soil seems to be raising more on the left side (upper side of the subsoiler) in the video after hitting the rock, which was the direction the mainshaft twisted. Frustrated I didn't think to take more pictures, I just went and got the two bottom moldboard to turn the surface over before my daylight ran out...

I must not have had it together properly the first time, hence the shearing action. This time it was together right and didn't shear when needed. I really like the unit and I'm sure a lesser unit would have been worse off. But I'm beginning to think this subsoiler might not be intended for a 40HP 5000# machine to be pulling on it.

Anyone out there from ETA wanna quote me a replacement main shaft? (yes the big 1/2" plate with the angles ground onto the front.)

Here's the video in all it's unexciting glory...

 
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