Forcing Scarifier deeper into the earth?

[AmericanTractorDriver]

Hello,

Shown here is the scarifier as far as it would drop. This earth was gardened last year and was plowed late in the fall. On firm dirt, without an attachment, the lift arms will lower to about 4 inches off the ground. Is this typical of a scarfier to not want to drop in on its own?

Thanks

 

[mjncad]

Since you list no tractor; I'm going to assume this was a relative's or neighbor's tractor doing work for you. In any case it looks to me like it could use some serious weight on the scarifier to get it to dig in. Three-Point-Hitches rely on gravity and implement weight to get the job done.

 

[bcp]

I wouldn't call that implement a scarifier, more like a cultivator. That is probably as deep as it is meant to go.

This is what I call a scarifier:



From Rankin


Bruce

 

[gwdixon]

The tines in the OP's photo look to be of fairly light weight construction. The number and design of the springs indicate that it is not designed for a heavy work load but rather to just agitate the soil.

A scarifier, as bcp has shown is more rigid and heavy-duty. It is designed to rip packed or heavy dirt and can be made to penetrate deeper by varying the angle of the tines. A box blade usually has those type of tines also. Plus, the weight of the box blade helps sink the scarifiers.

 

[yelbike]

I think all the replies are correct with the terminology but fail to answer the OPs question. Can his cultivator go deeper?
Seems to me you about 6-8" down so you only have another 2-4" to go. It should keep going down a little with every addition pass.

 

[paulemar]

Hello,

Shown here is the scarifier as far as it would drop. This earth was gardened last year and was plowed late in the fall. On firm dirt, without an attachment, the lift arms will lower to about 4 inches off the ground. Is this typical of a scarfier to not want to drop in on its own?

Thanks

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=308610"/>

Did you try shortening up the top link a bit to give the points a little more "down" angle? It looks to me as if the points may be just skimming flat at that depth the way it is now. As mentioned above, it doesn't look very heavy duty, so proceed cautiously, a little adjustment at a time.

 

[pacerron]

If you have a draft control lever on your tractor make sure it is all the way down as well as your depth lever.
If you get too much resistance ( wheels loose traction ) you may have to raise the draft control lever a little.
Your implement looks to have spring latches to protect the diggers.
Also check how your top link is adjusted.

 

[crazyal]

Did you try shortening up the top link a bit to give the points a little more "down" angle? It looks to me as if the points may be just skimming flat at that depth the way it is now. As mentioned above, it doesn't look very heavy duty, so proceed cautiously, a little adjustment at a time.

This is what I was thinking as well. It's hard to tell without seeing the attachment out of the soil though.

 

[Gary Fowler]

At 6-8" depth, there really isn't any need to go deeper as far as root system goes. You should be able to go deeper the more passes you make if it is a plow deficiency, however check the draft control (assuming the tractor has one) and lower it down as far as it will go and try it again. If it has draft control it will be a second lever to the outside of the lift control. That could be what is holding the cultivator up, when travelling it senses the load and stops the 3 PH lift arms from lowering any further.

 

[TripleR]

We have one exactly like that and that is about as far as you want to go on an initial pass, as mentioned those tines are not all that strong and are designed with the springs for a reason, to keep from bending them. Subsequent passes will go deeper if you feel the need, but that is about as far we we used ours. Those things really aren't very heavy and I don't know of anyone who uses them for primary tillage anymore; handy for garden use etc. though.

 

[Kioti Tom]

I have one. It is called a field cultivator. They came out when the Ford/Ferguson 9N came out.
I have one with the Ferguson tag on it
The depth
in the picture is normal. It is not designed to go much deeper. I have the manual for it
and does not show it buried all the way. I use mine in the garden and use it to renovate
a friends pasture. The ground must be somewhat moist for the pasture. Hard ground gives it
a problem.. I have used it in a field that had been planted 2 years before and it buried itself.
The springs are for when it hits something buried, like a rock, stump, or whatever, the tine
will move back to protect itself and the spring will return it after it passed the obstruction.
The springs are available for the Ferguson and Dearborn units. I got mine from a
New Holland dealer. They are the same. I had to replace 3. 2 missing and 1 broken..

If it is yours, have fun with it.
Tom

 

[flusher]

It's a field cultivator, not a scarifier. It's used for secondary tillage. The springs protect the relatively weak tines from damage due to buried rocks, roots, etc. Scarifiers don't have the springs and are of much heavier build. Check the design of a box blade which usually has 5 or more scarifiers that loosen the top 2-3 inches of soil so the blade can do its job. That's why they're called "scar"ifiers--they make shallow scars in the soil.

 

[Ted Summey]

Around here we call that a tillage tool. Mine has nine shanks and plow points. It really isn't intended to work like a scarifier. It is typically used to till plowed land in preparation for a crop/garden. It takes multiple passes to get the tool deeper. The shape and condition of the plow points will make a diiference.

It would appear based on the limited photo detail that a subsoiler would help break the hard stuff underneath the top 5 or6 inches. I'm not sure of the value of tilling deeper than the photo shows.

Based on the texture of the soil if you get much deeper you will plow out long slick clods that will be difficult to break up later. I pull a " float" (a heavy timber) chained behind my tillage tool to help break the clods up and smooth the soil.

 

[sixdogs]

That's as deep as it's going to go. I'd keep doing what you appear to be doing which is making repeated passes. That will get it a few inches deeper and is the easy way out.

You could weight it but you need to distribute the weight and might bend it.

 

[jeff9366]

Here is a link to Everything Attachments' video which may be helpful:

How to Use a Ripper / Field Cultivator - Gardening Series - YouTube

I believe you will get better penetration if you LENGTHEN the Top Link, angling the rippers more into the ground as tractor pulls.

You may also have an issue with how the 3-Pt hitch is set or adjusted but we would need photos of the rear of the tractor/three point hitch, to be able to diagnose this.

That is a nice unit. I hope to make its cousin my next implement purchase.