How much HP to plow?

[markcostello1]

Wife and I are getting more mileage on Us. It is getting harder to use a tiller due to medical problems. I have a 16 Hp Ariens with hydro trans, wheel weights and chains. Could this be used to pull a small plow? What size? Where to get? Thanks, Mark.

 

[Roadworthy]

Your best bet might be to hire a neighbor to do the tilling. If the Ariens to which you refer is a garden tractor or large riding mower you may destroy the transaxle. Also, a plow does not break up the ground as much as a tiller does. There's also the reality of the physical effort required to connect or disconnect the attachment.

 

[FordnMassey]

Hi,

If the Ariens has a 3 point linkage, you could consider the following:

Mouldboard ploughs are commonly listed as requiring 15hp per blade, or bottom, so it could pull 1.

Rotary tillers run at around 15hp per 2 feet of tiller. I've never seen one that narrow, but perhaps you could buy the narrowest available and remove some tines until it is 2 feet wide.

Check the three point can lift anything you consider using.

 

[markcostello1]

I have the Ariens pto tiller takes a couple of hours to put on and take off. a tiller is done before that. Wonder if anyone ever home built a plow to go about 6-9" deep?

 

[Carl_NH]

Brinly Hardy makes a 10" single bottom plow around $450 but as others have said you need to disc after plowing but with tilling no need to disc it. I don't see any time or labor savings in getting a plow vs the tiller you have.

If its the removal and installation of the tiller you would be better served either to 1) have someone else till it with their equipment or 2) get another lawn tractor to cut the grass etc and leave the tiller on all the time.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Hi,

If the Ariens has a 3 point linkage, you could consider the following:

Mouldboard ploughs are commonly listed as requiring 15hp per blade, or bottom, so it could pull 1.

Rotary tillers run at around 15hp per 2 feet of tiller. I've never seen one that narrow, but perhaps you could buy the narrowest available and remove some tines until it is 2 feet wide.

Check the three point can lift anything you consider using.

I had a 10 HP that pulled a single bottom for decades. Category "0" with a manual 3 pt lift that broke over like a binder when you lifted it. It would break up hard grass covered ground where no garden had ever been before. Did it easy.

 

[markcostello1]

Not enough room to store another tractor. My Wife can do the tilling but it hurts Her. I have several foot surgeries and My foot swells up after using the tiller. Thinking about just Me using it, it's the fastest way.

 

[bigtiller]

Here is a line of tractors your size pulling moldboard plows. They did this entire field.
You have plenty of tractor.
You just need a sleeve hitch and a plow.

 

[LD1]

Here is a line of tractors your size pulling moldboard plows. They did this entire field.
You have plenty of tractor.
You just need a sleeve hitch and a plow.

Thats a cool pic.

Kinda makes me wonder about the numbers? How that compares, speed/fuel burn compared to a plow like what a deere 9600 or case quad track would pull.

Certainly the dozen or so garden tractors WITH plows is probably cheaper than JUST a plow for a 500hp tractor

 

[K5lwq]

Thats a cool pic.

Kinda makes me wonder about the numbers? How that compares, speed/fuel burn compared to a plow like what a deere 9600 or case quad track would pull.

Certainly the dozen or so garden tractors WITH plows is probably cheaper than JUST a plow for a 500hp tractor

I had a Uncle that when he retired from farming he sold everything but 100 acres that he farmed Soybeans on using nothing but lawnmowers that he made little tractors out of. He built planters and plows and had a lot of fun doing it. He boasted how when he had a engine failure 4 bolts and he was back in business. He kept a shelf in the barn stocked with small engines he rebuilt for his tractors. He was very talented mechanically.