Is my tractor big enough for a 3 bottom plow?

[schmism]

Re: Is my tractor big enough for a 3 botto plow?

rule of thumb (brush hog 5hp er foot of width) for bottom plows its about 15hp per plow. 12" take less, 18" take more.

my 33hp hydro just squeeks out my 2x16 Dearborn. A 2x16 was the standard 2 bottom matched with a 30hp tractor from the 60's

so the 15hp stands up from a number of data points.

so 3bottom ~45hp which is why 60hp tractor pulls a 3bot fine.

 

[schmism]

Re: Is my tractor big enough for a 3 botto plow?

pulls down the hitch pulls up probably doubling the machine's traction.

i suppose that depends on whether its tire limited or ground limited. meaning with zero down force on ice = slipping, all the down force in the world wont make you gain anymore traction.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Re: Is my tractor big enough for a 3 botto plow?

The 1652 is a large frame compact right? 3 bottoms unless its 12" bottoms is too much for here. I pull a 2 bottom 16" Overum which is an easy pulling euro bottom and it is about right for my 50 hp Kubota cut that weighs about the same as yours. I keep the loader on, it in 4wd and the rears are loaded to pull it.

I was plowing with a Kneverland 3x16 last summer with a 120 hp 4wd Ford/NH 8630 with a full rack of front weight and if you took the 4wd off she would stop dead. Not ideal ground I was plowing though. I bought the plow and will be running it on my 100 hp MF but I won't be able to go as fast.

I echo a lot of this. Stick with a 2-bottom plow for best results, you'll probably need to find a 2x16 if you can because my guess is your tires are too wide for a 14" plow. We pull a 3x16 plow with a 2550 Deere and it's all she'll pull at times. In good ground it moves along at a nice pace, but in tough conditions (ground that's laid fallow for many years, tough clay, etc) it can be a battle. Mind you, this a 65hp farm tractor that weighs 10,000lbs. Compact tractors can do some satisfactory plowing, but it's really not what they were intended for.