isappointed with Middle Buster

[Alan L.]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

Well I went to my brother in law's house where the famous ditching project was going on and found him gone and the job finished. Trench all covered up nice and neat, and my tractor all cleaned up.

Didn't get a chance to talk to him about how deep he was finally able to go with the middle buster. However I got it home and before taking it off I took some measurements and took this picture.

Based on what I can tell, with the lower links set up in the back hole, the most I could possibly dig is about 9", and that is to the very tip of the plow, the lowest part.

The tip of the plow sticks down from the lower links only about 20". Measured at the center of the holes, the lift has about 15" of lift. From about 21" at the top down to about 6" at the lowest. Since the tip of the plow is 6" from the ground at the highest position, and since it will only go down 15" from that, 9" is as deep as it will go.

I have not tried it, the the front hole on the lower links is about 3" in front of the back hole. Seems like it would only drop it about 2" or 3" at the most. Based on this, 11" or 12" of depth is all I can hope for, and thats just the tip.

The only thing I can think of that might help is attaching a different plow, one that is longer and skinnier.

12" might be OK to run a water line, but I was hoping for more, and I'm not totally sure I can get that.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

Sorry to butt in, I have a question.

I haven't owned a tractor very long and used mine only a few times. I have a JD 790 and come to realize
no down pressure on 3pt hitch. My question is do you have to put extra weight on light implements like the middle buster? Still learning.

Thanks in advance for the replies.
Norm

 

[milkman]

pbenven, i agree with you if your first drawing were true to scale. if you take your bottom drawing, and make that attachment point, your A hole, then make the B hole closer to the tractor, you will see that you do indeed have to raise the lift arm to attach to the B hole, I had the same discusion with my brother and on the BX, if i drill a hole closer to the tractor, you do indeed have to raise the lift arm to attach it there.

 

[Bird]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

<font color=blue>do you have to put extra weight on light implements like the middle buster</font color=blue>

Yes, on some light implements, such as light weight box blades, the cultivator plow that Tractor Supply Co. sells, etc., but usually NO on plows like a "turning plow" or moldboard or the middle buster. You regulate the depth by adjusting the length of the top link. You tilt the point down a little by shortening the top link and learn to adjust it so that the bottom of the plow is running level when it gets down to the depth you want.

Now I can't say for sure, but it sounds to me as if Alan's plow may have too short a shank if it still isn't down to the depth he wants when the 3-point has lowered as low as it would go, and since he says he shortened the top link as short as it could go.

I noticed some of the guys talking about only being able to raise their middle buster 4" to 6" above the ground in transport. I was never able to lift mine that high off the ground; 2" to 3" maximum when I had the top link shortened so it would go as deep as I wanted.

 

[kyoders]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

Alan,

I may be missing something here, but something doesn't seem quite right with the measurements. If the tip of the plow is 20" below the lift pins on the plow, and your tractor lift arms will go down to about 6" off the ground, then it seems the tip of the plow ought to be able to go down to 14".

I meant to measure mine today, but didn't get a chance to. I have a BX with the middle buster from TSC. At full lift, I can only get the tip of the plow about 1" off the ground. But, I am able to get the plow to run as deep as it can, with the bottom of the A-frame running almost on the ground. I haven't measured it, but I know my lift arms will go down closer than 6" to the ground (maybe 2"?).

I seem to remember something about an adjustable stop on the lift arms so you can set the lowest point they can travel. Is it possible your tractor has something like this and it could be adjusted to go lower? I don't even remember where I heard this. It may have been in the manual for my BX, or something I read in a post here on TBN. I will try to get back out and measure mine some time this week.

Kevin

 

[beenthere]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

After seeing the picture of your middle buster plow, you DO need to shorten the top link (if the one you have is as short as it will go, then get one that will go shorter) to get the plow to run deeper. AND move the lift linkage to the front holes. (Also note Bird's comments).
Now, I only question if you want a middle buster to go as deep as these changes will let it go. As you say, you may want to put something on that makes a narrower trench when you go deeper.

 

[Alan L.]

Re: Disappointed with Middle Buster

Kyoders: Yes there appears to be something wrong with my measurements. I'm sure of the 15" range on the lift, but the rest I'm not sure about and will have to check again. Unfortunately I now have the brush hog on there.

Seems like I felt pretty confident in this. When the plow is raised its about 6" off the ground. If I drop it 15", that will only get it to 9" deep. So maybe my measurement of the shaft on the plow is wrong - hard to measure since its not at a right angle.