Making Middlebuster go deeper

[johnk]

That XB is actually for a sub compact. Maybe BCARWELL has the yellow one which is the model for compact tractors...???

 

[andrewj]

What is the purpose of needing to go deeper than 8"? Any pics?

ever laid water line?

ever buried electric cable? telephone cable to your shop or building? irrigation line below frost level? I have had a drainage problem from ab out 15 acres and used a middle buster to put a dent in the problem, but I really wish I had a deeper ditch.

 

[mfrost]

Here is my 12" ditch and buster at full bite. It is nice to have top and tilt

 

[sandman2234]

I have a Kubota 7500 and a new Middlebuster from Tractor Supply. Used it for the first time today and the deepest I could make it dig was about 8 inches with the 3PH lowered all the way.
Could somebody tell me how to get it to go lower ?
Thanks for any help.
Bob

Seems we are getting two opinions on this post. Some think that changing the angle, or having TnT would be an advantage to solving this problem, but if I have read the original post correctly, the problem is simply that the lower arms won't allow the middle buster to go deep enough, dispite the angle, dispite the type of dirt/mud/rock/sand that it is being pulled thru. Yes, doing these things would help if he wasn't already at the bottom of his 3pt hitch travel, but he is, and although there are several ways of fixing the problem, the ultimate need will be to extend it some way or other without getting it too long. Too long will cause the problem of not getting it out of the ditch when you are finished, dragging the ground in route to the area to be trenched.
An interesting way to have both full depth and be able to retract it far enough, especially with smaller tractors would be to cut the main vertical bar and add a slip joint, using a couple of drilled holes to be able to raise and lower the digging tip by changing the position (which hole the pin is in).
It is actually an easy fix.
A more complicated way would be to add a hydraulic cylinder to the shaft and raise and lower it (past the 3pt arms available travel). This would allow you to get to a depth controled by how much hp and traction your tractor has, and approach a point where parts break if you hit something immovable below ground.
For those members that are fabrication oriented, modifying a reese hitch from a p/u truck by welding pins on a center plate at each end of the square 4" frame, allowing it to spin from a horizontal position (where you could use it to pull trailers) to a vertical position, where you could slip a 2x2 square tubing in it with the correct tip. A top link attaching point would need to be fab'ed to hold it in the correct position, but since it would be compression, it wouldn't need to be that high up.
David from jax

 

[bcarwell]

I <think> that's the problem (bottoming out on the travel) as it digs down 10 inches or so and just doesn't go any further and I can't think of anything else impeding it being able to go further (e.g. I'm not hitting rocks, etc.) And you're correct, I have to be able to get it out of the ditch. I have had a similar problem in digging with my post hole digger, e.g. about 1/2 the auger is left above ground, and I can only get a 2 foot hole or so. The auger works fine, and I periodically pull it up to take the dirt out of the hole, so its not a matter of the auger getting bogged down by too much dirt surrounding it. If I could dig 2 feet from the surface down 2 feet, it seems like <starting> 2 feet below the surface I ought to be able to go another 2 feet IF the auger could travel that far down. But it looks like the depth of travel of my 3PH, regardless of whether I have a subsoiler or a post hole digger, is about 1-2 feet. I think if there was some way to extend the reach of the subsoiler so at the uppermost reach of the 3PH the subsoiler was contacting the surface of the trench down 10 inches or so (from the first pass), that in a second pass I should be able to go down another foot or so IF the 3PH could be made to go that low. Maybe I need to fashion some sort of downward extender as suggested...
I think I'm going to have to use my tractor, as I didn't like the story I was getting from the rental store about $100 service charges if I threw a chain or broke a tooth on a rented trencher or rock saw. For $100 I could probably make something that would extend my perfectly fine and functional subsoiler downward another foot.

Bob

 

[N80]

I don't understand that. In the float position my lower hitch arms go almost to the ground. With everything removed and the 3pt hitch in float position, how low do your lower arms drop down.

 

[sandman2234]

Extending the length of the lower arms on your 3pt will increase the travel distance of the middlebuster. Just a thought, but be carefull with your Engineering! You don't want to break something due to the increase of the mechanical advantage/disadvantage of longer arms.
David from jax

 

[BTDT]

If you look at pic posted, and at drawing, I think you can see how you can make an adjustable depth buster using a couple of reciever hitches welded to an upright piece of square tubing. Then get square bar with holes, so you can raise and pin at required depth. Also, if you move placement of arms to hole closest to tractor, this will give a little extra depth. Hope this isn't too confusing, but I bet you can make it work.