Newbie questions: Draft control?

hsvhobbit · Mar 29, 2006

Greetings, all; Newbie here, never owned a tractor before and trying to get a handle on all the options to look at before I drop some hard earned money on one.

At the moment the Kubota L5030 looks like a strong contender for my money but I've a few questions I'd love to get some help with if ya'll don't mind..First to the uses I expect to put this toy..errr I mean tool...I've got 38 acres of currently hayfields. I'm going to need to be able to mow this and am being advised that a 6' bushhog is probably my best route for that. In the near future my wife and I want to start planting maybe 10 acres or so of this to produce berries and various veggies and are looking at using a tiller for that task...Don't know if that's the best tool for that or not...Is my newness showing yet? Fairly soon we're going to be working over an area leading down to one of our ponds into a manicured and landscaped area and think that a box blade would be nearly ideal for that.

I've come across reference to a 'Draft control' which is an option on the 'bota...what is this, and is this something that's good to have? I have a faint clue but could ya help me? For the box blade if I want to angle it so as to cut a flat area on my sloped hill section (something like a step for a sitting area) is this adjustable and if so is it manual or hyd controllable?

The dealer says that he can add extra valves to the rig if needed, I just don't know if they're needed...I'd like to get it set up right when I buy the tractor so as to be able to negotiate the best long-term deal and not have to return to the dealer and get stung with add-on's...

I know my descriptions aren't all that good but I'd sure appreciate any help ya'll can provide.

plowrup · Mar 29, 2006

The best way I can think of the describe Draft Control would be, let's say we are using a Moldboard Plow-now, based on the curvature of the Moldboard, it wants to head to China (suck itself downward). Draft Control (different types of sensing used based on age, Manufacture, type, etc) will pull the Plow up so that you can maintain a constant depth. It can be Hydraulic, sensed off of the three point lower or upper Pins, Electronic, and other means. There-Clear as mud /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif?

hsvhobbit · Mar 29, 2006

ummm, not having a clue in the world what a moldboard plow is, I'm gonna have to just interpret from the rest of what you said ...so a draft control is a GOOD thing to have, or is it almost manditory?

Soundguy · Mar 29, 2006

Plow.. ta thing that goes behind your tractor an lays over the soil.. makes furrows.

And I'd like to add some to that 'draft' explanation above.

The draft control does not work at keeping donstant depth.. it works at keeping constant draft, that is.. whereever you have the lever set.. that amount of draft ( pull / load) ont he tractor is maintained. If the plow starts to run to deep.. or the soil gets thicker/harder.. or an obstruction is hit.. the hyds pull the plow up to lower the draft... etc. Usually on single controll hyds, the 3pt lift lever is setting how sensitive the draft sensing is.. ( older fords for instance.. you flipped a lever to turn draft on or off, and then used the hytrol handle for sensitivity ) many units have 2 handles.. etc. ( some newer tractor.. like NH for instance.. have a seperate handle for draft sensitivity.. adjust from 0 (0ff) and up, and works in conjunction with the 3pt lift...

Soundguy

DUMBDOG · Mar 29, 2006

To operate the box blade with the hydraulics, you will a top and tilt, either from Kubota or an after market one. If you go the after market route make sure that it is designed for purpose intended.

What the top and tilt will do is adjust the top link and one of the side links. This will enable you to put a slant on the blade with the side link and the top link will allow you to take more or less of a bite with the box blade.

To operate this you will need two remotes.

As far as the draft control is concerned you should not need it for the box blade or the tiller.

Welcome to TBN.

DUMBDOG · Mar 29, 2006

Here is a link to a after market top and tilt kit.

TOP AND TILT

DUMBDOG · Mar 29, 2006

For a picture of a plow. Go to one on our advertisers here. Click on the link for used equipment. Then click used tillage equipment. Click on a description for a picture.

PLOWS

Farmwithjunk · Mar 29, 2006

If you ever have to opportunity to use a mounted plow on a tractor with draft control, you will feel a "bump" every time the plow hits a hard spot. The plow will actually raise a bit, pulling down on the rear wheels, in addition to lessening the load on the motor. Harry Ferguson "invented" the 3-point system, as well as draft control. His concept was to permit a smaller, lighter tractor to pull the same plow size as a much heavier tractor. As soon as the draft load lightens a bit the plow will settle back to it's original position. After a few years of 3 point hitch developement, most tractors using 3-point went to a system that allowed "draft control" for tools like plows, and "position control" for tools like mowers. Even later on in the developement, most tractors employed a system that allowed some use of BOTH systems at the same time.

Look at an older tractor like a Ferguson TO-30 or a Ford 8N and you'll see a spring right ahead of the top link where it attaches to the tractor. That is the "master control spring". That is where the first 3-point hitches "measured" the draft load as the plow compressed the top link. When Ferguson won his lawsuit against Ford, they changed to draft sensing through the lower links.

rambler · Mar 29, 2006

You'll never miss the draft control. Unless you plan to do a lot of plowing. And since you don't even know what a plow is - don't bother.

You will want rear hyd remotes. Those come in handy, & at the least make your tractor more valuable when you sell it. Rear remotes can control many add-on implements you don't even know you want yet.

I can get into hours of detail on this, but the net result will be:

Forget the draft control. You'll never miss it.

Get the rear hydraulic remotes. You'll kick yourself as you add them later because you will need them.

--->Paul