I have an (old) MF 14-inch two bottom plow with a cat 1 offset drawbar... The pins are too short to accommodate my cat 2 lift arms on my three point. Pin diameter's not the issue I have bushings etc. These pins were made unusually short for category 1. Any suggestions, or anyone else ever encountered this one? Thanks.
Plow cat 1 drawbar pins too short
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greg_g
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Unless the pins are welded to the plow, replace them with Cat 2/1 pins (see Cat 1 2 Lift Arm Pin 07024000 by Special Speeco Products #u504159 at HardwareAndTools.com ). They are Cat2 diameter on the pin portion, Cat1 on the threaded portion. Should fix your length problem too.
//greg//
gwdixon
Elite Member
I know exactly what you mean. My Ford 101 plow had the same issue. Cat 1 to Cat 2 bushings were no help since the securing pin would not fit past the lift arm ball swivels.
On the Ford 101 one pin an integral part of the shaft and is not replaceable. Cutting it off and welding on a longer pin would be an option but is not one I took.
Rather, a Cat 2 drawbar was purchased at TS and welded onto the bottom of the frame. See picture.
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savageactor7
Platinum Member
Good solution gwdixon.
beenthere
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gwdixon
A good solution IF removing all the adjustment of the plow is not important and the welded drawbar happens to be exactly where it needs to be. That would be "the luck of the draw" if it is.
In the second pic, shows all the tilt and angle adjustment that is built into the original plow part that was removed. Some of the cheaper plows on the market forego that feature, and must be devils to get to get the plow set for good plowing.
But proof will be in the plowing when up and running. Hope it works well.
A good solution IF removing all the adjustment of the plow is not important and the welded drawbar happens to be exactly where it needs to be. That would be "the luck of the draw" if it is.
In the second pic, shows all the tilt and angle adjustment that is built into the original plow part that was removed. Some of the cheaper plows on the market forego that feature, and must be devils to get to get the plow set for good plowing.
But proof will be in the plowing when up and running. Hope it works well.
beenthere
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Bushings first,
second if the bushings don't work might be to fit a bracket on the ends that would capture the 3 ph arm and keep it from sliding off the pins. Thinking something like the pair of flats on a trailer tongue, where a bolt/pin would drop through and keep the 3 ph arm from moving away. Possibly a loop of chain around the 3 ph arm tying it to the plow would work, but might be tricky to hold that way.
Or a heavy spring between the 3 ph arms to hold them together while plowing. Guess I like this approach the best.
second if the bushings don't work might be to fit a bracket on the ends that would capture the 3 ph arm and keep it from sliding off the pins. Thinking something like the pair of flats on a trailer tongue, where a bolt/pin would drop through and keep the 3 ph arm from moving away. Possibly a loop of chain around the 3 ph arm tying it to the plow would work, but might be tricky to hold that way.
Or a heavy spring between the 3 ph arms to hold them together while plowing. Guess I like this approach the best.
backdoor
Silver Member
Help me out here fellows. What would be happening if my plow was plowing crooked? And how does the offset drawbar help that? Thanks.
beenthere
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backdoor
You want the plow to be following straight behind the tractor at the correct angle so you are not dragging it an angle toward sideways. When hooking the plow to both 3 ph arms, you are at fixed distances (different than if pulling from a single point on the drawbar). So adjusting the "lengths" of the two 3 ph arms by rotating the plows cross member, one can get the plow to trail in the correct path behind the tractor. That trail will be different for different plow widths and can reduce the need to set wheel positions for the furrow wheel.
There is a lot to adjusting a plow to plow good. But many just are happy getting the plow to uproot some dirt, not much different from having a middlebuster or a subsoiler. And that is ok, as it just depends on how **** one is to have plowed ground that is smooth with no peaks and valleys in the dirt that is turned over. I being one to be **** about that.
You want the plow to be following straight behind the tractor at the correct angle so you are not dragging it an angle toward sideways. When hooking the plow to both 3 ph arms, you are at fixed distances (different than if pulling from a single point on the drawbar). So adjusting the "lengths" of the two 3 ph arms by rotating the plows cross member, one can get the plow to trail in the correct path behind the tractor. That trail will be different for different plow widths and can reduce the need to set wheel positions for the furrow wheel.
There is a lot to adjusting a plow to plow good. But many just are happy getting the plow to uproot some dirt, not much different from having a middlebuster or a subsoiler. And that is ok, as it just depends on how **** one is to have plowed ground that is smooth with no peaks and valleys in the dirt that is turned over.
I being one to be **** about that.
gwdixon
Elite Member
gwdixon
A good solution IF removing all the adjustment of the plow is not important and the welded drawbar happens to be exactly where it needs to be. That would be "the luck of the draw" if it is.
In the second pic, shows all the tilt and angle adjustment that is built into the original plow part that was removed. Some of the cheaper plows on the market forego that feature, and must be devils to get to get the plow set for good plowing.
But proof will be in the plowing when up and running. Hope it works well.
The 3PH on a M7040 is adjustable several ways so that the adjustment feature on the plow is not needed. The stock angle adjustment was very slight and just alters the "attack angle" of the plow. Presumably that function is used if a light tractor is pulled a bit out of line by the twisting action of the plow. The same thing happens with a 3 PH offset disk to an extent.
The placement and relationship of the original pins on the plow is what determined the placement of the drawbar when it was welded on. The bottoms are aligned to make the second cut run with the tires in the furrow.
The Top & Tilt makes adjusting the plow a breeze to do on the fly to make it cut perfectly. Thus the offset when running in the previous furrow is a function of the adjustment of the 3 PH rather than the pins on the plow.
It seems like those old plows were made when adjusting a 3 PH was not so convenient or even possible.
gwdixon
Elite Member
That works. A true "farm fix".
sweettractors
Advertiser
We run into this quite often and the easiest way to remedy the problem is with a angle grinder and grind back the shoulder enough to get in your lynch pin and slip over your step up bushing. Do this procedure and you don't have to worry about how to adjust your angle. Ken Sweet
That was the best solution I could come up with as well. Originally, when I posted the question, I was hoping someone would have an adapter of sorts. But it looks like that's not the case.
Thanks for backing me up Ken.
sweettractors
Advertiser
You are welcome. Good luck and happy grinding! Ken Sweet
