PLOW PULLING

[JD3520]

Can anyone tell me if my 3520 will pull two moldboard plows or two middle busters. I went thru the bone pile at my dad's old place and found parts to piece together a 3ph bar (to attach things to) and plow attachments. The 3ph bar was orginallly set up with one middle buster because he always liked to dig our black gumbo ground very deep. During his initial farming days we used an 8n and that one plow is all it would pull. If the 3520 will pull two plows what spacing between them is suggested? I have about 6' of bar to work with. They would be sitting side-by-side and not offset as pictured at TSC or Northern.

The land I will be working is 80 miles away (a lake lot) and sandy so I would like to have it set up before I start the commute if possible. Since my wife insists on "nice looking" I am painting the equipment down to the plows before setting out.

 

[MarlandS]

I've never seen two moldboards side by side, don't think it'll throw the soil correctly. But you should space them depending on the width of cut of the shares, measure from the landslide to the outside edge of the share to find your spacing.

 

[Soundguy]

2 bottom plow is usually offset. And a good running 8n should pull 2 bottoms up to 14" or a single 16" bottom. If the ground is excessively hard.. obviously you will have power issues, and may need to drop down in size / bottoms for special cases.

What is the drawbar hp of your tractor? Does it have draft control? ( Draft control comes in real handy for plowing.. )

Soundguy

 

[JD3520]

The 3520 is a 37 hp tractor and it doesn't have a draft handle like dad's old ford 3600 but the depth can be controled. I remember using various techniques to control the depth on the old 8n we have before the 3600. I will try to get a pic once I have it painted and assembled back together.

 

[Soundguy]

That 37 drawbar hp? engine? or what?

In any case.. sounds like a 3 bottom tractor to me.. 2 bottom in tough stuff.

8N had both position control,and draft control.

Soundguy

 

[BobG_in_VA]

HP doesn't tell the whole story. 37HP will be able to "spin" both rear tires (Don't know if you tractor is 4WD or 2WD). If its 2WD you need the weight to "pull" a 2 bottom plow. Also you didn't let us know whether you have R1 or R4 tires. Obviously R1s are recommended here for a couple or reasons. 1) Traction and 2) R4 rears probably won't stay in a 12 or 14 inch furrow very well. the more info, the easier it will be to say one way or the other. BobG in VA

 

[beenthere]

Sounds like you are talking of mounting two subsoiler's or two middle-busters side by side, not two moldboards (being as you found a toolbar for a 3pt to bolt them up to. If you have R-4's, then traction may be your biggest problem, but you said you were working sand, so it won't be the same as the gumbo.

Should work for you, but the proof will be when you try it out. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[JD3520]

You are correct. We always called our plows turning plows, shear plows, etc. i am not up to date on terminlogy. the tractor has r-4's and 4wd. should i space behind the tires or offset in or out from them?

 

[beenthere]

Spacing is your call, to get the field prep the way you want it. As long as the spacing is even with respect to the center of the tractor, the pulling will be straight-away.

Seems logically a turning plow would 'turn over' the dirt, and be done with a moldboard plow, whereas a middle plow would 'turn up' the dirt. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[KentT]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You are correct. We always called our plows turning plows, shear plows, etc. i am not up to date on terminlogy. the tractor has r-4's and 4wd. should i space behind the tires or offset in or out from them? )</font>

There may be a basic terminology problem here...

Here's my understanding:

Turning plows, moldboard plows, etc. need to be offset, with one in front of the other, in order to work correctly, slicing and rolling the soil/sod over to turn it upside down....

Middle-busters, chisel-points, subsoilers, etc. do not -- they can sit side-by-side, since they only cut a deep "V" channel into the soil...

 

[beenthere]

Right KentT
I don't think he is talking about a moldboard or 'turning' plow (or plows). Just sub soiling or middle busters, and turning up dirt.
He's talking of mounting these on a tool bar on his 3pt, so they will be side by each.

 

[rambler]

Your tractor should have no problem pulling a 2-shank chisel plow in sandy soil. Traction is a problem in sand, not so much hp. With 4wd should work out fine. If it happens to be laying around in the grove, you could _try_ 3 shanks, if it is real sandy, & that is 37 drawbar hp, it may work well for you. But be prepared to change back to 2 shanks of it doesn't - the nice thing about bolt-on toolbar stuff, you can always remake it with a wrench. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The depth you go is your choice. Deeper pulls harder. So, if it doesn't pull, you just go shallower until it does. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Typical shank spacing to work up soil here with a chisel plow is 1 foot between the shanks. If you have more of a middlebuster, or shovel more than 2 inches wide for the plowing, then you may expand that to 2 feet or so. (Also, those bigger shovels take more hp, so don't go over 2 shanks then.)

As long as you center the load on the tractor, the actual spacing is up to you. But more than 12 inches of 'open space' between iron typically leaves unworked ground & a poor job for most soil conditions. So, if you have 6 inch shovels on a middle buster, 18 inch spacing often is best - if a 2 inch chisel shovel, 12-14 inch spacing is best..... Most of the time.

--->Paul