Plowing new ground.

[Farmwithjunk]

Final installment for today.

You know what the coulter is and what it does. Now here's where it travels.

Hopefully pic #11 shows that it runs 3/8" to 5/8" to the left of the front edge of the shin. (To the right as viewed, we're looking back at the coulter) With coverboards like this plow has, the should set even further iin, maybe 3/4".

pic 12 and 13 show the landing crank that rotates the offset drawbar as needed. That's a big help when plowing hilly ground.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

That's a terrific explaination. Thanks you so much for taking the time to do it.

I love the pointer.

Cliff

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I love the pointer

Poor ol' county boys version of photoshop

 

[GreenMtns]

Glad your back with us. Flu can do an real job on you.

Great job identifying the various parts of a plow. Easy to see where the landing lever makes adjusting the draw bar much easier. I guess if you have one of the older Dearborn or Ferguson plows you just went with the setup that worked on flat land.

Al

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Glad your back with us. Flu can do an real job on you.

Great job identifying the various parts of a plow. Easy to see where the landing lever makes adjusting the draw bar much easier. I guess if you have one of the older Dearborn or Ferguson plows you just went with the setup that worked on flat land.

Al

I started coming down with symtoms a couple weeks back. Tried the "ignore it and it'll go away" aproach at first. $.05 worth of free advice......That doesn't work near as well as I thought. Ended up getting dehydrated. I can't do anything the easy way. Wife and kids grounded me for a week to add insult to injury. Oh well....

In an upcoming installment, I'll go into how and where to start adjusting the drawbar for your tractor and your plowing needs. Most plows have an adjustment that is moved via a bolt where mine uses the crank.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

OK, let's go a bit further into landslides, landing, and tailwheels. pic #1 will show the direction that the plow encounters its resistance.....the dirt it's about to roll over. pic #2 shows the line that the just recently non-moving dirt is being moved and deflected. That puts pressure against the moldbord, pushing to the "land" side. (unplowed ground) To counter that force, the plow has a flat side that runs against the furrow wall. That's pic #3.

A flat plate sliding against dirt isn't the most efficient way to reduce power required. A wheel with a roller bearing is a big help. pic #4, that tailwheel again.

Next we'll get in to making the plow follow on it's intended path, moving it right or left to get it there.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Pic #1 will show the landing adjuster and the drawbar. As the crank is turned one way, the tail of the plow shifts to the left. The landslide is then pushed out against the furrow wall. That will drive the plow to the right, or towards the last furrow. Crank it the opposite direction, pressure is lessened on the landslide, and the plow digs in to the left, cutting a wider swath with the lead bottom. In some manuals, (Deere comes too mind) the landing adjustment is called "width of cut" adjustment. As a starting point, adjust the offset drawbar to where the furrow side is straight down.

Every brand of plow has their method for locating the drawbar in its proper location port or starboard. Pic #2 shows how Massey Ferguson suggests. The measurement is 6-3/4 for 12" bottoms, 5-3/4 for 14" (like we have here) and 4-3/4 for 16" bottoms. Measure from plow frame to inner-most point on 3-point lower link attach pin. (see pic #3)

With the plow on the tractors hitch, the inner edge of the front share should line up very close to in line with the inner sidewall of the furrow wheel of the tractor. pic #4

Massey gives a guideline value of 56" to 58" center to center of rear wheel track width. With common sized tires on most tractors, that SHOULD give you about 42" to 44" between rear wheels. That's not carved in stone, but needs to be reasonably close (pic #5)

 

[Farmwithjunk]

An add on thought to the last post. The tire width measurements reflect spacing for typical R-1 tire/wheel combos most often found on tractors. R-4 tire and wheel width change that thinking. In theory, the rear tire shouldn't be any wider than the plow bottom.

 

[RobS]

Very interesting. I'm still trying to mentally understand the offset drawbar thing. You said the crank swings the rear left and right, which I can see but wouldn't it also pivot the whole plow around the centerline (axis of tractor travel)? I thought that's how you compensated for that first furrrow?

Great pics, can't wait to see some shine on those surfaces!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The change in the drawbar is a very minute thing. Maybe 2 or 3 degrees of rotation will make the tail end of the plow move quite a bit. The process of leveling the plow side to side is done with the "tilt" adjuster crank on the 3-point hitch itself. At some point, when winter starts to go away, we'll take the plow out in the field and make "hands on" adjustments. That will show the effects of changing adjustments.

 

[milkman]

I've been following this interesting thread and have learned a lot, you just answered my greatest desire, I'm waiting for the "hands on" . Wooo Hooo, can't wait. Maybe you should invite us all over for a plow day.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I've been following this interesting thread and have learned a lot, you just answered my greatest desire, I'm waiting for the "hands on" . Wooo Hooo, can't wait. Maybe you should invite us all over for a plow day.

Bring your canoe and come on over! It's kinda wet even up here on the hilltop. I'm not sure when we actually will get to break ground. I plow 8 acres every spring for the corn maze our church does around Halloween. That will probably be where the hands on part takes place.

I'd like to have a plow day at some point. All us Kentuckians here on TBN would make quite a showing. Anyone need their field plowed?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

It's about time to hook the plow up to the tractor again. We'll go over some basics on leveling (front/rear and left/right) But a few more things about coulters.

In SOME conditions, and if you have big diameter coulters, you can set them almost to the bottom of the furrow. In most conditions I've ever plowed in, the coulter would serve as a guage wheel of sorts, keeping the plow from full depth. In most conditions, 3" of cut by the coulter is plenty. Also watch for the coulter arms getting close to the ground. They'll tend to catch stalks/weeds/ect

 

[m7040]

have an old 4 gang plow on the farm that i want to try to use. It is missing the cylinder to raise it but looks otherwise complete. Will I be able to pull it with a 70 hp tractor

 

[m7040]

see attached pic, will this plow work??

 

[Glowplug]

I'd like to have a plow day at some point. All us Kentuckians here on TBN would make quite a showing. Anyone need their field plowed?

I'm there. Count me in!! Sure is wet right now though.

 

[randy41]

Junk-that plow is beautiful!
7040-i think that plow should work just fine.

 

[m7040]

anyone know the purpose of the long treaded rod on the plow. Is this to make alignment adjustments for the rear of the plow?

 

[Glowplug]

Hey Farm! I had thought I would have to get a 2-bottom plow for my tractor. But the manual says I can use up to a 3x16. But I think that a 3x14" would be a much better fit. And a 2x14" may be easier to handle. How much you willing to let that thing go for? I could swing by and pick it up anytime. I know that plow would be properly restored and in good shape. I have looked at some used plows and browsed Sweettractors.com website. But before I had no idea what I was looking for, as far as how worn it is. Hopefully after this thread is over I'll be an educated consumer on plows.

 

[Gizmo36]

m7040 when you turn your tractor the rod will turn the wheel in the back.