Plowing

[chardage]

Thinking about buying an older tractor for plowing. will use a 2 bottom. use for crops and smoothing/ restoring about 15 acres of improved pasture. i hear the International Farmall 140 is good for this. Other suggestions?

 

[texas42]

A 140 would likely not do well with 2 bottoms, in fact probably not pull it at all
You would need to go up to at lea a 230 if not a 300 to pull 2 bottoms at a reasonable pace

 

[oosik]

Bottom, moldboard plowing is one of the toughest "pulls" for a tractor. I have a 16 inch - single bottom - moldboard plow. I plow 6" to 8" deep and at times this is a real chore for my M6040.

That's some 64 engine HP on a single bottom plow.

 

[jyoutz]

I suggest getting a Fred Cain multi-shank plow instead of a moldboard plow for smaller tractors. They work great and are easier to pull and use than a moldboard plow.

Fred Cain 9 Shank 3 Point Field Cultivator

This Field Cultivator is a good attachment to break new ground or to tear up the hard pan in the field. Free Shipping

www.everythingattachments.com

 

[jaxs]

A 140 isn't enough horsepower to do meaningful work. I'd get at least 30 horse and feel better with 40. Regardless of horsepower it can do more work with disc type turning plow compared to moldboard. Two things make a lot of difference when choosing a tractor. Whether you plan to use a rotary mower and if you need the mower on 3 point apposed to drag. If you can live without 3 point AND you know how to judge condition of tractors Farmall H,Super H,M and Super M are workhorses that sell for less than half what their 3 point counterparts do. My first choice of vintage tractors for small acreage are 4 cylinder 2000 and 4000 Ford. Unless you have mechanical experience with diesels and plan doing your own repair,stay away from diesel that isn't in top condition.

 

[milkman636]

A 140 isn't enough horsepower to do meaningful work. I'd get at least 30 horse and feel better with 40. Regardless of horsepower it can do more work with disc type turning plow compared to moldboard. Two things make a lot of difference when choosing a tractor. Whether you plan to use a rotary mower and if you need the mower on 3 point apposed to drag. If you can live without 3 point AND you know how to judge condition of tractors Farmall H,Super H,M and Super M are workhorses that sell for less than half what their 3 point counterparts do. My first choice of vintage tractors for small acreage are 4 cylinder 2000 and 4000 Ford. Unless you have mechanical experience with diesels and plan doing your own repair,stay away from diesel that isn't in top condition.

I used to plow gardens with a Ford 2000 tractor and a Ford 2x14 plow. It would have probably struggled some with 16" bottoms. A Ford 3000 or 4000 would be a great match for almost any two bottom plow. Ford also made some of the best two bottom plows.

Another important consideration should be getting a plow with coulters and good points on it. Getting the plow adjusted properly so the pull is straight and level will be an important factor in how well the tractor pulls it too.

 

[workinonit]

A 140 will pull a 2 bottom plow just fine. Maybe not on unbroken pasture but turning farm ground they are fine. I've spent half my life on one. That said, I wouldn't buy a 140 nowadays for that task. Too many tractors that do that so much better. I have 3 140s and just use them for planting and cultivating the garden.

 

[Like Tractors]

A little recreational plowing with my M5_091 and an Oliver 546 4-16" plow. It walks the dog through good Iowa soil, where there is compaction it will make her snort a little.

 

[wolc123]

If you want to get an old tractor for plowing, I would recommend a Ford 8n. I use a use a 1951 on a 2x12 plow and it does a wonderful job with that.

I am the second owner and it has just under 2000 hours on it now (it had 1200 on it when I bought it). It still has the original tires and paint and has always been stored inside.

It always plowed good, with loaded rear R1 tires, but one of the original rims (furrow side) rusted thru (3) years ago. I was worried that it wouldn’t plow as good with just one loaded rear.

Much to my surprise, it actually plows better now, doing more acres per hour and using less fuel. Traction is better on the furrow side, so not having the extra weight on that side, evens up the pull force on the plow.


While it plows better now, the same can’t be said about pulling my two row cultivator. Now it pulls to one side with that, so I moved that job to my newer tractor, that has both loaded rears.

 

[52wej]

One thing not mentioned is whether you have draft control on the tractor. That makes a real difference in how the tractor performs when plowing. Also what type of soil do you have? Sandy versus a hard clay? Many factors to consider when evaluating plowing performance.

I know from experience the ford plows are very good units when set up correctly. I spent hundreds of hours as a youngster plowing our fields in late fall and early winter here in Central VA with a Ford 3000 and a two bottom roll over plow. For our terraces and contour strips on the hills it couldn't be beat. The land plows harder in the fall than the spring, but for soils with a lot of clay, the freezing and thawing of winter breaks the clay down so the land works up much smoother when it is time to plant in the spring. W. Jones

 

[Vigo327]

I don't have a damn bit of plowing experience but i would definitely carefully consider the advice about which type of plow to use in the first place. Those spring loaded shank-style cultivators are going to be by far the most user-friendly in terms of how easy to correctly operate it, and also least likely to give you a headache hitting hidden obstructions in the ground. I know on my land (which is not plowed!) any plow without a trip spring would have to double as a rock splitter. I dug 1000ft of trench for a water line and had to pull up SEVERAL 100-300lb boulders that the trencher could not touch, and this was only going 12" deep. Imagine plowing 1000ft in numerous rows, how many times id be hitting those things! The trip springs would be a life saver in terms of comfort and aggravation.

 

[DJ54]

Have to agree with workinonit, but in sandy ground. In loamy clay, or heavy black ground a single 14" or 16" is more like it.

I have a 130, and 140 and both do good with the single 14", but all I do with that is play at our tractor clubs plow days. Both are far from new and doubt either one has been overhauled but still run decent. Both will skin right along with any of the 3 single 14's I have. The one with the slatted moldboard has the least resistance.

Also have 2 Super C's w/Fast Hitch and 2 bottom plow. Does great in the garden in 2nd gear but don't know I'd want to plow an established pasture and expect to run in 2nd gear. A 200 and 230 are basically the same tractor with newer style sheet metal. Same C-123 engine in the 140, Super C, 200 & 230. Although the later models may turn a few more RPM's giving it a bit more hp.

While I love my tractors with Fast Hitch, you'd be better finding something with 3 pt. Anymore FH attachments can be pricey depending on where you look. A Farmall H would be a great 2-plow tractor, but just have a u-shaped multiple hole drawbar. Depending on your ground, they'll a pull type 2-14 plow all day long, and fairly easy on fuel. And with guy's getting into plowing with antique/classic tractors they are getting pricey too, let alone finding new moldboards and shares. Just have to know where to shop for them.

Below is a video of me plowing with my 140 near Ashville, Ohio 2 years ago. There are 2 small sections of field consisting of about 5 acres that are part of an approx. 100 acre field split by a house and small lot. I had those sections all by my lonesome as others that normally plow with smaller tractors didn't show up, or guys brought their larger tractors to run with the big dogs. I got that 5 acres plowed by myself in roughly 8 to 9 hours running in 2nd. gear, and had a ball..!!

 

[bigtiller]

I have the same problem with plowing as I do with driving a boat.

I prefer to watch the action behind me rather than where I'm going.

There's just something about turning soil over without a shovel and some sweat that is enjoyable and maybe even vindictive.

Boats are the same way, all the churning, bubbles, splashing and white foam...only Superman could swim that fast.

 

[jeff9366]

Farmall 140​

The Formal 140 does NOT have today's industry standard Three Point Hitch.

1958 - 1973

Farmall 140 Power
Drawbar (claimed)	17 hp 12.7 kW
PTO (claimed)	21 hp 15.7 kW
Plows	1

Mechanical
Two-wheel drive
Steering	manual
Differential contracting band brakes
Open operator station.

Tractor hitchType: IH Fast Hitch (one-point)

Operating weight	3,000 lbs 1360 kg
Ballasted weight	4,825 lbs 2188 kg

 

[jeff9366]

Thinking about buying an older tractor for plowing 15 acres. will use a 2 bottom.

Other suggestions?

Any brand 4-WD, Three Point Hitch equipped tractor weighing at least 2,600 pounds bare weight.

This rig will pull a two bottom moldboard plow in good condition through anything.

During 2023 the value brand would be TYM/Rural King if buying new.

Series 2

The Series 2 tractors are built to take on more demanding tasks while maintaining the smallest frame possible, tackling routine jobs, and the occasional tougher challenges, in and around your property. Use the front loader to transport material around your property and use the rear hitch for...

tym.world

 

[jeff9366]

If you add your LOCATION to your T-B-N PROFILE you will receive replies better tailored to your soil.


What is this?
Tractor: 2019 m1735

 

[wolc123]

Four wheel drive is not necessary with a 3-point plow, which was originally designed to exert extra down force on the tractors rear axle. If plowing is your primary concern, you can save big bucks by going with a 2wd tractor.

The problem comes in, when your done plowing and need to disk. Besides a front loader, I don’t know of any implement that benefits more from four wheel drive, than a disk.

A 2wd tractor will use about 25 % more fuel on a disk to complete the same job, because that much energy is “wasted” pushing the dead axle thru the soft ground.