Rolling basket?

[gstrom99]

I/we use a 5 foot three point disk for food plot work. With the dirt we have, the disc leaves a pretty lumpy trail. We go back and use a drag harrow to smooth it out (some). I'm wondering if a rolling basket setup mounted behind the disc would eliminate the second pass with the drag.

Anyone use/make/buy one of these? Are they mountable to a small 5' disc like we have? Any pics?

 

[oldnslo]

Rolling basket will help bust up the clods but not sure how much it will help level since they really don’t move much of dirt.

 

[gstrom99]

Busting up the clods, is what we're after.

 

[oldnslo]

Only ones I have used were on back of larger tillage implements and spring loaded so will roll over rocks or large dirt clods. They require speeds of 5 MPH or higher to be the most effective.

I have purchased them as an attachment but see no reason why they shouldn’t work

 

[gstrom99]

Only ones I have used were on back of larger tillage implements and spring loaded so will roll over rocks or large dirt clods. They require speeds of 5 MPH or higher to be the most effective.

I have purchased them as an attachment but see no reason why they shouldn’t work

I'll just make a drive up to an implement dealer I have experience with (listed on a manufactures site) and inquire about the availability of smaller ones.

 

[oldnslo]

Or maybe get lucky and find a larger implement that someone is parting out or replacing the baskets on.

 

[Tinhack]

Or get a Cultipacker.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Very little smooths a harrowed field better than a do-all (field cultivator ) with rolling baskets, I have also seen them used directly behind a harrow with good results.

 

[HybridVigor]

I’ve got a TM1395 Frontier disk with a rolling barrow on the back. The main reason I bought that disk was because it was one of the only three point disks I could find with the option for a rolling harrow.

It does an ok job of breaking clods. It does not level much at all, and I found that disk really needs furrow fillers (smaller disk blades on the outside of the rear gang) to keep from creating a furrow between your passes. I can plant into it after one pass with a no-till drill or corn planter if what I’m planting can tolerate a seed bed that isn’t perfect.

That said, if I’m planting something that needs a very fine seedbed or I’m fixing ruts I am definitely going to use my field cultivator. I have a Perfecta 14 with a rolling basket and it does a much better job leveling, incorporating residue, and making a fine seedbed (as expected)

I have a feeling an aftermarket rolling harrow may be pretty spendy. If it is you may be further ahead looking for a used field cultivator with a rolling harrow that will do a good job leveling beyond what a disc can do.

Last thought. Three point disks in general are too light. Even the heavy duty ones. Having that rolling harrow is one more point of ground contact that does somewhat cut back on weight per disk for penetration. Depending on your soils and usage this may be a drawback.

 

[gstrom99]

Yeah, I stopped by the implement dealer yesterday and he had the same reaction. Rolling baskets are made for the big ag stuff and not my little disc. Plus, he said "a section" would be over $1k... He suggested I keep using the spike harrow, maybe chain it to the back of the disc to save an extra pass. I put 100 pounds of weight on the disc, and it could use more in heavy soil.