Setting an offset disc

[prairiegirl]

Hi, not sure if I am in the right category here, but this is our question:
Our new Versatile offset disc last year did a rough job. My son moved the hitch to pull it straighter behind the tractor ; now the result is better but the tractor has to be steered to the side like terrible! We asked a fellow farmer, but he always rents one and just works it like that. That did not help.
We can change depth control and front to rear balance.
Any advice, please?

EDIT: it is an SD 650, but the manual has instructions for 1225 and 1275 somehow.
Changed the hitch back to where it was.

 

[Egon]

Versatile | Tractors

Versatile Offers a Full Line of High Horsepower Tractors. Solve Your Farming needs with Versatile Today!

www.versatile-ag.com

perhaps Keep your hitch so the tractor pulls at the centre of the load and adjust the disk angles to suit your needs.

 

[oldnslo]

Try doing a search for offset disc manuals. I found one for Tuffline and the one comment was that side drift is caused by the front and rear gangs not cutting at similar depths. Pay attention to which way the disc is pushing and adjust the depth on the disc to counteract this.

In looking at pictures of the SD650 the front gang would want to push the drawbar to the left while the rear gang would push the draw bar to the right.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

May be a problem of too much disc or not enough tractor. We've had one here over 20 years and use it regular, no problems. I believe it is an International Harvester. Has hydraulic wheels on it, lift up and down. Usually how we break a garden. We plant corn on Valentine's day or near it. Then peas and things later.

 

[oosik]

Exactly my thinking - ROUSTABOUT. Not enough tractor. Suggest pulling the disk set straight behind the tractor. Offset will cause a lighter tractor to "crab".

 

[Gee Ray]

Versatile | Tractors

Versatile Offers a Full Line of High Horsepower Tractors. Solve Your Farming needs with Versatile Today!

www.versatile-ag.com

perhaps Keep your hitch so the tractor pulls at the centre of the load and adjust the disk angles to suit your needs.

This is good advice. But in addition on my Rome Plow there is an adjustment on the tongue height. With the harrow in the ground you can adjust the level front to back as to how the harrow rides. I would try adjusting the tongue up or down so the harrow is balanced and rides level. Then adjust the angles of the disks.

You need the harrow to be fighting itself. The front row of disks pushing the harrow one direction and the rear disk pushing in the opposite direction. And the adjustment of the tongue will help keep the two rows equally working against each other. My Rome Plow was used and I have not had to readjust it but it pulls straight with the tractor but the hitch is set at a slight angle to the frame of the harrow when looked at from above. The two rows of disks are not at the same angle when compared to the frame of the harrow.

There should be no counter steering needed to keep going straight.

 

[CADplans]

The SD650 comes in various widths,, what width do you have??

If you are pulling with the JD2950,, the disk cannot be an inch wider than 10 feet,, IMHO,,

The SD650 shows various hydraulic adjustment options are available, do you have those options??

We had a 10 foot JD offset disk, it was ALL that the JD 4020 could handle.
when the JD4430 arrived, it was much easier to pull that disk,,

 

[prairiegirl]

The SD650 comes in various widths,, what width do you have??

If you are pulling with the JD2950,, the disk cannot be an inch wider than 10 feet,, IMHO,,

The SD650 shows various hydraulic adjustment options are available, do you have those options??

We had a 10 foot JD offset disk, it was ALL that the JD 4020 could handle.
when the JD4430 arrived, it was much easier to pull that disk,,

Oh, no, we are using the old Case for that. 150 HP.
Yes, it has hydraulic leveling, but the manual shows it working with a crank.

 

[oldnslo]

Prairiegirl
A couple of things to check if there are two of you. Have one person stand off to the side while the other drives by with the disc at desired depth. Person on the ground should be looking to how level the disc frame is front to back and side to side. If hydraulic adjust for front to back adjust until looks level. How does the disc pull now vs before being level. If still pushing sideways adjust level slightly until disc pulls straight.
If by yourself stop with disc in the ground and get off tractor and look to see how level and adjust accordingly.

I would also verify the angle of front vs rear gang is the same

 

[kneedeep]

Use a 4' level to adjust hitch height in the field and then dont change it.