Single tine ripper

[daybreak1998]

Howdy,
A heavier ripper from Worksaver would work better.

Worksaver R-130 Heavy Duty Single Shank Ripper

 

[kthompson]

You can buy but the single shanks I see are shorter than you need. I would first begin with seeing if you can rent one built for that purpose. Two feet deep needs a strong shank.

The simplest design I can tell you is if you have draw bar is this: You will need a piece of flat metal my guess is at least 1 inch thick and maybe 6 inches wide. A lot of this depends on your dirt, roots or rocks. Also the power of your tractor pulling it. I will say that metal needs to be 2 feet in the ground, 1/2 foot between the ground and the draw bar when fully lowered and then about 2 feet from draw bar to third arm. Use good size angle iron and weld on each side of the shank at the height it needs to be to bolt to the draw bar. Drill holes for the bolts before you weld the angle iron on. Angle iron gives you flat surface to weld to the shank and a flat surface to bolt to the draw bar. You should use large bolts here for there is a lot of pull on them. Would suggest using the same diameter of the holes on the draw bar. You will need to find subsoiler point to use, probably a flat design that bolts on and use it for set a flat piece of metal say 1/2 by 3 on each side of the shank welded solid to the shank. You need to add something along that line to the top for the third arm. Now you really need to look (even pictures on the internet will do this) at a floating third arm attachment with s shear bolt to protect the plow when (not if) you hit something that could damage the plow. If you will do an internet search you can find pictures of tubing bent in long 90 degree curve to bolt onto the rear of the blade to feed the wire through or conduit if flexible or water line through as you are plowing and it will lay it in the bottom of the trench.

Do a search and you can find good pictures for what you want. There is also the option of looking for a used one but I really doubt you find one of the lower price ones that will run true 24 inches deep. kt

I would call rental companies before I did all this to see if they rented what you included a trencher as option. As to the ability of getting this deep with your tractor a single shank subsoiler is easy to drop say 12 inches deep and run the trench, then drop deeper and run it again and so forth. If you are doing that set stabilizer where the shank is able to move side to side as it will help it follow the trench are run.

 

[tom135ca]

Well you may get farther along that I thought but I wouldn't have a prayer in clay.

I would just use that as a starting point. I also wouldn't rely just on a weld to hold onto the side of the tube. If you can get the metal to push into the cross bar by putting the vertical portion in front of the cross bar it will be much stronger. If you want to add gusset plates or something then thats different. If you have a welder and a way to cut steel, I think it could be a fun project.

Awesome, tine in front and gussets are great suggestions, thanks. I'm a hobby welder with lots of stock around. I think I would like to have the tine depth adjustable, although I guess that will be achieved with raising and lowering the 3 point hitch.

 

[tom135ca]

If you search on here for "subsoiler" you will find a lot of threads regarding running cable like you are trying to do. Some are home made and others are just store bought ones.

Thanks for the suggestion, this is an awesome site for a new guy

 

[kthompson]

Here is link to the pipe tube at Agri Supply. 3-Point Pipelayer-Pipe Layer Attachment | Agri Supply #73622

I really suggest a shear bolt on any subsoiler. It is not will I hit a root, stone or what ever only matter of time. Without shear or trip protection you have to run slow enough when the subsoiler stops and thus the tractor either pulls something into or spins unless you hit a clutch or such very very fast. For me a single shank subsoiler is something you only need once till you use it then it is amazing what you can do with it when you have no other option.

You can with proper design replace the subsoiler point with middle buster plow and plow drainage ditch. You can use it to open up trench to plant in and use wider plow. You can plow around stump and cut roots to help dig the stump. You can plow down the side of the field to cut off tree roots sapping nutrients and water from a garden or crop. You can even use it for what it was designed, to break up hard pan so water can drain through it or roots grow through it and pull water up. If you have no experience with hardpan but have an area water like to stand in, take slender rood at least 18 inches long and push it into the ground there, it will want to stop when it hits hard pan. Easy way to know. Sandy soil is at least here is has most issue with hardpan. Often formed by equipment but water itself can. kt

 

[oosik]

I have a single bottom 16" moldboard plow. I've taken all the parts off - foreshore, main share, moldboard, etc - and been left with just the beam/frog. Mine must have been designed to use as a ripper because the tip of the frog has a carbide tooth welded on to it.

Anyhow - I've used it a couple time to rip a trench or two to lay in irrigation pipe. I only went 6" to 8" deep and I'm pretty sure it would be tough going to attempt a deeper rip. My soil is very dense, big rocks and I'm not sure my M6040 4WD would have the weight/traction to go much deeper. My M6040 would weigh right at 9100# with just the beam on the 3-point.

The plow has trip protection but it never tripped during these trench digs. Some of my property only has 8" to 10" of soil over solid volcanic bedrock.

 

[bigtiller]

John Deere offers one with a mole ball that leaves a tunnel behind for a wire/pipe to follow easily in. But you may need a bigger tractor to pull it.

 

[blucoondawg]

I install utilities for a living and have done a lot of installation with a vibratory plow.

What you are wanting to do is not going to be easy with a sub soiler. And with a small tractor I'd say 2 feet of depth will be very difficult if not impossible. Pulling a tooth through the ground at depth takes a lot of weight/power especially a static plow like this, the vibratory plow greatly improves the ability of a smaller machine to achieve depth. I would not bother with the square tubing type sub soiler as that's only going to get that deep with many passes, the one above which is a large tooth would give a better chance of working but it's still going to pull hard at that depth

 

[Code54]

Have to agree with the others - I have had my subsoiler stop my 50hp dead in its tracks more than once at less than 24"s deep. Rocks and clay will make it very difficult. May well be worth just renting a trencher.
Good luck

 

[tom135ca]

Thanks everyone for the insight, maybe a vibratory plow would be a better option. Anyone able to explain or have a pic of a vibratory plow.