Spiked Tooth Harrow

[MtnViewRanch]

I have been thinking about getting a spiked tooth harrow with a 3 point hitch to go over my ground after I've disked it. Hoping to smooth-even the ground out. Do any of you use one, and if you do, are you happy with the results? Does anybody use the adjustable angle spikes, or are they not very sturdy? Are the fixed harrows a waste of time? Should I be using a different type of implement? I have about 70 acres that I normally disc twice a year. I use a 12' disc on most of it and was thinking about a 14' harrow.

Thanks

 

[Fredex]

I'm not a very good authority on harrows, so for what it's worth: Spike tooth and spring tooth types don't get much play here in the midwest from grain farmers who do mostly no-to-low till. However old, even crappy, units sell good at auctions. I think people want them for lawn prep and/or for going over pasture land to break up and spread manure clumps and uneaten hay where they feed in the pasture without a hay bunker. For work behind a disc, I would check out the newer chain link style. Should do a better job (more even) because of their flexibility. 14' sounds fine behind a 12' disc. Unless you a pulling a heavy offset disc you may be able to pull both at once for one-pass operation.
Fred

 

[greg_g]

I use a 12' disc on most of it and was thinking about a 14' harrow.

I'd have to see this 14' spike tooth harrow you're talking about before rendering a specific opinion. But it seems to me that a chain harrow might be more appropriate to your needs.

//greg//

 

[JoeinTX]

I have used spike and spring tooth harrows as conditioners and they do work well. The only downside I've had with them is clogging. A true disc harrow (as opposed to the disc plow) will cut through clods/roots/trash but will not level or smooth as well unless pullling a heavy drag.

Nontheless, they do work and depending on the condition of the soil your working can work very well.

 

[DAP]

I have been thinking about getting a spiked tooth harrow with a 3 point hitch to go over my ground after I've disked it. Hoping to smooth-even the ground out. Do any of you use one, and if you do, are you happy with the results? Does anybody use the adjustable angle spikes, or are they not very sturdy? Are the fixed harrows a waste of time? Should I be using a different type of implement? I have about 70 acres that I normally disc twice a year. I use a 12' disc on most of it and was thinking about a 14' harrow.

Thanks

I use one of those harrows .. see http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/89973-field-drag-drag-harrow-ii.html

While they will level to some extent, a box blade or a grader blade will yield quicker results ...

I love this harrow though, I use it for may things .. arena grooming, manure busting, field thatching .. etc.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

At first I was thinking about the Atlas Spike Harrow, but then it would be better with more than 4 rows so I have been considering this 5 row heavy duty adjustable harrow. Or would I be better off with a chain harrow.

Unfortunately I do not think that I would be able to have the harrow behind my offset disc. I have 32, 22" 6 gauge notched blades cutting in the dirt 8"-9" deep. At a little over 4000lbs total weight I don't have the extra 25-30 HP to spare. That is why I was thinking something with a 3PH and getting more seat time, or maybe a bigger tractor so that I could do it in 1 pass.

So now what would your thoughts be?

 

[MrJimi]

Brian, I made one from Re-Bar a long time ago and mine will pull out small brush and level ground with nice smooth hills and I live in Florida and the ground is soft here. I tried the chain and the fence and it did nothing for me, The spike harrow is the way to go. I don't have any pictures of it but I can get some in a few days. Northerntool.com makes one similar to mine. Here is link
Howse Spike-Tooth Harrow — 3-Point, 7ft. Length |Category 1 Attachments | Northern Tool + Equipment
Jim

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Jim, the Northern Tool harrow is like the Atlas Spike Harrow that I have a link to. This type of harrow seems like it would be the easiest way for me to get this done if they do indeed work. And the Spike tooth harrows seem that they are easy to move around & to store. So you are happy with yours and the way that it works?

 

[Fredex]

Yeah Brian, with that disc and assuming you pull it with your 7520, I imagine the disc alone is pretty much a full load. My dad farmed with a 2N Ford, had a 10' Ferguson single disc & a 12' 5-bar adjustable harrow. Pulling the disc over plowed ground was no strain, the harrow was practically no load. I hooked them together one spring. WOW! The load increase was phenomenal. Much more than I expected from their individual loads. Seems the draft of the harrow hanging behind the disc pulled it down making the disc cut deeper plus it was waaaaay back there. Overloaded. I finished one field & went back to 2 pass operation. That's why I said "unless you are using a heavy offset disc" when I mentioned the possibility of tandem operation.
Fred

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Fredex, I wish that my 7520 would pull that. I have an old Cat D6 that I use. My 7520 is pretty much maxed out with my 8' offset disc. Same make up as the 12 footer, just 20 blades instead of 32. I would use the 7520 with the harrow after I was finished disking. Do you think that I could go wider than 14'?

Thanks

 

[rambler]

The type of harrow we always use would most closely be the Beaversupply "OPEN END RIGID ROUND STEEL BAR HARROWS"

The open ended type gives me much less headaches than the closed end like you are looking at. My closed sided likes to plug up & overlap & catch one on top of the other - hate it.

I prefer spike harrow. The spring type are a little lighter action. I like to mash the lumps apart. I've never used a chain type, but I think it would plug up a lot with the crop trash - works good for leveling a bare dirt horse track thing, but if you have corn/bean/grass clumps....

The adjustable angle unit will be much more flexable to deal with different conditions & crop trash & just scuffing or really going deep (as much as a harrow goes deep - not really!).

I'm not sure why you would be disking 2x a year & harrowing, not sure of your application here, so can't get more specific than this. Soil type, moisture, crop trash, all have a big effect on the type of harrow, & you didn't really mention the use of it. Level ridges, bust lumps, feather the soil smooth, harrow over planted seeds, or...... Again, makes a difference in what I would buy.

--->Paul

 

[greg_g]

I've never used a chain type, but I think it would plug up a lot with the crop trash

That's why I framed mine so I could lift it with the TPH. Simply picking it up drops about 95% of the accumulated trash. I took advantage of the "accumulation" issue one year, and used the chain harrow to rake up several acres of brome sage seed heads. I towed it in decreasing revolutions around the cut area, depositing the accumulated seed heads at the same point on each pass. Ended up with a nice long row of accumulated seed heads to burn.

//greg//

 

[Fredex]

Do you think that I could go wider than 14'?

With the 7520 pulling harrow only - Sure. Dad's old 2N loafed with a 12' harrow. 2N was about 22-23 pto hp. I've pulled a 6' section with my lawn tractor - got a little dicey for traction pulling it home up hill through foot high grass - no power issues. I would think the 7520 could pull way more than 14'. 18' may be a good size. If you get too wide you have tow bar issues combined with turning radius issues getting into the corners of the field. Some of that can be compensated with ganged tow bars, but pretty soon the tow bar setup costs more than the harrow.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

The main reason for disking is fire control. I was burned out back in 02, Pines Fire, over 33,000 acres burned, NO FUN. Actually the disking out in the open field is fine, but everyplace that I turn with my D6 the tracks mound up piles of dirt. Anyway, I've gotten tired of these mounds and want to smooth- even them out. My disking patterns are irregular do to the topography of the land. I disk twice to get the weeds chopped up and turned under better. I'm thinking that I will purchase 3 - 6' 5 bar heavy duty rigid open end adjustable harrows so that I can smooth everything out quickly if I want, or put 2 of them behind my 12' seeder if I ever do plant. Anything else that I might be missing?

Thanks for your input.