Subsoilers: Rankin, North Star, NorTrac, Agrisupply, Gearmore all the same?

rossn · Mar 27, 2017

From the looks of it, the Rankin ER 25, North Star 100 series, Northern Tool NorTrac, AgriSupply 73410, and Gearmore subsoilers are all the same design, if not made by the same manufacturer.

Does anyone know if they are the same, or if any one has features or is better built than the others?

If anyone has used one of these, I'd be interested in hearing how well it worked, what you used it on, and how deep it actually went.

Thanks!

jeff9366 · Mar 27, 2017

Your GC1705 tractor has only 7" of ground clearance.

I am skeptical any above will work with a tractor with 7" of ground clearance.

Subsoilers work within a narrower tolerance of Three Point Hitch and tractor chassis dimensions than other implements.

With a weight of 1,450 pounds your tractor does not have enough weight to overcome draft force (resistance to tractor moving forward) with a Subsoiler in the ground. These Subsoilers would stop your tractor, if you could get one into the ground.

I "guesstimate" from experience that in Colorado soil you would need a bare tractor weight of >2,600 pounds to pull a standard Subsoiler at 12" depth.:confused3:

Also, a 5,000+ feet altitude, your engine power will be less than 22.5 horsepower new spec.

Texasmark · Mar 27, 2017

I can't answer your question as asked but I have a comment on the subject of subsoilers. I use a Hay King Pasture renovator, C4 size behind a 65 engine hp tractor in B2 (ABc, 1234) in heavy clay running 8-10" deep. Cost me $1500 new from a JD dealer. Would HIGHLY recommend it for subsoiling and things like cutting bermuda roots with the coulters to re-establish a bermuda pasture.

sweettractors · Mar 27, 2017

If you buy a subsoiler, be sure it has a shearpin in the design. Ken Sweet

rossn · Mar 27, 2017

Thanks for the responses!

Jeff9366 -- are you talking about ground clearance at the differential and/or axle? How does that affect pulling a subsoiler? No doubt, it is a small tractor and will be limited. Without Pat's Easy Hitch, my hitch travel range is about 6.5" - 24.5" and I just added Pat's, and the lower end is about 5.5, so assuming 5.5-25.5, or about 20" of lift range. As to the weight... with the FEL and ballasted tires, it should be about 2200lbs... still shy of the 2600 you've mentioned. Hadn't thought about the lower power generation due to the elevation, though that makes sense.

I also will have a tiller, and possibly after tilling or after a season of growing after tilling, I could get deeper than the 6" with the subsoiler. Ultimately I think I'll get one because I see a myrad of uses.

As to the above brands... I was off on mentioning Gearmore... totally different design. Rankin and North Star are the same company and are made in Seattle. They have a middle buster blade available. NorTrac is made 'exclusively' for Northern Tool in China, and Northern Tool does not offer a middle buster blade, though others may fit. Agrisupply is made 'overseas' and has the middle buster blade available as well as the optional pipe layer.

Texasmark · Mar 28, 2017

sweettractors said:
If you buy a subsoiler, be sure it has a shearpin in the design. Ken Sweet

The Hay King has the shear bolts, one per shaft. Haven't broken one yet knowingly slicing through 1 ½" roots.

sweettractors · Mar 28, 2017

Texasmark said:
The Hay King has the shear bolts, one per shaft. Haven't broken one yet knowingly slicing through 1 ½" roots.

The Hay Kings are nice machines. Over the years, I have shipped many of them to Tx. Ken Sweet

travlitt · Mar 28, 2017

My subsoiler

Doing my pasture

rossn · Mar 28, 2017

Nice! Though I expect other uses, I'm doing just a large kitchen garden, so that subsoiler might be a bit overkill for me! Thanks All!

Texasmark · Mar 29, 2017

rossn said:
Nice! Though I expect other uses, I'm doing just a large kitchen garden, so that subsoiler might be a bit overkill for me! Thanks All!

The Hay King then is your best bet. They make a C3 (3 shank) that will probably run with about 30 hp in the lower range gears. Doing a garden, you don't have that much to do so the fact that you have to go slower with lower hp is no biggie. The Hay King is more of a renovator, not a "Plow Pan" buster like Travlitts. THAT is one mead dude.

I just dug up a garden in clay that hasn't seen steel for over 40 years for a neighbor using the Hay King with 3 passes (straight line and an X) and then a 3 pt roto tiller with 2 passes and it's perfect.