WHAT SIZE/BRAND OF DISKS?

[Travis_R]

Hey,

I just got my 1998 Massey Ferguson 231 tractor. It is 38 engine horse power, and 34 PTO horse power. It weighs 4,065 lbs without water in the tires. This is without a front end loader also (which I don't have).

I bought a new 5 1/2 ft King Kutter box blade the other day and it pulls it fully loaded in high 1st with no problem at all. That is without even giving it any throttle!

I was wondering what SIZE and BRAND of disks should I buy? Do I need SEALED or GREASABLE bearings?

I am looking at the Howse, King Kutter, and United brands, but that don't actually mean I will buy one of those.

I definitely want the "tubing" type frame and not the angle iron. I also want both the front and rear to all be "notched" disks.

I will mainly be using it to do my deer food plots in the winter time, along with other people's to maybe make a little extra money. Other than the food plots, I may make a very small garden to plant a couple rows of cucumbers too. But other than what I mentioned, the disks will be just sitting there in the weather in the pasture.

I don't want to buy something that is made of cheap material and flimsey, but on the other side of the coin I don't want to buy the top-of-the-line on the market either. I don't plan on doing landscape work with them.

WHAT ARE YA'LLS RECOMMENDATIONS?

Thanks,
Travis R

 

[Z-Michigan]

I have a "Farm Force by Tarter Gate" set of 6.5' "heavy duty" (really medium) disks with square tubing frame that I bought at TSC. I am pulling them with a 50hp tractor in clay loam soil. After adjusting the gang angles, it works very well. I think your tractor would be powerful enough to pull a 6.5', but I wouldn't go much bigger. This is my only TSC implement with everything else being higher end brands - coincidentally, this is the only implement I own which has not had any problems or failures! Price was around $1000 vs. $1800 or more for a premium brand in this size.

I am not a fan of either KK or Howse. The Farm Force brand is the same price and design, but seems to me better made.

I would also look at the Worksaver disks. Only drawback is fixed angle, but it's a nice brand and price should be good.

Either sealed or greasable bearings are fine. I think greasable would be preferable, but I have sealed and they work fine. Greasable bearings have to be greased for each use, FYI.

I would recommend disks of at least 18" diameter. 20" would be my preference, but will be harder to find on lower cost disks. Above 20" may be bigger than you need and require more power.

 

[JoeinTX]

You've already realized that the angle-iron framed, fixed angle discs are not what you need. These may be okay for some applications but not ideal for any type of serious small-scale tillage.

Howse and KK both make good small 3pt discs of heavier build and angling gangs so they each are probably all up to personal preference.

Size for your rig? I would go 6' and leave it at that. Any bigger and they'll lug you down....any smaller you under-use your tractor.

Sealed versus greased bearings? I personally prefer greasable bearings as their lifespan between replacement seems to be greater. When a sealed bearing goes out........it goes out. When a greasable bearing begins to wear you can add grease to it and it'll run fine. I've replaced 3 times as many sealed bearings as I have greasable bearings due to this. Yeah, sealed bearings don't need multiple regular daily attention but when the fail they need time to replace. Greasable bearings require regular daily attention but don't need the regular replacement and down time of the sealed variants. I've never replaced any of the disc bearings on my 40 year old disc with open bearings, but, I've replaced 3 sealed mods on the "rebuilt" disc in less than half the time of ownership.

Bad bearings? Maybe, but not likely. Open bearings just seem more resilient than their sealed brethren.

 

[RollingsFarms]

give HARDEE a look. they're a company that's been around for many years. they use the square tubing on their disks and its sealed off, not open at the eneds like alot of brands(keeps out moisture and prevents rusting and dirt collection). they aren't carried by alot of dealerships that i'm aware of, only one that i know around my area that carries them so they might be hard to find. they are a good heavy set of disks though as I recently saw a pair of 6' that you said you were looking for.

 

[Redbug]

Hi Travis,

I recently bought a new disk after shopping around and asking opinions, (just like you). Hardee and Leinbach are good quality disks. A couple friends recommended getting the screw type gang adjustments. I got a Leinbach, (screw adjust). I am very satisfied with it. I got the 20" disks, 20 by 20. I paid $950. I also noticed that Hardee can be ordered with the screw type adjustment. Screw type is what I recommend for the gang adjustments, instead of a hammer or big piece of pipe the others sometimes require.

You want your gangs to be adjustable! When disking, I adjust the gangs at a steep angle to dig and turn the soil. Then spread your food plot seed...then adjust your gangs straight to smooth the ground out and cover over your seed, (if you don't have a drag).

Leinbach Harrow
Hardee,(EVH) Disc Harrow Literature

 

[dweitzel]

Hey,

I just got my 1998 Massey Ferguson 231 tractor. It is 38 engine horse power, and 34 PTO horse power. It weighs 4,065 lbs without water in the tires. This is without a front end loader also (which I don't have).


Travis R

Travis, depends a lot on the lay of your land, hilly, flat, sandy soil, etc.

I have a 36hp cub cadet 4x4 that I pull a 10' JD KBA harrow disk with, 1st or 2nd gear high on completely flat ground, low range 4 with hills. It's a wheel disk that I completely pull the wheels up on. I'm sure I'm at my very maximum for size. I have a good loamy top soil that I usually wait to work after it has some moisture in it.

Sounds like you want a 3-point implement. As others have stated, a 6.5' fixed angle disk harrow should not give you any problem. If you want a disk plow, then that may be a different story.

Just on a side note, I went with a 6.5' box blade on mine to cover the rear wheels and have not had any problems pulling it except ripping the rear lower supporting pin for the lower lift arm off when I snagged a rock and faield to stop the tractor fast enough.

Good luck

DW

 

[Z-Michigan]

One more comment - the disks made by "Town and Country Ltd." a division of Unverferth look very well made to me. I don't know the price, but it might be worth checking.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Now that you're a MASSEY owner, you might want a Massey disc! One of the best performing 3-point disc's ever built was the MF #25. They were in production from the early 1950's until the late 1980's. Literally MILLIONS of them built and sold. Many still exist. They'll be used and likely a bit of rust, but they still work as good as any disc you'll find. They were built with the Massey FErguson utility tractor in mind. They're short-coupled for ease of handling on the hitch of a relatively light tractor. The pair of levers allows on-the-go adjustment of gang angles. A simple removal of one bolt per gang allows each gang to float independently. They dig like a much heavier disc. Anyone who's ever used one will rave about their performance. They do an incredable job of leveling a seedbed. I heard all this for years and years, but never owned one. Last year I bought one to fix up and re-sell. I used it for a day and sold my IH wheel disc that I'd grown very attached to. Planning on re-furbishing this one during the upcoming winter.

I bought it as an 8'-10" model. By cutting down the axles and removing one blade and spool per gang, it's now a 7'-8" model. Can be reduced to 6'-6" by removing one more blade/spool. Some of the disc blades were worn. I replaced the front blades with notched. Be carefull with notched blades. They do tend to break easier if and when you hit a rock.

Whatever disc you choose, I HIGHLY recommend disc scrapers.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Now that you're a MASSEY owner, you might want a Massey disc! One of the best performing 3-point disc's ever built was the MF #25. They were in production from the early 1950's until the late 1980's. Literally MILLIONS of them built and sold. Many still exist. They'll be used and likely a bit of rust, but they still work as good as any disc you'll find. They were built with the Massey FErguson utility tractor in mind. They're short-coupled for ease of handling on the hitch of a relatively light tractor. The pair of levers allows on-the-go adjustment of gang angles. A simple removal of one bolt per gang allows each gang to float independently. They dig like a much heavier disc. Anyone who's ever used one will rave about their performance. They do an incredable job of leveling a seedbed. I heard all this for years and years, but never owned one. Last year I bought one to fix up and re-sell. I used it for a day and sold my IH wheel disc that I'd grown very attached to. Planning on re-furbishing this one during the upcoming winter.

I bought it as an 8'-10" model. By cutting down the axles and removing one blade and spool per gang, it's now a 7'-8" model. Can be reduced to 6'-6" by removing one more blade/spool. Some of the disc blades were worn. I replaced the front blades with notched. Be carefull with notched blades. They do tend to break easier if and when you hit a rock.

Whatever disc you choose, I HIGHLY recommend disc scrapers.

i've been looking for a set of these. i don't know about your area, but i haven't seen a set for sale in the trader, at two auctions i've been, just asking fellow farmers if they knew of any for sale in my area.....no luck so far. thought theyd work really well on my firebreaks behind another tractor. what would you guess the weight of those are?

 

[Birdhunter1]

a guy down teh road from me has a Massey #25 with solid blades front and back and they do a great job in plowed or unplowed ground. I have pulled them with a MF 135 and it handles it great, I have yet to try with my Ford but the guy who owns them has the same tractor I do which is about 10 more horses than the 135. I told him when he gets too old to use them to call me, he told me I am the second person on teh waiting list.. my dad already has first dibs on it.