Year 2, more plow setup issues

[hawkeye08]

Lots of good advice, let me add what Pa told me when I did some plowing as a teenager with a 2 bottom. Doesn't matter what it looks like when lifted up, only matters how it sits when plowing. The first round is tough because the tractor wheels don't have a furrow to follow in, but once you get past that, life gets good if things are setup.

I plowed wrong once and had what you have in your pictures. Turns out 10 yr old younger brother had "played" with plow, turning all the adjustments. It took Pa an hour or so to dial it back in and then plowed awesome. The smell of fresh plowed sandy loam (premium farm land on the farm I grew up on) was almost enough to make me a farmer for life... I still enjoy the smell of fresh plowed dirt when I can.

 

[sweettractors]

I wish I could get 2 furrows, so not gonna get it to the third one for a picture. I can occasionally get one furrow with a real uneven bottom, then I go back around and drop the wheels in there, and then absolutely nothing more times than not. Occasionally I can get it to go down some and then it either stays around 2 inches deep or it will dive to around 7 and pop both back out the ground. (This is without making any adjustments between the 2 extremes)

The plow seems to be in excellent condition, it was practically brand new when I got it. I do hear a pop sometimes coming from somewhere on the plow when I stop and pull it out the ground but can't trace it to where it comes from.

When I had the tractor on blocks, I had the plow completely unattached on the ground, and then adjusted the lift arms and top link to it to attach it. Is doing that going to make my measurements be that far off to work at all?

Here are some pictures. First one is with the plow in the air, second on the ground. Of the 2 pictures showing the quality of the cut, the one with me off the tractor makes the ground look alot better than it really is. The one taken from the tractor does it justice to show how horrible it really is. I'll add too that it still is pulling to left all the way, but my chains stopping it from going further, but the front plow is staying in correct position with where the furrow wall should be.

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While your right wheel is in the furrow, Lower your right tractor leveling crank until the plow drawbar is parallel with the ground. Then post a picture from the side view. Ken Sweet

 

[hawkeye08]

While your right wheel is in the furrow, Lower your right tractor leveling crank until the plow drawbar is parallel with the ground. Then post a picture from the side view. Ken Sweet

Now we're cooking on gas...

 

[Ivan49]

How old is that plow and what make is it. The first thing I noticed in your picture is your point look like they are wore very heavy. I have a Ford 16 inch and my points are much longer in front of the mold board. To me it looks like you need to adjust the top link and the right side looks like it is trying to cut to shallow

 

[kevin37b]

What have you got for draft control ? Something is not letting that plow get a bite .

 

[Mearntain]

Draft control is "fully off", but I've had my suspicions that something is wrong with that causing it to lift some.

I'm about to be getting back out there now and see what I can do. I'll post back with results. Thanks for all the advice so far

 

[AGRIMAN]

Unless I missed it what are you trying to turn?? and how has that been prepared for plowing. heavy sod will need to be disked in order to get it turned proper.

Agreed. Good advice.

 

[AGRIMAN]

Agreed.

Disc'd or freshly tilled ground dont turn as well. The soil has to hold together.

The plow will turn softer ground much easier. It also makes it much easier to get a flat and level finish. If the ground has been recently worked, you can get by without any prep.

In cases where the ground has not been touched in years or you are trying to turn grass, a good harrowing will help a lot.

 

[LD1]

The pictures I posted in post 6 is of virgin ground that a year prior was untouched for 8 years. Only 3 bushhoggings over the course of a year.

I ran about 400' of tile in that acre and a half. There my trenches were, was bladed, and disc'd to smooth before plowing. Everywhere there was a trench, the plow only cut 3-4" depth. Not the 7-8" that I was getting elsewhere.

So had I done the whole area, I'd expect a plowing depth of 4" rather than the 7" I got. So I am glad you weren't around to advise I do that.

And yes, discing will make the plow "pull" easier, because it's gonna struggle to maintain depth.

 

[AGRIMAN]

The pictures I posted in post 6 is of virgin ground that a year prior was untouched for 8 years. Only 3 bushhoggings over the course of a year.

I ran about 400' of tile in that acre and a half. There my trenches were, was bladed, and disc'd to smooth before plowing. Everywhere there was a trench, the plow only cut 3-4" depth. Not the 7-8" that I was getting elsewhere.

So had I done the whole area, I'd expect a plowing depth of 4" rather than the 7" I got. So I am glad you weren't around to advise I do that.

And yes, discing will make the plow "pull" easier, because it's gonna struggle to maintain depth.

That's an interesting prospective for sure. Around here we are more in line with breaking (plowing) 100's of acres a year with the majority of it flowing a harrow. We don't have issues with plows struggling to maintain depth in harrowed land. To be honest, the only thing I'm struggling with is just how soft ground will make a plow ride up, but maybe your dirt is different.

I did look at the pictures you posted. Obviously, there's a big difference in opinion on what the final outcome of the process should be.