Need help with discing
- Thread starter patea87
- Start date
Is this a problem with the three point not dropping far enough , or not pushing it into ground?
Three point usuallly have no downpressure, so adding weight to disc would help.
Having an idea of what your setup is- tractor and disc, possibly a photo of it attatched to tractor may help us to help you.
Three point usuallly have no downpressure, so adding weight to disc would help.
Having an idea of what your setup is- tractor and disc, possibly a photo of it attatched to tractor may help us to help you.
North Idaho Wolfman
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What kind of disk?
Three point mount, drawbar?
If it's a three point, then I have some explaining to do.
You have a different and more complicated three point setup on your tractor than most do.
One it has draft control, so it will not let the three point fall below a certain point if the draft lever is set wrong.
Second, where most tractors have one arm that has adjustable height, yours has 2, they both can be adjusted for more lift or more depth.
Check out the draft control then get back to us.
If the 3PH disc will not penetrate the ground, then the draft control will not be triggered. It takes quite a bit of compression of the top link to cause the draft control to engage even if the operator's lever is set to sensitive and the top link is attached to the tractor at the hole with the greatest leverage.
For both a pull (offset and tandem) and a 3PH disc (tandem) try different angles of the gangs if there is an adjustment. In some soils and conditions one angle works better than another might.
Increased weight on the disc sometimes helps, but it will also increase stresses on the bearings and disc structure.
If it is virgin ground, or this is the first discing of the year, sometimes there is nothing than can be done besides going over the ground again and again in a checkerboard pattern.
A box blade with rippers can be a help. Put the rippers down to engage the ground, tilt the box a bit forward, and go at it. If the rippers won't penetrate then you'll just have to wait for a rain to soften the soil. Using this method will benefit from the use of the draft control if there is a tendency to bog down. Then you can go at the disturbed ground with a disc.
I don't take on any new discing jobs this time of year in the California Central Valley. I'd have better luck discing the freeway. Even rippers just scrape along the surface although my box blade is large and quite heavy.
However, previously plowed or disced ground is pre-loosened and works up well.
What would be a great help is a photo of your disc and set up. Include a photo of the problem ground as well. It is a little difficult to just guess a solution without knowing more specifics.
Like this:
For both a pull (offset and tandem) and a 3PH disc (tandem) try different angles of the gangs if there is an adjustment. In some soils and conditions one angle works better than another might.
Increased weight on the disc sometimes helps, but it will also increase stresses on the bearings and disc structure.
If it is virgin ground, or this is the first discing of the year, sometimes there is nothing than can be done besides going over the ground again and again in a checkerboard pattern.
A box blade with rippers can be a help. Put the rippers down to engage the ground, tilt the box a bit forward, and go at it. If the rippers won't penetrate then you'll just have to wait for a rain to soften the soil. Using this method will benefit from the use of the draft control if there is a tendency to bog down. Then you can go at the disturbed ground with a disc.
I don't take on any new discing jobs this time of year in the California Central Valley. I'd have better luck discing the freeway. Even rippers just scrape along the surface although my box blade is large and quite heavy.
However, previously plowed or disced ground is pre-loosened and works up well.
What would be a great help is a photo of your disc and set up. Include a photo of the problem ground as well. It is a little difficult to just guess a solution without knowing more specifics.
Like this:
Attachments
If you get past the tractor-end mechanical aspects and you determine the disc simply isn't heavy enough---it just floats and bumps along the ground surface---add weight.
I see this commonly when folks use lightweight disc harrows. You can experiment inexpensively by tossing a few sacks of ready-mix from a box store ($2.50 ea on sale) onto the disc frame. Lay down a piece of heavy cardboard or thick plastic, toss on the sacks, wet it all down thoroughly top and bottom. Wiggle the sacks when dry so they 'wrap around' some of the angle-iron structural members for stability. Let dry overnight, watering occasionally during the day.
If you find by experimenting that you need permanent additional weight, sooner or later the concrete mix sacks will fall apart. To help a neighbor I drove around until I found a sidewalk being removed. Got the guys there to load me a couple of square chunks. Took it to guy, used loader to set onto his disc, chained it down with boomer, and he's been cutting deep ever since.
A consideration: the unit will become so heavy that when hooking up you can't wiggle the disc to meet the tractor 3-point arms. You'll have to become adept at lining up the tractor to the disc to get 'er hooked up. You might want to consider when unhooking setting the disc on an old tire or heavy pallet. You'll find the thing will sink enough that your lift arms might not go low enough to hook up. I had to go help the neighbor by lifting one side at the time after he let the disc sit for a few months. Doing this will also prevent your blades rusting half-off.
Please post back your experiences so we may all learn.
I see this commonly when folks use lightweight disc harrows. You can experiment inexpensively by tossing a few sacks of ready-mix from a box store ($2.50 ea on sale) onto the disc frame. Lay down a piece of heavy cardboard or thick plastic, toss on the sacks, wet it all down thoroughly top and bottom. Wiggle the sacks when dry so they 'wrap around' some of the angle-iron structural members for stability. Let dry overnight, watering occasionally during the day.
If you find by experimenting that you need permanent additional weight, sooner or later the concrete mix sacks will fall apart. To help a neighbor I drove around until I found a sidewalk being removed. Got the guys there to load me a couple of square chunks. Took it to guy, used loader to set onto his disc, chained it down with boomer, and he's been cutting deep ever since.
A consideration: the unit will become so heavy that when hooking up you can't wiggle the disc to meet the tractor 3-point arms. You'll have to become adept at lining up the tractor to the disc to get 'er hooked up. You might want to consider when unhooking setting the disc on an old tire or heavy pallet. You'll find the thing will sink enough that your lift arms might not go low enough to hook up. I had to go help the neighbor by lifting one side at the time after he let the disc sit for a few months. Doing this will also prevent your blades rusting half-off.
Please post back your experiences so we may all learn.
I thought the soils had to be fairly loose to get any penetration with discs.
I've always had to run rippers first and get the top 4" of ground busted up before the discs would even bite and pull in. The best experience I've ever had was running a moldboard then disc. Worked beautifully but the moldboards were harder to pull than the rippers were. Again, this is all old iron and old methods...
I've always had to run rippers first and get the top 4" of ground busted up before the discs would even bite and pull in. The best experience I've ever had was running a moldboard then disc. Worked beautifully but the moldboards were harder to pull than the rippers were. Again, this is all old iron and old methods...