I'm currently looking for a used disc harrow for my L2501. Conventional wisdom states that an implement should cover your tractor tracks. Therefore, everyone seems to push towards a 5' to 6' unit. Is there a down downside to going with a smaller 4' unit? I realize that it will take longer to do the same size field and that I'll have some tire tracks when I'm finished. But if I'm going to cultipack before seeding, does that really matter? I found a good deal on a 48" unit, and I'm tempted...
Disadvantages of a 48" disc harrow on an L2501?
- Thread starter Lionfan79
- Start date
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
I would think if you are using a disc harrow to level and smooth the field before seeding a larger and heavier disc would be much more useful. A 48 inch disc is too light and it will not cut very deep. You need a leveling disc like this.
Disc harrows come in various types and weights.
A decent 6' disc (as properly measured) is too big and almost certainly too heavy for a 2501.
A decent 5' disc, again, as properly measured, will be marginal in plowed ground unless it is very light.
SDT
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
You wouldn’t have some tire tracks, you’d have a lot of tire tracks. Tire tracks = compacted soil. Is a culti-packer going to even that out by lightly packing the loose areas and loosening the compacted areas? Personally, I think you’re going to have uneven compaction even if it “looks” consistent, which is less than ideal for most crops. If you don’t care about inconsistent soil compaction, I don’t see any issue.
When I was in grade school the boys had to study farming sciences and the girls home economics.
Now I know much has changed but back then our teachers would teach us that horse power requirements we should get for disc harrowing operations on our farms depends on:
1. depth you want to achieve
2. what is soil condition
3. ground speed you want.
so I pulled out my old grade 6 farming book and it says how much hp we should buy for our tractors if stopping using horses OR size of equipment we should buy if we already had a tractor
add / subtract hp requirements for things like
- clay/loam/sandy soils, (clay needs more / sandy less, etc... for each below)
- depth desired
- non tilled/pre tilled/loose soil condition
- disk spacing (how many disks)
- fast/med/slow ground speed
- etc....
So per foot of width for disk harrow
- 7 1/2 hp if using a heavy duty disk if everything avg. (add 15-20% for each heavier subtract 15-20% for each lighter variable)
- 3 1/2 hp / foot on pre tilled ground if everything avg. (add 15-20% for each heavier subtract 15-20% for each lighter variable)
4' disc harrow needs 30hp / 14hp for HD / light work add more if clay/deep desire/nontilled/narrow disk spacing/fast speed or less if sandy/shallow depth/loose soil/wide disk spacing/slow ground speed.
5' disc harrow needs 38hp / 18hp (same)
6' disc harrow needs 45hp / 21hp (same)
so if our teacher and book was right a 25hp tractor (and with hst even less) a 4' would be max. and even then maybe too big (probably 3' better) depending on depth desired/soil type/ground speed desired/looseness of soil/disk spacing/etc...
the L2501 just doesn't have the hp for much at all of ground engaging applications
Now I know much has changed but back then our teachers would teach us that horse power requirements we should get for disc harrowing operations on our farms depends on:
1. depth you want to achieve
2. what is soil condition
3. ground speed you want.
so I pulled out my old grade 6 farming book and it says how much hp we should buy for our tractors if stopping using horses OR size of equipment we should buy if we already had a tractor
add / subtract hp requirements for things like
- clay/loam/sandy soils, (clay needs more / sandy less, etc... for each below)
- depth desired
- non tilled/pre tilled/loose soil condition
- disk spacing (how many disks)
- fast/med/slow ground speed
- etc....
So per foot of width for disk harrow
- 7 1/2 hp if using a heavy duty disk if everything avg. (add 15-20% for each heavier subtract 15-20% for each lighter variable)
- 3 1/2 hp / foot on pre tilled ground if everything avg. (add 15-20% for each heavier subtract 15-20% for each lighter variable)
4' disc harrow needs 30hp / 14hp for HD / light work add more if clay/deep desire/nontilled/narrow disk spacing/fast speed or less if sandy/shallow depth/loose soil/wide disk spacing/slow ground speed.
5' disc harrow needs 38hp / 18hp (same)
6' disc harrow needs 45hp / 21hp (same)
so if our teacher and book was right a 25hp tractor (and with hst even less) a 4' would be max. and even then maybe too big (probably 3' better) depending on depth desired/soil type/ground speed desired/looseness of soil/disk spacing/etc...
the L2501 just doesn't have the hp for much at all of ground engaging applications
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
first, you'll not lose money buying the 4' disc ! very popular for smaller gardens and bush trails.
second, virgin ground or plowed, how big a garden and what will be planted ?
While I agree it's a small disc, it's the max for your 'small' tractor BUT size is relative to the field of interest. If under ,say 2 acres, no problems. It'll work fine you you, just take time. You'll need a few concrete blocks on it to get 'down and dirty', same as my F-B tandems I used to own. After discing, I'd drag a section of chainlink fence and tire chains to level and smooth the soil, always worked for me. Now, after years of adding 'compost' I just plow, rototill, plant.
BTW, depending on the crops grown, those 'bad' tire tracks become 'GREAT" foot paths,evenly spaced every 4 feet !
second, virgin ground or plowed, how big a garden and what will be planted ?
While I agree it's a small disc, it's the max for your 'small' tractor BUT size is relative to the field of interest. If under ,say 2 acres, no problems. It'll work fine you you, just take time. You'll need a few concrete blocks on it to get 'down and dirty', same as my F-B tandems I used to own. After discing, I'd drag a section of chainlink fence and tire chains to level and smooth the soil, always worked for me. Now, after years of adding 'compost' I just plow, rototill, plant.
BTW, depending on the crops grown, those 'bad' tire tracks become 'GREAT" foot paths,evenly spaced every 4 feet !
Would there be a way to move the disc over to one side and cover one tire track? Then you could plow like a traditional moldboard plow and cover up one wheel track anyways...
Trying to cover a track with a moldboard plow will leave another track and a dead furrow.
To be clear the dead furrow will also have a track in the bottom of it. I have a 4 foot harrow disk that I'm going to try to pull with my L1500. I suspect that the speed will be slower than I'd like but it will do it.
I’d like to thank everyone for their time and the great input! Based on the responses received, I’d like to add a few additional clarifiers regarding my situation.
My property is on the top of a mountain and has about 3 acres of open area (an old abandoned meadow). I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year and I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger). The field actually looked worse when I finished. I thought that maybe the disk would “hop over” the rocks instead of kicking them out of the ground. I was hoping to use a disc harrow to scratch some soil about 3” deep to I could put in a food plot for deer (primarily clover and chicory). As it stands now, I have about a 1 acre rock garden that I need to clean up. (Not a lot of fun at the age of 65!
Based on responses so far, it looks like my best option is to continue using the box blade to break the soil, clean up the rocks, and then get a 5’ adjustable disk harrow (possibly a 500lb Wood’s) for my 25HP tractor. Any additional comments are very, very welcome!!!
My property is on the top of a mountain and has about 3 acres of open area (an old abandoned meadow). I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year and I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger). The field actually looked worse when I finished. I thought that maybe the disk would “hop over” the rocks instead of kicking them out of the ground. I was hoping to use a disc harrow to scratch some soil about 3” deep to I could put in a food plot for deer (primarily clover and chicory). As it stands now, I have about a 1 acre rock garden that I need to clean up. (Not a lot of fun at the age of 65!
Based on responses so far, it looks like my best option is to continue using the box blade to break the soil, clean up the rocks, and then get a 5’ adjustable disk harrow (possibly a 500lb Wood’s) for my 25HP tractor. Any additional comments are very, very welcome!!!
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Maybe this will help.
I know this says it is for BX but the small size will give you more useful weight.
48" Virnig Rock / Skeleton Bucket for Sub Compact Tractors. SSQA Kubota BX80 | eBay
48" Rock / Skeleton Bucket for Sub Compact Tractors. Perfect for sub compact tractors that have a skid steer style QA plate on the loader. Tight 3” tine spacing to pick rocks and leave dirt behind.
www.ebay.com
I know this says it is for BX but the small size will give you more useful weight.