Single bottom plow not plowing?

[South]

I picked up a single bottom plow this weekend and tried it out tonight. The ground is relatively soft here after the weekend snow and all. The plow would not even start to turn the ground, it would just drag along the top. Even in a previously tilled garden it would barely break ground. I played with the top link and went from dead level on the ground to pretty aggressively angled down trying to get it to dig with no luck. Is it possible the plow just isnt heavy enough or am i missing something?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Quite possiably its not heavy enough. Take a suite case weight if you have one or some sorta weight and chain it on the plow and see what happens. I took a 55lb suit case weight and a short logging chain and tied it on my grader blade/snow plow and WOW what a difference that made!

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Picture please... From the side, showing the plow mounted on the tractor. Even a very light plow should penetrate in a previously plowed garden, usually an adjustment issue. Does it have a trailing wheel that runs in the furrow? It must not be set too low or it will cause the plow to ride up. Does it have a colter? Make sure the colter is adjusted to cut the trash clean right along the landward side of the plow bottom just ahead of the moldboard. Finally, is the plow point in good condition and sharp?

 

[South]

After further inspection it looks like the share is bent away from the moldboard. Ill post some pics later and get your guys opinions on fixing it.

fortunately my buddy has a two bottom that I can use for this season.

 

[Kytim]

It is suppose to have a twisted look to the beam. that way it is level when your wheel is in the furrow. you will most likely find out what i did when i first used a plow. adjust-try-adjust-try-adjust-try.... it is a game of fine adjustment to have a good outcome. search the threads here, lots of good advice on useage.

goodluck, kytim

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Another thought I just had. Could be that your 3pt hitch lever is not letting the hitch go down all the way. Many of the newer tractors have precise settings you can set the raise and lower lever at so if your tilling you can gage the depth. I think some of the new tractors they call it a quater inching valve. I had some kinda bracket on my B6100E I could set and lock it around the lever and it would not let the 3pt lift arms do down all the way. First thing I did was take it off and threw it away.

 

[skeets]

http://thehowtoseries.com/gardening/compact-tractor-plow.html

This might help

 

[justanotherider]

skeets:

Very helpful indeed. Thanks.

 

[conquistador]

I had the same problem when I first got a plow. I couldn't get it to dig, it would just skip along the top of the soil and pull a little dirt, but it never dug. I finally gave up and called some farming buddies of mine. They told me to make sure I had it near center of my tractor, with the outside edge of the plow set to just inside of my rear tire. Total difference. As soon as I moved the plow toward the center, it dug perfectly. You may want to give it a try.