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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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kirby337
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 28 minneapolis
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2012-04-30          183409

This is Peter back on posting with my 10 acre site up in Wisconsin - would like to revisit topic of tractor size relative to need - As I have explained in the past I have a 10 acre site that has not seen the plow in almost 40 years -mainly used for pasture - I have a 39 hp 4 wd JD 1070 tractor with a 2-14 plow that I have been using to try to turn over the soil after mowing exisiting cover down and running cultivator thru field first - my question again is whether or not my 39 hp tractor is big enough for the task of moldboard plowing 10 acres that has not been plowed in almost 40 years - The tractor tends to bog down while using the 2 bottomm plow and the plow seems to dig in only about 6 inches -some of this due to my inexperience in plowing etc . Would I be wise to looking into trading up my 39 hp 4wd tractor to a larger tractor -more hp -bigger tires etc. Kinda hard to know but any recommendations for general size/hp of tractor to plow 10 acres ? I'm thinking of looking at about a 50 hp 4 wd tractor either Jd or Kkubota - I've looked at Jd 2350 and Kubota 3400 used - do you like Jd or Kubota in 50 hp range ? Or should I just buy tractor like an old Jd 3010 or 4010 to rip up this old ground ? If I purchase too big of a tractor the weight of the machine might compact the soil where I hope to raise vegetables - Just wondering size hp tractor you would recommend for plowing under 10 acre site ? Thanx again-Peter

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2012-04-30          183410

Kirby;

My Dad farmed for years with an "H" Farmall that I still have. I don't think an "H" had much more that 34-35 HP at best and they were two wheel drive where your 1070 has the added traction of a four wheel drive.
Dad plowed for years with a 2-14 and the H. In the fall when it usually was dry and pulled hard he would add a copuple extra wheel weights and drop down a gear, but he got it done.
Is the plow scouring and working correctly, a moldboard plow that won't scour takes a lot more power.


Frank. ....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2012-04-30          183411

Kirby I suspect the tractor Hardwood is talking about is heavier than yours but that lack of traction due to lighter tractor should be solved by the 4 wheel drive of yours.

When you say "boggs down"do you mean the rpm's drop or the tires are spinning? If rpms are dropping you need to run higher rpms or use lower great.

Agree if the moldboards are not set proper much harder to pull and will not do a good job. If set properly the plows will pull them self into the dirt and both rolls will look the same. Some of this is affected by the speed you are running at. Take some hinted to advice by Hardwood and clean the wings especially on those plows so the dirct has smooth surface to slide on, cut down on the friction.

Your question if ths hp too small for 10 acres and no is the answer. Will it do the work as fast as a 60 or 80 hp tractor no. But this is not a job you will do often so take the time. Think we discussed this before hire someone to do the work with bigger equipemnt. Even if they disked it would find it a help. Anything you run through the dirt first will help. Subsoiler or disk will help. There is also no shame in makimg shallow run of even four inches to get roots busted up and then coming back with full depth plowing. I have a 68 hp 2 wheel Kubota that I am pulling two shank subsoiler with. It is all it wants and I feel as you sort of do...man this is slow. But when you are in an open field of 10 acres and you make a round you have plowed 56 inches. In that field that looks like nothing but you are making steady progress.

Hey you do have good points on those plows? Are you sure you have them set up properly? Front to rear with 3rd arm and side to side with right lift arm adjustments? Be sure the points are set aiming down so they do pull into the dirt and you set the side to side with the right wheel in the furrow to level the plows then. If you get the 3rd arm too short the plows will really dig in (can to the point they bod the tractor in the dirt) and if too long they don't want to pull into the dirt. ....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2012-04-30          183412

Kirby I meant to add, to me a field that has been plowed well with moldboards is the best looking of any worked dirt to me there is. (FYI here there are called bottom plows. No idea why. The mule plows were called turn plows which I understand as they turned the dirt.) ....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2012-05-01          183420

You break virgin ground only once. For this you can weight the slipping wheels, install chains, and/or reduce the number of plowshares. Or hire it out.

Bigger won't do more, only faster (with bigger implements) and use more fuel while being less manoeverable.

You have enough power for 10a.
....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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sammied
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 8 Georgia
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2012-05-01          183432

Have you with thought about getting someone with a larger tractor to do this initial ground breaking? ....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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kirby337
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 28 minneapolis
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2012-05-02          183440

Thanx again guys for your continued guidance -as usual your advice is usually spot on- after reading your comments I realize that 39 hp 4wd tractor is probably sufficent to plow a 10 acre field- Time and technique will work things out- I might seek a little guidance in adjusting or setting up the 2-14 plow to make sure it is operating correctly. You mentioned some adjustment to the center link on the three point and some side to side adjustment also- after I hitch up the 2-14 to the three point what sort of adjustments should i make to the implement so that it plows correctly ? In a rectangular field about 2acre in size does one start plowing the long way on the outside of the field first then move parallel to the recently plowed furrows until whole field is plowed > One is suppossed to run one of the plow bottoms in most recently plowed furrow ? Just to add I also bought a 2-16 plow last fall on a 6 ft draw bar hitch not 3 point with a hydraulic lift and once I get longer hydraulic hoses hope to hitch that up to my 1070 and try; that plow also-thought it might dig easier with the plows being further back from the tractor then a 3 point 2-14 plow and the hydraulic cylinder for better depth control. I did rough plow about a half an acre last fall and not am plowing again - It is very nice to look at freshly plowed furrows -thanx again for all your input
....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2012-05-02          183441

If I understood:
Assuming your plow roll the dirt to the right as the vast majority do, if to the left reverse my details.

You will find some varying thoughts on how to plow the field and probably a lot depends on you and the field. Here the standard is to measure to the middle of the field (if a real wide field they broke it into sections) and went from center out. Over time that moves dirt slowly towards the center of the field and does leave the sides getting lower. Also knew a farmer who because he could not count begin on the outside and plowed out but that would moved the dirt away from the center of the field thus creating low area there over time. If you follow with good disking you will fill in the furrow left around the field if you begin in the center.

Now how do you begin. First have sitting on flat ground with plows lifted the right side plow will be higher. Some draw bars for those plows have offset to help get the ride side proper depth when plowing but the plows will not be level side to side on flat group. Front to rear you will be near level with front a little lower. That is where you use the center or third arm to adjust. The side to side you use the right lift arm adjustment to set it.

Get straight in the field. Get you a clear point to plow to and DO NOT LOOK BACK even if you stop and look back you will crook the row. Pride issue there. Lower the plow knowing it will not plow properly this run for the right wheel is sitting on flat ground and not DOWN in furrow as it will be. With the plows you have you will probably turn back into and drop the right wheels in the shallow furrow you just plowed. Make this run. Now you should have a decent furrow to turn back into. This should give you the first run when the plows are really throwing the dirt properly. However you are fixing to hit issue when you reach the other end and turn back as the furrow you need now is missing..what happened? It has been covered by the dirt that just rolled over. You again will plow with the right wheel sitting on top of dirt and not in furrow. Just drop the plows and follow the roll of the dirt for guidance. You wll do fine.

If you have all set properly you will find this smooth plowing. If you have the plows to deep to where the tractor is being pulled and jerked you either need to drop to lower gear of life the plows some.

No idea on your tractor but some have both lift and "DRAFT" lift or settings. If you have draft this is the type of plowing it is used in. It is designed to help keep the plows the same depth as you plow and the ground varies. Some work well and others forget.

Have you checked youtube for video on this? There are some but not sure the detail their is on setting up.

Hit submit without meaning to: word of caution: you have no idea really what is in this ground. There is nothing less fun than running along with bottom plows at a really good speed and hitting an unmovable object. You may learn what steering wheel feels like in ways you don't want to. Look at your plows some are fixed and have no way to reales if such happens,,,not GOOD. If yours are that way and first time in field plow slow and suggest you wear seat belt. Some have built in trips and others have shear bolts. They are there for a real real reason. Will protect you and equipment. If you have trip type you may be able to reset backing tractor up but that may take practice.

Okay long but you will do this a couple of time and set up quicker than readin this.


....

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Right Size Tractor to plow 10 year fallow field

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sammied
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 8 Georgia
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2012-05-03          183454

Peter,

I graduated from a mule to a Ford 8N in about 1952. An 8N has about 25HP and it pulled a 2-14 bottom plow.There are a lot of different ways to go about plowing and most of the differences are because of the land being plowed.In my case the land was usually sandy clay with some really sandy spots and some spots with really hard clay. Some of the fields were fairly square, most weren't, and almost all had terraces. Anyway, here's how I plowed.
Assuming your plow throws right:
1.Use the tunbuckles on the lifting arms to center the plow and make sure it is pointing directly to the front and has no play from left to right.

2 Make sure that the inside of your right tire is inline with the outside end of the slide(the part of the plow that sits on the ground when the plow is level) on the right plow. Adjust the tire if necessary. If the plow is too far to the right you "plow the same ground twice". If the plow is too far to the left you will leave unplowed ridges between passes.

3. For a 14" plow and 40HP about all you can expect is about 10"- 12" depth. On a flat surface I would run the left rear wheel of the tractor up on about 6 or 7 layers of 2"X 8". Then use the adjustments on you lifting arm and top link so that both plows sit flat on the ground. According to the type plows and the hardness of the ground you may have to take up a turn or two up on your top link to raise the rear of the plow slightly.

4. I don't know exactly how the lift on a JD 1070 works but if you have a choice use draft.Take the tractor into the field and move forward at a slow speed while lowering your your lift until the plow is cutting about 10"deep. Stop the tractor. Your lift control should have an adjustable stop on it(usually located in the slot of the lift control). if so loosen the stop and move it up so that it rests against the control lever. If you don't have a stop I have used a bolt, washers and a nut run thru the slot. If all else fails just mark it with a pencil or scratch.

5.Run a test row to check the depth and gear you need to run in. Run as fast as you feel comfortable but don't lug the tractor.Adjust as necessary.

6.I have used my wife's fingernail polish to mark the exact location of the control so I know next time where to set the stop.

On actually plowing the field:
I always started by going around the edges of the field or in most cases along side the terraces going clockwise throwing toward the middle of the field. After one round I turned around and put my right wheel in the slot I had just left and threw toward the outside of the field. This covered up the first slot and made a new slot. I kept this rotation the rest of the way.
When you get to the end of a row you raise the plow, throw in the clutch and apply the brake just as the plow reaches the end. Shift to reverse, hold your right brake, turn your steering wheel as sharp as possible clockwise and back up until
the plows are past the last slot you left. Shift into the running gear,release the brake, straighten the wheels, drop the plows just as you pass the last slot.Go for it. As you get to the middle you get to the "short rows"- keep on trucking.

It's easer than it seems. After a few hours you do it without even thinking.

Sammie ....

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