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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

How big a plow?

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Luke S

07-11-2006 07:01:07




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I am looking for a plow to use to rip up some of my really rough hay fields and get them back into better shape. Got a good disc, just need a plow. I have an Oliver 1955 that dynoe'd 130 pto hp. But, I don't want to work it too hard as you all know the reputation of the 310 waukesha's, even though I have put in the new rod bolts. I have one set of rear weights installed. The ground is hard packed creek bottom ground, hasn't been plowed in a long time. I am thinking a semi-mounted 4-16"s of some sort, what do you guys think? I want to have a big enough one to cover some ground, but I don't want to strain the tractor. I saw a nice semi-mounted 5-bottom JD sell last summer for $45 at an auction, no body plows around here anymore. Advice?

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RodInNS

07-11-2006 19:23:32




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
I don't know what kind of ground you have, but with the kind of vegetation you're talking about, in my ground and climate, that's a job for a moldboard plow. Around here, going into that with a disc, no matter how heavy, is just asking for a mess of clods and a rough field. That said, practices vary widely from one area to another.
All that said, with the power you're talking about, I think you would be quite alright with 5 16's, and 6 if need be, provided you had the rubber and the weight. Traction is more likely to be a problem than power. You can always slow down if you've got the traction.
I think if you can pick up a workig plow for scrap price, that's the way I'd go. I've done the discing thing, and I'd sooner plow a sod any time. Good job of plowing, and 2 or 3 passes with a disc, and seed the damn thing. Again, dunno where you're at, but that's what I'd do.

Rod

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hayray

07-11-2006 17:37:59




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
I agree with Kyhayman, if you have a good disc than forget the plow. I don't even chisel my hay fields anymore - waste of time. You are planting a perrenial plant so you don't really worry about the soil compaction because if it is a highly compactable soil than it is gonna do that any ways. The big mistake I made before was working up the seed bed too much and making such a loose seed bed that my tractor sinks in too much and ruts up the field while planting. I even just disked when I had my old Kewanee disc that was not even half the disk of my Krause, just had to run the disk a whole lot more but it is worth it if I don't have to plow.

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Bill(Wis)

07-11-2006 16:37:48




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
Discing alone will tend to pack the ground, which you say is already packed, but it will also smooth it. The best tool to break compaction is a chisel plow. That will leave a really rough surface but you can then disc it and drag it smooth. I don't know how much vegetation you have in the field now. The moldboard plow will turn that over, something a chisel won't do. What I would probably do, not having seen the field; 1- apply roundup; 2- wait about 5 days; 3- chisel deep, 2 or 3 times in different directions; 4- disc and smooth drag 5- plant something, alfalfa? Have you done any soil testing? If you're serious about growing something you should soil test now if you haven't. That way you can apply appropriate amounts of ag lime, N,P,K, etc. and incorporate with your tillage.

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kyhayman

07-11-2006 16:25:40




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
Disc and drag or chisel plow and disc. Cant see running a turning plow to straighten up rough ground. At least not at $2.68 a gallon for diesel.



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Luke S

07-11-2006 17:35:22




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to kyhayman, 07-11-2006 16:25:40  
Well, right now there is about 4-8 inches of regrowth from the first cutting, I really don't want to get rid of all the grass that is all ready established, just smooth it out. At first I thought I'd have to plow and start over, but maybe just discing and draging would do the job and then I can no-till the seed right into that. I am not getting into alfalfa. We never fed much of it to speak of to our horses. The orchard grass or timothy is what it will be.

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hayray

07-11-2006 17:47:20




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 17:35:22  
if you plow or disc you will not kill the grass roots, you would have to fallow it all summer long to get rid of the grass. I don't think the no-till drill would work after you tilled it, you would be better off broadcasting the grass seed on and dragging it in. YOu should be using 2 4 D herbicide afterwards to kill broad leafs.



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buickanddeere

07-11-2006 15:08:45




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
4-16. Lots on a hill, dry ground or if on a rain slicked hill.



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Boco

07-11-2006 13:06:33




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
Hi, Luke S. When ground was plowed here So. Il. 10 to20 years ago we had a 1950-T that pulled 566 I believe, black soil low 3rd it was 6-16"s. Pulled IH 55 chiesel plow 13 shank low 4th. Pulled IH 470 disk low 5th. Those were the good ole days-gone. Roundup or clearout sounds good with a good disking, could save alot of fuel and time. Boco



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Luke S

07-11-2006 13:35:31




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Boco, 07-11-2006 13:06:33  
Well the thing is, I really don't want to destroy all the grass. I have some decent grass established. But I have a few fields that a terrible rough from the cattle tearing them up. I want to smooth them out, and establish some new grass either orchard grass or timothy, I am leaning towards orchard because there is all ready some of that growing. I don't know what to do?



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evielboweviel

07-11-2006 13:46:00




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 13:35:31  
disk it enough to tear it up but not enough to be dirt only then pull a chain drag(1st choice) an old wood drag(2cd choice) or something else to drag some of the sod you tore lose in to the rough stuff. then hit it with seed and maybe a light disking agin
Personally I like plowing and then working ground but it is not the right choice for you
Ron



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Bill in Colo

07-11-2006 11:16:19




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
One pint per acre of Roundup will save a bunch of fuel and lot of cussing in the field prep stage . may I suggest a rollover 4 18's



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Luke S

07-11-2006 10:45:06




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
So what is the general concensus here. Do I need to plow at all? Or should I just use a heavier disc to smooth out the ground? It is just really rough to run across. I have some decent grass growing on those fields now but it is mainly fescue with a little orchard grass. My intentions are to smooth it out a little and no-till in some more orchard grass or timothy, which one I am not sure?



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Don-Wi

07-11-2006 09:47:59




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
In our area it"s 25 HP per bottom, so you"d be able to pull atleast 5-16"s. In other areas, you could probably pull 6 bottoms no problem, unless weight is a factor which it really is. Our 1855 weighs in at 13300, and still spins the tires some pulling 4-16"s in our soil.

I"ll admit it needs new rears and that"s a major factor. On the front I"ve got the starter and 1 stack plus 4 slabs hanging on the front, On the rear the tires are loaded and I"ve got a Rops with canopy from a 2-85 White on it.

If you use a chisel plow, hit it once and then again at an angle to the original chisel plowing. We"ve chiseled sod before and the strips that didn"t actually get engaged with the spiral shovels came right back and choked out the corn. Working it twice at an angle was much better but still no comparison for moldboard plows in my opinion.

Donovan from Wisconsin

One side note: Before we got the 4 bottom I pulled our 3-16 with the 18. I pulled it in 4th gear over, and while it worked fine, when I pulled the plow out of the ground the bottoms were HOT!!! Sometimes a slow, slightly harder pull is better than going too fast... I"d go with atleast a 5 bottom and weight it down.

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evielboweviel

07-11-2006 09:01:37




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
5-18" semimounted your 1955 will toy with it. Uncle Carl plowed for 20 years with 1755 and 4-18" semimounted at 4 1/2 mph. A dual on the land side would help but not mandantory. Good Luck
Ron



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VADAVE

07-11-2006 08:36:50




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
I have an 1855 and pull a 5-16 with no problem. I also have had no problem with a 10 tooth chisel plow.



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dbear

07-11-2006 08:13:15




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
We used to run a Ford 5-16" 142 behind a Ford 9600, same hp class, for years in some tough ground. Very seldom did the tractor know it was there.



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the tractor vet

07-11-2006 07:22:28




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
Well the best pullen plows are the oliver then i would say the I H's and any thing from the 4-16's that you were talken about thru a 5-16 as most of the modren plows are of the higher round clearance and this will help with trash flow . since we all do not know your soil type it will be a crap shot on out advice , Your ground my turn under easy or like some ground that i turned under 25 years ago it was like tryen to turn under and INTERSTATE Hyway . If it that hard and i ever run into that type of ground again i'll run a ripper thru it before i try and plow.

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Luke S

07-11-2006 07:30:58




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to the tractor vet, 07-11-2006 07:22:28  
That ripper comment got my mind going. I have never used one, would a ripper followed by a disc be better? Or maybe just a chissel plow followed by a disc?



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bradk

07-11-2006 10:22:48




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:30:58  
Luke,If you don't have alot of acres to till,flail chopping and/or discing followed by mold-board plowing(a high clearance model if alot of trash)is the way to go.
We pull a 4-20's with an 1850 diesel,and a 4-18's with an 1800c diesel.A 5-18 would be more suitable for your tractor.
Ripping or chisel plowing works great in bean stubble.~brad



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the tractor vet

07-11-2006 09:46:07




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:30:58  
It would work if ya had the cover brush hoged off down as far as ya could and as fine as yacould or just after a cutting and baling . this is my owen personal opinion a DMI ripper with a set of tiger points set at around 14-16 inches would sure loosen up the soil and do away with any hardpan. It woulld look like a crazzy groundhog was at work . Now one thing about that style of ripper that 1950-55 would know that she had ahold of something.

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Luke S

07-11-2006 08:14:26




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:30:58  
Or maybe just a really big heavy disc? The fields are mainly rough from cattle grazing it and roughing it up when the ground is real soft. I don't know, a really good heavy disc may be the ticket?



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IaGary

07-11-2006 07:10:02




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 Re: How big a plow? in reply to Luke S, 07-11-2006 07:01:07  
Luke a 4-16 would work.

If it is clean as far as trash on the surface I would consider a 5-14.

The slabs are smaller and bust up better.

Gary



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