chisel plow

[K. Peters]

Hi everyone, need some advice on chisel plows. I think I was told once that you would need at least 10hp per shank. Sound correct? I would be pulling it with either a White 6105 or an Oliver 1850 but isn't a 9 shank chisel plow too big for these tractors? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Stu]

I would tend to believe that 10-15 horse per shank would be about right. Several years ago I bought a 12 shank Oliver chisle plow with twisted shovels. At the time my bigest tractor was an 1855 that was very strong. I removed 2 shovels to pull 10 with the 1855. In corn stalks and bean stubbles it pulled just fine. In clover sod it was another ballgame. I would have been better with only 8 or 9 shovels. Now the 1855 is gone and I have reinstalled the other 2 shovels to make it back to 12 for my 2255. It will pull in 3rd over in sod with the plow as deep as it will go. A good running 1850 should be able to pull 8-9 shanks in most conditions.Hope this helps, Stu.

 

[Don-Wi]

Largely depends on the soil, the shanks, etc....

Around "here" in NE Wisconsin, where red clay is prominent, it takes atleast 15 HP per shank to pull a chisel plow twisted shovels. We occasionally rent a disc chisel and pull it with our 1855, that put out 105 PTO HP on the dyno a few years ago. 7 shanks is all it ever wanted to pull. If we could only get our hands on a 9 shank machine, we'd simply drop 2 shanks and go to the field.

This past fall we borrowed a neighbors mounted 7 shank subsoiler, and dropped the 2 outside shanks to make it a 5 shank. THAT was a serious load, but the 18 did surprisingly well. Did bend a light top link though...

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[K. Peters]

NE Wisconsin is where I farm also so I didn't know if 10hp per shank was enough. Both tractors seem to handle the 4-18's good but I don't know how that compares to a chisel plow. I guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for a 7 shank. Thanks for the info.

 

[K. Peters]

Nice pics of the big Oliver in action but it's hard to see any smoke, I bet it could pull more. With the tractors I have 7-9 shanks would be all they could pull the way it sounds. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Don-Wi]

We pull 4-16's behind our 1855. In some fields that's all it wants, but in others I think it could handle another bottom. I'd prefer to have 15 HP per shank, but that's for a 4" twisted shovel. A straight shovel is supposed to pull easier. We've rented and pulled both a Sunflower brand disc chisel, and a Brillion Soil Commander disc chisel.


The Brillion was longer, and I liked the it better because each disc was on it's own arm and were cupped, instead of the straight discs on the Sunflower model, mounted on a common axle.

Seemed like when I wanted to sink in the discs on the Sunflower, it would lift up too much on the front of the machine and take weight off the tractor so it'd slip more.

Now we've got new tires on the tractor so it may pull better now.

I know it pulled the subsoiler quite well this fall, but that put a bunch of weight on the back tires to give them more bite.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[rrlund]

Depends on whether you want to get it in the ground and do a good job or just scratch. I pull a 9 shank 3pt mounted with my 2 wheel drive 2-135 with 18.4 38 duals. Powerwise,no problem,but there are times that when I drop it in on a hard headland,that 135 will dance and slip til the draft control pulls down on the tires enough to get a good grip.

 

[K. Peters]

Seems like everyone is basically telling me chisel plows pull pretty hard, so I'm starting to wonder if their is any fuel savings to be had with the chisel plow vs. moldboard plow?

 

[Don-Wi]

There sure is. You can still cover more ground in less time with a chisel plow, and that's why.

If you've got a 4wd tractor it'd be better, but plenty of guys are doing it with 2wd. Just more of an issue with traction.

Here's some pictures of the mounted subsoiler I pulled this past fall on our 1855. We dropped the 2 outside shanks to make it a 5 shank. They normally pull it with a 160 HP Magnum w/ 4wd and said it was a load in some fields. We had a little less HP per shank, but it still worked well on our tractor. Dad followed along side of me while I was pulling it, and said that the soil was starting to heave more than 3' in front of the shanks, and was amazed how fast I was able to go.

Donovan from Wisconsin