converting ferguson a4 from 2 bottom to single bottom

[rustyfinn]

I have an beatup Ferguson A4 2 botttom 14" 3 pt. plow that I purchased for $25 last fall at an auction. It is missing a coulter and has a weld on the larger beam. Has anyone heard of taking the larger beam and flipping it up and reconnecting it together to make it a single bottom? I could take the bottom with the tail wheel and use it as the single bottom. I would then readjust the settings to make it pull correctly behing the tractor and cut the proper distance from one furrow to the next.

I have an area I'd like to plow that has some root remains in the soil. A single would do the job easier for me than a double bottom I think. I have already pulled out the stumps and cut the roots with a sharpened subsoiler.

Thanks

Rustyfinn

 

[Charles Krammin]

Rusty,
I think it will work as you explained, as landslide and tail wheel on bottom closest to furrow should balance force from moldboard,and space from furrow wheel to bottom should be the samee as previous. May need some adjustment on bar that hooks on lower lift arms.
We many times change a 3 bottom plow to a two bottom, provided that 3rd bottom was an addition and the wheelbase of the tractor is the same.

Michigan Plowboy SW MI

 

[Charles Krammin]

Rusty- PS,
I used my Dearborn 2-14" Economy plow to clear new cleared partially previous tree land, without any sharpened subsoiler, using my 2N and then Ford 600. They can handle it but very rough on tractor hydraulics and plow. I recommend that you use Ferguson 2-14" plow intact and throttle back in 1st gear. This way you will not break the beam, due to added resistance of the second bottom. Wheels may spin instead, front wheels rise, and relief valve squuel, and need to pop clutch before it stalls.
In the 50s we would weld discared leaf spring, to cast iron point, to get a second use of point, before buying a new one. Since replacement cast iron points, are hard to find, I would however now recommend, bolting a new "steel radix type point", to the existing Ferguson cast iron point, converting it to a more modern Dearborn type plow.
Charles Krammin SW MI

 

[jackinok]

have you tried your plow as is?coulters are not always needed,which is why you see so many plows without them ,nor is tailwheel a huge factor,properly setup theres very little side draft.(I use one every year without either, have for years).Could easily be adapted by simply turning beam over however.Setup would remain the same.I personally would try it at least with both bottoms intact,that extra bottom makes a big difference on a days work in the field.my concern would be more if whoever welded beam back got it straight enough.As I recall you have to move rear bottom to front to mount tailwheel seems like I recall frog being different,to accept tailwheel assy.But that may depend on model of plow.