Difference between a spring tooth and a spike harrow

[T-Nason]

I know both a spring tooth and spike harrow like a harrowgator
are used as finishing tools, but whats the pros and cons of
each? Ive never used a spring tooth, only a harrowgator.

 

[flying belgian]

Pa had a spike tooth harrow, I had a spring tooth harrow. I always figured I could set mine to go through heavy trash without leaving bunches better then he could with his spike tooth. If no heavy trash there is no difference in performance.

 

[rvirgil_KS]

Spring tooth could be set to go deeper and work the top layer of soil. Spike tooth or drag harrow would just smooth out the top. Neither one worked very good if there was still a lot of straw or stalks left on top.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

What is the difference between those style harrows and a field cultivator? I use a field cultivator that is spring tooth on the front and has sturdy spike tooth drags on the back as levelers. Works well.

 

[rvirgil_KS]

Same principle. Spring tooth and spike or drag were common decades ago. Modern field cultivators incorporate the same principle with the two often combined into a much larger, heavier, higher capacity implement.

 

[big tee]

You can start a hour sooner in the morning with a spring over a spike harrow---Tee

 

[steve_in_mo]

A spring tooth harrow will bring up rocks. The spike tooth harrow will not.

 

[Hawkeye85]

A spike tooth will break up large clods and leave a smooth surface, working the ground down. A spike tooth fluffs the ground, working deeper ground up, works well if the ground is still a bit wet to help it dry faster.

 

[Hawkeye85]

I mean a spring tooth fluffs the ground.

 

[MarkB_MI]

I know that you don't want find either one in tall grass using your pickup truck.

 

[4520BW]

or a brush hog! been there!

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Also a spike tooth harrow is virtually useless on stony ground. A spring tooth will dig down between the stones.

We have some ground that looks like a patio made of tiny flagstones.

 

[Leroy]

Put the spike tooth behind the spring tooth for a nice seed bed. I have used both pulled in combination behind the field cultivator,

 

[PeterDH]

I have a 10 acre field planted with perrenial rye and red clover that i cut for hay. Pretty productive and well established. Despite my best efforts (almost daily trapping) gophers have made it rough. Some of the 'turf' coverge is solid with few gaps- in other places more patchy. Any thoughts on spring v.spike tooth harrow to try and even it out? Or something else?

 

[JOCCO]

Not too long ago I posted about the guy who bought a new ford 4wd 4610 or some such and bush hog. He was going to show how to clean up an old farm. He went less than a hundred yards and ran over an upside-down spike tooth harrow with all 4 tires. Oh well tire service had a good day!!!

 

[jwal10]

We used a spring tooth to dig up weeds, the vibration would leave them on top to dry out and die. Like summer fallow but over a short time, then plant in the spring. Spike tooth was used to level and settle the soil, making a better smoother seed bed. We also had a springtooth with very narrow teeth or points that we ran through the clover and alfalfa fields to rip up the old dead crowns, rejuvenating the crowns and ripping out grass sod. This allowed the rain to penetrate better and allow fertilizer into the soil. Now I use a S-tine harrow, works great with the vibration....James

 

[jwal10]

I have a 10 acre field planted with perrenial rye and red clover that i cut for hay. Pretty productive and well established. Despite my best efforts (almost daily trapping) gophers have made it rough. Some of the 'turf' coverge is solid with few gaps- in other places more patchy. Any thoughts on spring v.spike tooth harrow to try and even it out? Or something else?

I would use a pasture harrow early in the spring, after every cutting and several passes in the fall before grass growth. Scratches the surface for better water penetration and also fertilizer incorporation. It can be dragged either way, one more aggressive. The mat flexes and is self clearing. Can't imagine a spike tooth doing much other than loading up with dry grass. If it needed reseeded we ran a springtooth then regular double disk drill after fall rains to re-seed....James

 

[PeterDH]

I would use a pasture harrow early in the spring, after every cutting and several passes in the fall before grass growth. Scratches the surface for better water penetration and also fertilizer incorporation. It can be dragged either way, one more aggressive. The mat flexes and is self clearing. Can't imagine a spike tooth doing much other than loading up with dry grass. If it needed reseeded we ran a springtooth then regular double disk drill after fall rains to re-seed....James

Thanks-makes sense

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I have a 10 acre field planted with perrenial rye and red clover that i cut for hay. Pretty productive and well established. Despite my best efforts (almost daily trapping) gophers have made it rough. Some of the 'turf' coverge is solid with few gaps- in other places more patchy. Any thoughts on spring v.spike tooth harrow to try and even it out? Or something else?

Pulling a spring tooth harrow across established sod just stretches the teeth out. It's not meant for that. It's meant for use on plowed ground.

 

[farmersamm]

You use a springtooth to finish before drilling. Disc the field, then run the springtooth at an angle to the furrows you make with the disc. Because you're at an angle,, the teeth will level the field, and fill in any furrows left. It also provides a cross hatch pattern which is at an angle to the direction you will pull your drill.......thus letting you know where you are, in respect to the last rows drilled.

Think of the teeth as little shovels that move the dirt in the direction you want.