Ford 5000, 1969 model, using draft control

[sunnyfield]

Hi there-
New to plowing, which i know has a steep learning curve. I think i've adjusted my two bottom, Leinbach Line plow correctly after making a giant mess of our field, but i'm left with questions about using draft control. I read what i could on this site and others before i bothered with redundancy.
I think i understand draft control, for the most part.
Does the draft control completely override the position control lever? As in when i approach my furrow for work, do i just drop the draft control lever all the way down and then the position control is supposed to be unavailable? I ask because when i do let the draft control down, which lowers my arms, i end up plowing too deep, about 10" with a 12" 2- bottom plow and the sod is so thick it doesn't seem to want flip over...
I hear this type of early draft option was just on or off. So then do i use the position lever along with it somehow?
I'm wanting to know how to tell if this draft control even works as it's a new tractor to me a year ago. I hear if it doesn't work i have to manually raise and lower while i plow along....

Any advice?

Andre

 

[Destroked 450]

You’re pulling a 2 bottom 12” plow with a 5000?
I don’t know if that plow will put enough pressure on a 5000’s draft spring to make it operate properly
However the way you described isn’t how it works
Move the draft lever to its lower position, the position control lever does the raising and lowering. Move the position control lever down till the plow drops, don’t move the lever lower than that position. Begin plowing and occasionally stop and check the plow depth, if the plow isn’t going deep enough move the lever down some more, once it is at the required depth adjust the lever stop to that position so it can be repeated each time.
Normally with 3-16 plows the top link goes in the bottom hole on the tractor, but with plows that small you may have to move the top link up to center or top hole to get enough sensitivity on the draft spring to control the plows depth

 

[sunnyfield]

Ha! So you're saying a 5000 can easily handle, or should handle, a 3-bottom? I guess i should look for one.
With what little i know using the draft control i was definitely plowing too deep. Easy 10" and that might explain why most of the time the sod (unplowed pasture for more than 20 years) would not flip over properly. The strips of sod were nearly square!
So i'll try what you said and lower the draft lever all the way, then lower the position control just until it drops and see what happens. I did verify today that the draft control is making adjustments as i was watching and listening while plowing, so at least it's working, just too deep.

And also is it normal to be fighting a bit to stay in the furrow? Often i was being sucked to the plowed side out of the furrow. A symptom of being too deep or position of my plow?

Thanks.

 

[Destroked 450]

There’s a good deal of adjustment in getting a plow to pull properly
First plow sizes
We pulled 2-12’s with a 8N
2-14’s we pulled behind Ford 800/801 series and 3000 models
I have a set of 3-16’s I pulled with my 68 4000, FIL had 3-16’s for his 5600, in proper soil a 5000 could pull 4-14’s but in heavy clay loam it would have traction problems

Does your 5000 have the extend o link lift arms and if so are they tight when closed up, 5000 has cat 2 hitch and a 2-12 plow most always has cat 1, are you using adapter bushings
Top link adjustment is to get the plow to run flat front to back, right side lift arm crank adjustment is to get the plow running level side to side when the tractors tires are in the plow farrow, most plows have an adjustment to rotate the hitch slightly to get the plow to pull straight behind the tractor
Rear tractor tire width will determine if it will fit down in the plow farrow, most 5000’s run a 15-18” wide tire that don’t fit well in a 12 or 14” plow farrow, 18” tire isn’t a great fit in a 16” farrow but I’d rather run them that way than mess with a 18” plow
Rear thread width spacing also needs to be set for the rear tire to be in the farrow with the plow straight behind the tractor and right side plow bottom the correct distance from the farrow
We always set the front tire spacing for the inside of the front tire to track even with the inside of the rear tire, this way the front tire glides along the land side of the farrow as a guide
Lastly mounted plows don’t settle down and pull right until the points and mold boards are clean and shiny so when your done plowing smear some grease on them or spray on a light coat of paint so that they clean up quicker the next time

 

[Bob NY]

Ha! So you're saying a 5000 can easily handle, or should handle, a 3-bottom? I guess i should look for one.
With what little i know using the draft control i was definitely plowing too deep. Easy 10" and that might explain why most of the time the sod (unplowed pasture for more than 20 years) would not flip over properly. The strips of sod were nearly square!
So i'll try what you said and lower the draft lever all the way, then lower the position control just until it drops and see what happens. I did verify today that the draft control is making adjustments as i was watching and listening while plowing, so at least it's working, just too deep.

And also is it normal to be fighting a bit to stay in the furrow? Often i was being sucked to the plowed side out of the furrow. A symptom of being too deep or position of my plow?

Thanks.

I pulled 4 14s in clay with the 5000 I had.

 

[sotxbill]

IN DRAFT MODE...... the plow will go deeper as you lower the position lever.. SO yes you can plow too deep.. You can adjust the position lever up higher, and down a bit to get normal plowing depth... BUT.. in harder soils as the tractor starts to slow or spin, the draft, if correctly adjusted< will then lift the plow a bit to let the tractor get through it, but lower the plow again when the soil is looser... So the lever must not be all the way down... only down enough to get your plow to run correctly at the depth you need. Now if this plow is too small, draft plowing may not work correctly with the position lever in the higher positions... AND if the soil is too loose, daft mode will not work, and position mode will be a better choice. REMEMBER the position lever sets the depth while in the draft mode, based on the plows load while in motion. The top link on the tractor can be put into the higher holes to make the draft more sensitive for smaller plows.... and be put into the lower holes on the hydraulic rocker, to make the draft less sensitive for larger plows. AND yes, the draft works based on the pressure put on the top link hydraulic rocker.... while the tractor is in motion.

 

[shaun wallace]

Iam guessing what you calling position control lever is actually called touch control lever.

 

[sunnyfield]

There’s a good deal of adjustment in getting a plow to pull properly
First plow sizes
We pulled 2-12’s with a 8N
2-14’s we pulled behind Ford 800/801 series and 3000 models
I have a set of 3-16’s I pulled with my 68 4000, FIL had 3-16’s for his 5600, in proper soil a 5000 could pull 4-14’s but in heavy clay loam it would have traction problems

Does your 5000 have the extend o link lift arms and if so are they tight when closed up, 5000 has cat 2 hitch and a 2-12 plow most always has cat 1, are you using adapter bushings
Top link adjustment is to get the plow to run flat front to back, right side lift arm crank adjustment is to get the plow running level side to side when the tractors tires are in the plow farrow, most plows have an adjustment to rotate the hitch slightly to get the plow to pull straight behind the tractor
Rear tractor tire width will determine if it will fit down in the plow farrow, most 5000’s run a 15-18” wide tire that don’t fit well in a 12 or 14” plow farrow, 18” tire isn’t a great fit in a 16” farrow but I’d rather run them that way than mess with a 18” plow
Rear thread width spacing also needs to be set for the rear tire to be in the farrow with the plow straight behind the tractor and right side plow bottom the correct distance from the farrow
We always set the front tire spacing for the inside of the front tire to track even with the inside of the rear tire, this way the front tire glides along the land side of the farrow as a guide
Lastly mounted plows don’t settle down and pull right until the points and mold boards are clean and shiny so when your done plowing smear some grease on them or spray on a light coat of paint so that they clean up quicker the next time

Thanks for all that... My arms are not the extendable type. And i'm not schooled up on Cat 1 vs 2 so not anything on my part with adapter bushings.
I'll look at my tires. My rear tire does fit in that 12" furrow, but i'm sure it's tight. Or perhaps its smashing the plow side as i go.
Sounds like i need to find a 3 bottom.
Got this Leinbach for $350.
Any recommendations for good 3 bottom brands?

 

[sunnyfield]

IN DRAFT MODE...... the plow will go deeper as you lower the position lever.. SO yes you can plow too deep.. You can adjust the position lever up higher, and down a bit to get normal plowing depth... BUT.. in harder soils as the tractor starts to slow or spin, the draft, if correctly adjusted< will then lift the plow a bit to let the tractor get through it, but lower the plow again when the soil is looser... So the lever must not be all the way down... only down enough to get your plow to run correctly at the depth you need. Now if this plow is too small, draft plowing may not work correctly with the position lever in the higher positions... AND if the soil is too loose, daft mode will not work, and position mode will be a better choice. REMEMBER the position lever sets the depth while in the draft mode, based on the plows load while in motion. The top link on the tractor can be put into the higher holes to make the draft more sensitive for smaller plows.... and be put into the lower holes on the hydraulic rocker, to make the draft less sensitive for larger plows. AND yes, the draft works based on the pressure put on the top link hydraulic rocker.... while the tractor is in motion.

Thanks for that extra detail about the position and draft control. Could be too small a plow set up.

 

[Leroy]

Thanks for that extra detail about the position and draft control. Could be too small a plow set up.

You need an owners and operators manual for first thing. That will tell you how to use your 3 point hitch. I had a 68 5000 and 4-14 inch semi mounted for it, would give it a load. I had to set the rear wheels out for that plow so at times I just used the 3-16 inch fully mounted plow I had for the other tractor, a Ford 4000 with the 38 inch rear wheels, actually had 2 of them. A 3-16 and a 3-14 inch plow for each. With the 3 bottom plows the time I saved by not having to change the wheel tread made up for the smaller cut of the plow And the 5000 had 15.5 rear tires that were a bit wide for the 14 inch plow but worked. A 12 inch plow you do not want over a 13.6 inch tire and better a 12.4 inch tire. I used the position control setting as I did not like the way the draft control was working, may have needed shop time on it. Haven't farmed for 15+ years now.

 

[Leroy]

You need an owners and operators manual for first thing. That will tell you how to use your 3 point hitch. I had a 68 5000 and 4-14 inch semi mounted for it, would give it a load. I had to set the rear wheels out for that plow so at times I just used the 3-16 inch fully mounted plow I had for the other tractor, a Ford 4000 with the 38 inch rear wheels, actually had 2 of them. A 3-16 and a 3-14 inch plow for each. With the 3 bottom plows the time I saved by not having to change the wheel tread made up for the smaller cut of the plow And the 5000 had 15.5 rear tires that were a bit wide for the 14 inch plow but worked. A 12 inch plow you do not want over a 13.6 inch tire and better a 12.4 inch tire. I used the position control setting as I did not like the way the draft control was working, may have needed shop time on it. Haven't farmed for 15+ years now.

And I had fluid in all rear tractor tires + wheel weights. 2 sets. Without that forget about doing much heavy pulling.

 

[TN 2N]

Here in NW Tennessee, we have a lot of clay in our soil. 5000's were very popular around here. We had six at different times and I have two now. Only ever used 4-14's or 4-16's with them.

 

[Texasmark]

I had my draft all the way down and used the position control when moving to the plow point. Then in my lowest speed, enough RPM to do some work, I'd lower the plow and feel the drag on the tractor. Varying the gear and RPM, as suited for the job, I'd raise the draft lever until I could feel it attempt to lift the plow from the soil.

I would set my gear and RPMs and start plowing watching my RPMs. if they fell more than 100 (on an 1800 RPM engine), I'd raise my draft lever until it would pop up without loading the engine any more than that. I had heavy clay soil and it was either rocks or mush......had to catch the weather just right and having a day time job that wasn't easy.....headlights got a good workout.

 

[sunnyfield]

And would anyone be willing to list a few good plow manufacturers that i might look for at an auction or online used?

 

[bc]

I think it would help if you would post pictures of the plow, your hitch, show the wheels, and what your field looks like to get to the bottom of this.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

With the draft control set all the way to HEAVY it will override the position control because it's trying to seek an impossibly heavy draft. Raising the plow with the position control reduces the load, which is opposite if what the draft system is commanding.

Set all the way to LIGHT will give you full control with the position lever. In fact sometimes draft control levers are marked with LOAD/POSITION instead of HEAVY/LIGHT. I'm not familiar with the Ford 5000 and how it's marked.

How it "should" be as I understand it, is you start with the draft lever at LIGHT. Put the position lever all the way down, and then adjust the draft control lever until you get the plow at the desired depth. From there you raise and lower the plow with the position lever, and make fine adjustments to the draft control as field conditions change.

 

[Destroked 450]

With the draft control set all the way to HEAVY it will override the position control because it's trying to seek an impossibly heavy draft. Raising the plow with the position control reduces the load, which is opposite if what the draft system is commanding.

Set all the way to LIGHT will give you full control with the position lever. In fact sometimes draft control levers are marked with LOAD/POSITION instead of HEAVY/LIGHT. I'm not familiar with the Ford 5000 and how it's marked.

How it "should" be as I understand it, is you start with the draft lever at LIGHT. Put the position lever all the way down, and then adjust the draft control lever until you get the plow at the desired depth. From there you raise and lower the plow with the position lever, and make fine adjustments to the draft control as field conditions change.

Some 5000’s and all 7000’s were equipped with Load Monitor that had a separate lever with multiple positions for that system
The standard 5000 3 point has a selector lever that one flipped up or down to select whether the lift control lever operated in position control or draft control mode. Once draft control is selected the lift control is used to raise, lower and select the amount of draft sensitivity to obtain the desired plowing depth
Once the proper depth is set an adjustable stop is set to make this adjustment repetitive

 

[Texasmark]

Some 5000’s and all 7000’s were equipped with Load Monitor that had a separate lever with multiple positions for that system
The standard 5000 3 point has a selector lever that one flipped up or down to select whether the lift control lever operated in position control or draft control mode. Once draft control is selected the lift control is used to raise, lower and select the amount of draft sensitivity to obtain the desired plowing depth
Once the proper depth is set an adjustable stop is set to make this adjustment repetitive

Over the years I also had at least one Ford with that setup, in the 45 hp range.

 

[Gwiz]

And would anyone be willing to list a few good plow manufacturers that i might look for at an auction or online used?

Any of the 3pt 3 bottom plows will work fine. Deere, IH, Case, Oliver, Moline, etc. Don't buy one needing repair or replacement of warn parts. I've pulled a 3-14 in dry sod with a row crop 5000. I had fluid, but struggled with traction (NE Kansas). I would not buy a 4 bottom unless you know you can pull it. Either try it or hear from a local neighbor.

 

[Destroked 450]

Any Ford from 1975 and older had that setup, beginning with the 76 models Ford went to dual levers eliminating the selector lever under the seat