Need help with getting my plow to stay down. When I hit hard soil the back mouldboard comes out of the ground. I obviously don't know what's happening cause I'd say when I turn out the top link.. The push down the back board it's worse so if I got it right the front board pulls the plow down. How much does the leaver do for adjusting debth for the rear board.
I know I've badgered you into more and more photos, but I/we haven't yet seen the condition of the shares. A plow won't go in the ground if the shares are worn. I took a plow out once to do 'just a few acres'. It had worked fine the previous fall, but now it didn't want to stay in the ground. I finally bit the bullet, went to town, and got new shares. Night and day difference! the plow practically 'jumped' into the ground.
One disadvantage of a mounted plow is that it hasn't much weight to aid penetration. You may need to attach some ballast on the back. There are also 'Deep Suck' shares available.
As to the lever, it's called the Landing Lever, and it's for adjusting the width of cut for the front bottom. Should have zero effect on penetration of the rear bottom.
At this point- and really before you even went to the field the first time- you should follow instructions in the Operator's Manual for initial settings, not rely on what worked for the PO. You can look at it for free on-line here.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
You can actually sharpen the shares with a grinder. Makes a big difference.
With all due respect, I've never understood the supposed benefit of "sharpening" throw-away shares. You're not putting back steel that is worn away; in fact, you're taking away more. When they need to be replaced, it's because they're completely shot. Your time would be better spent straightening nails- at least it's still the same nail when you're done!
Happened to think of another thing to check: Run a sting from the point of the front bottom to the point of the back one. Or, set it down on a known flat bit of concrete. Also, find a way to accurately check all the bottoms are running parallel. Possible a major shock has sprung one of the standards. I've heard of it happening- usually with a much bigger tractor in front, but I doubt you know the entire history.
The lever levels the plow side to side when making the first round with the tractor tires on land, not in the furrow.
Scott 730- Not really. Lift links are adjusted for length to do that. It may seem intuitive, with the offset of the pins, but there's a fore and aft movement as well, and that's what the landing lever is meant to do- waggle the frame angle to get the front to pull right or left as needed. leveling is done on a mounted plow with tractor linkage. Don't believe me? (why should you?) Take a look at the Operator's Manual I linked above.
A fully-mounted plow is a whole different animal than the semi-mount in your thumbnail.
Ray,IN
Well-known Member
- Location
- S. Indiana
A blacksmith can re-establish the suction of the shares. I had the originals for my 1947 Harry Ferguson plow redone by a blacksmith. He added weld material on the points to rebuild them to near original, and re-established the suction arch.
Trying to find the right part number for the shares I need.. There's narrow cut or wide cut right side or left side and "deep suck".. What part number do I need... Or will I find it if I unbolt the shares now?
I stand corrected. No need to get snarky.
Tx Jim
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coyote Flats, Texas
First thing I'll recommend is relocating centerlink attachment to middle or possible upper hole on the tractor. Where do you have draft control lever setting in control quadrant? What model is your tractor? Below are draft lever adjustment directions I copied from a different thread That I replied to that could apply to your tractor concerning operation of auto depth control of a 3pt plow. Back when I plowed with a moldboard in really hard ground I adjusted RH lift link a little shorter than normal to roll plow point to the left a little. ,
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Lots of things to adjust and try.
As others suggest, what do the plowshares look like, and we have to assume they are wore out since you didn’t show them. Even if they ‘look pretty good yet’ they are probably wore out. That’s the number one thing.
A plow sucks down into the dirt by having that front point pull into the dirt, and the angle of the bottom helps it stay down - sometimes too deep. As you found, tipping the plow forward or backward often has the opposite affect to what one expects.
I’ve never run a fully mounted plow, so others seem to have better adjustment ideas.
On the old trip bottom trailer plows whrn the front point of the share was worn rounded but still had some meat left on it, he would heat it with the torch and pound it down a bit of an angle. This let it suck in more, it wore out pretty quickly then and likely didn’t create the perfect flow of dirt any more, but he got a few more acres out of worn out shares. I’m not recommending this, just relating what frugal farmers did in the past.
Paul
As others suggest, what do the plowshares look like, and we have to assume they are wore out since you didn’t show them. Even if they ‘look pretty good yet’ they are probably wore out. That’s the number one thing.
A plow sucks down into the dirt by having that front point pull into the dirt, and the angle of the bottom helps it stay down - sometimes too deep. As you found, tipping the plow forward or backward often has the opposite affect to what one expects.
I’ve never run a fully mounted plow, so others seem to have better adjustment ideas.
On the old trip bottom trailer plows whrn the front point of the share was worn rounded but still had some meat left on it, he would heat it with the torch and pound it down a bit of an angle. This let it suck in more, it wore out pretty quickly then and likely didn’t create the perfect flow of dirt any more, but he got a few more acres out of worn out shares. I’m not recommending this, just relating what frugal farmers did in the past.
Paul
560Dennis
560Dennis
- Location
- Madison,Ohio
Adding weights like that works, dad did all the time.
I might suggest doing so might cover up a badly adjusted plow, or a worn out share, and create more problems down the road as it now plows, but not correctly?
I’d try going through the other checklists first.
Then, the original poster has a fully mounted plow. Sticking that much weight out on the end could be problematic. And might not be as helpful as it is on a semi mounted or trailer plow. Really only see the weight added to trailer plows here.
The somewhat more modern plow as the original poster has usually sucks in well when everything is adjusted well. At 3 bottoms it should have enough weight on its own to settle down.
Just adding thoughts to the big picture.
Paul
BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
All weight will do is make the plow "smear" the ground. Won't make it penetrate any better. You need good shares, need the plow leveled properly, and need ground that can be plowed. If it's dry and the ground is rock hard, trying to plow is a waste of time.
You definitely do not need left-hand shares- they are for two-way plows. Right-hand shares throw dirt to the right; left-hand shares throw dirt to the left, it's that simple.
Yes, you might find a part number stamped into the shares, if they are JD parts. You can find part Deere part numbers in the parts catalog pages linked here (14") or here (16"). Narrow cut shares will pull a bit easier in soil that has been plowed every year; full cut shares will be better in sod.
To get to the right page, you need to know the 'cut' of each plow bottom: Is it a 14" (I guess) or 16"? Measure the horizontal frame members- inside one bar to outside the next. It's the distance- perpendicular to the direction of travel- from one share point to the next.
If you buy new shares, be sure to get new bolts- they are special bolts and they do wear down along with the shares. And brace yourself- I don't know how it is today, but BITD, shares came six in a box. You may have to buy a lifetime supply...
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BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
You need the ones that are available.
These days, the selection of plow shares is much less diverse than it was back in the heyday of plowing. You will find "shares for a John Deere plow." The dealer will have ONE style available.
Right hand and left hand refers to which way the plow moves the soil. Only 2-way/rollover plows will need "left hand" shares.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Well, with that thinking, why sharpen anything. True they will need to be replaced sooner if you grind away some of the material but at least they will work better for this extreme condition he is faced with. The alternative is throw them away today.With all due respect, I've never understood the supposed benefit of "sharpening" throw-away shares. You're not putting back steel that is worn away; in fact, you're taking away more. When they need to be replaced, it's because they're completely shot. Your time would be better spent straightening nails- at least it's still the same nail when you're done!
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