Hp needed for chisel plow

[Toolhawk]

I have a Ford 1900 4wheel drive tractor (30hp) with loader. I am looking to use a chisel plow for my food plants that has a rather hard surface, I'm reading about 10 horsepower per chisel....is that correct? would this tractor be with a handle
a 3 chisel plow or maybe a 4 chisel plow not set so deep ? We have a woods tiller but with the surface so hard It just takes so much effort And so much time. I'm thinking about using the chisel plow 1st. Then the tiller .... or open for suggestions.

This post was edited by Toolhawk on 03/22/2023 at 07:45 pm.

 

[Janicholson]

our idea of three tines might be OK, but might be optimistic. the real issue might be soil modification with sand or organics to loosen it. Conditioning the soil will also enhance the food plants (garden?). How large is this location? Jim

 

[Toolhawk]

We have 4 - 4 acre plots on 125 acres, rest is woods, , ponds and trails , only used for hunting , basically clover , alfalfa, hey fields

 

[Traditional Farmer]

With new ground if its clay like my area with tree roots too,one shank pulled at any depth will be all your tractor can handle and that will be a tough pull at times.

 

[caterpillar guy]

If it is alfalfa sod no matter how you do it that will be a tough pull. With all those roots to cut off it will pull hard. Find more tractor or hire a neighbor to chisel it for you. Ultimately you need more tractor for chisel plowing. Or you could go to a single bottom plow to work it. Then just level and loosen with the tiller. Depending on the dirt you might even need more like 15-20 HP per tooth. then are you wanting to pull a spike type tooth,a 3or 4 inch twisted shovel? 4takes more power than a 3 inch and so on. I would not recommend sweeps for a chisel plow doing primary tillage.

 

[urbancase]

the rule i was told years ago is 15 hp for mold board, 25 hp per shank on a chisel plow and 50 hp per shank on a ripper. we have alot of clay in my area so that makes it
pull hard.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

With a 30hp tractor, I think you would be farther
ahead to use a conventional plough.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

There are chisel plows and there are chisel plows. The ones for compact tractors have smaller chisels and take less power per chisel to pull.

Something like this, which I found googling for compact tractor chisel plows:

 

[Mark Poss]

Subsoiler just dont set it to deep

 

[Loosehandle]

I pull 5 or 7 with a JD 4320 (old one dynos
130hp) depending on soil. So I'd think a
single shank subsoiler also.

 

[rrlund]

I was going to say you couldn't pull a real chisel plow at all with that small of a tractor, but I forgot about
those little ones like Barnyard posted. If you want to do anything more than scratch, I don't think you can handle
more than 2 shanks on one of those at any depth or speed. You need more than just horsepower, you need weight and
traction. You're looking through a pin hole when you're just looking at horsepower.

I pull a 9 shank chisel with 135 horse, 12,000 pound tractor and if I get in hard ground, it'll spin loaded 18.4 38
duals.

 

[M-MAN]

I would suggest a subsoiler
instead. Even that single shank is
a hard pull in hard clay ground.

 

[504]

You can do what the land office told me about the rental
root plow, just dont go too deep with one pass, turn
around and plow the the tracks you just made and go a
little deeper. Might take three passes but itll be a lot
easier on the machine

 

[muleman51]

You might have 30 hp but you won't have enough traction not enough weight maybe a compact subsoiler like suggested.

 

[Toolhawk]

Where did yoe see this Barnyard ? Thanks

This post was edited by Toolhawk on 03/23/2023 at 06:39 am.

 

[Toolhawk]

Thanks Everyone.. Subsoiler it is , and maybe I can find a used chisel to play with .... a sub soiler will work I have all the time I need .... but want more HP!

 

[fastfarmall]

Just remember the deeper you go the more lumps you will have, to dry out!

 

[Traditional Farmer]

At about every auction in my area that type plow or some call them cultivators/ripper will show up,very popular with the old Fords and Fergusons back in the 1950's.JD also built a ripper to fit their smaller tractors back in the 1950's,one of those would work good for you.

 

[WNYBill]

We use a bottom plow as soon as we can work the soil in the spring, disc once and let it sit. End of July we hit it with roundup and
2,4d, after it burns down we rototil and then plant and cultipack. Just acquired a offset disc and am going to try that and not plow
or rototill.

 

[Goose]

I always heard 10 hp per shank, also.

I pulled a 11 shank chisel plow with a 105 hp 856 Farmall and a 14 shank unit with a 1086. It worked the heck out of both, with dual rear wheels, with the units
set for 10 -12 inches deep.

Like someone else said, you probably wouldn't have the traction to pull even a 3 shank unit with a 30 hp tractor.