Plow Speed??

[Kawookie]

Hey guys question here. My grandfather used to do most of the plowing but after leaving suddenly I am left to figure out the plowing thing.. I pull 4 furrows at -> 14" with my 95 hp... Thinking of trying to find a 5 furrow as it pulls the 4 easily. I run about 5 mph not sure if this is a good speed but seems so.. I go between 4 and 6 inches deep. The other thing is when plowing I can get about 2 acres done per hour just wanting input to make sure I am doing it right. Figure something is right because the dirt turns over.. Thanks

 

[spacechem]

"It ain't the size of yer plow, it's how long you stay in the furrow" is an old adage, but it has nothing to do with your question...

What size plow your 95hp trator will pull depends on conditions which will vary widely from place to place and even field to field. 5-14s seems like a lot for 95hp where I come from, but it also sounds like you're not going very deep either (another variable according to management preference).

Your best bet for useful information would be to talk to neighbors- guys who probably have similar soil conditions to yours.

Before I tacked on another bottom, I'd consider 4-16s. It's a half-step up in capacity, and you'll get better trash flow, fewer parts to buy, etc.

 

[Grabatire]

We did a lot of plowing (until deep tillage cultivators came on the scene) and Dad always said that if we went faster than a fast walk, it was too fast. A fast walk is about 3, to 3,1/2 mph. Although it's practically a thing of the past around here I still do a bit now and then and find myself sticking to that speed. It makes a nicer furrow to fill in and the plow does'nt end up in the neighbors field when it hits a rock.

 

[tim [in]]

Some plows are designed for high speed [5 mph] and some for the older 3+1/2 mph.It takes more hp to pull a plow at 5 mph than at 3 1/2 mph.If you look for a new plow decide on how fast you want to pull it first, then look for "rake' which is the clearance between the bottoms.We always tried to plow at 8" or more deep so it would cover up trash . I had trouble since i had not plowed for a long time with my back bottom not turning over as much dirt.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I like 5+ mph. Then the dirt turned over hits the furrow hard and its like tossing it down of a turning fork, it breaks down the lumps and leaves the ground nearly level. Not the thing for a plowing contest where 2 mph is fast, but they want to show the ridges. I like the nearly level field I get at the higher speed pulling 3x18 with my 4020. The plow is an AC 2000 monobeam with 392 bottoms. It came as a 4x18 but I couldn't keep the front wheels of the tractor on the ground at 3mph. With 3x18 I plowed more ground per hour than with 4x18 and its a lot safer. I also lowered the hitch and add front end weight to keep the front wheels down.

Gerald J.

 

[Leroy]

Your plow is designed for working at 7" deep, not 6" and even poorer work at 4". The only plow designed to work at 4" would be a 5-7" plow for a garden tractor. Set it at the depth it is designed for and then see how it works. That 7" is for a standard plow bottom and not a deep tillage bottom then depth would be 8-9". You set it correctly and you will have to shift down with the load you have.

 

[RodinNS]

As long as you're getting good even furrow now I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'd wonder about that if you're only plowing 4" deep... but I also know that some plow bottom designs are more forgiving of that than others.
I generally plow in the 4-6 MPH range with probably 5.5 MPH being the average. It just depends on what tractor I'm using at the time and what soil type. I'm also using a modern Kverneland plow.... and generally the european type bottoms prefer to work a little faster. The older US style (stubble) plows that had very abrupt/straight style moldboards work the ground over pretty agressively... and the faster you go, the more agressive they get. The power requirement also rises exponentially the faster you go. The same could be said of this Kverneland after you pass the 6 mph mark... 4 MPH is probably a more reasonable number on the older plows tho.
Again, I'd not worry too much about it if it's working for you.

Rod

 

[showcrop]

How about 15-20 MPH? checkout world plowing contest 1982 on U tube.

 

[msb]

1/2 acre per hour per bottom is the old standard. You are about right on speed and acres plowed per hour.

 

[4020_1966]

I plow around 10 to 12" deep usually. I like to bury the trash deep and put fresh dirt on top. On some of the heavier clay hills thats a bit much for my 4020 with a 5x14 (what I normally pull). On easier pulling ground 4 to 5 mph is about what I've run. I do like how the dirt shatters and makes for a nice surface and I know I have broken up the hard top layer (we no till so every now and then it gets to hard). Dad was plowing a small field of his with his old 3x14 mounted plow on his 4020. Some of his ground was so hard it gave the old tractor all it could in 4th gear. Some times it was power and sometimes it was traction that ran out. He has new rubber with cab and ballast so traction is pretty solid for him. I suggest getting the plow deeper in the ground and seeing how fast you can pull it. There is no point in just turning over a few inches of top soil.

 

[Allan in NE]

Hay Pard,

Don't care what anyone says, the only thing I can see wrong with yer method is that you're not nearly deep enough.

If you can't stand a 10" Crescent wrench in the furrow, yer not even plowin'; just scratchin along the surface and totally wasting your time.

Trash has to eventually end up down at the "bottom" of the furrow and deep enough that the second tillage trip can't touch it. The only way to do that is to throw some dirt.

Don't listen to these wives’ tales about the plow being designed to plow half as deep and the furrow is wide. That rumor is total bunk and probably started by someone trying to pull too darned many bottoms with his available horsepower.

5-1/2 mph is perfect speed and your 95-horse tractor is a perfect match for that plow. She's gonna grunt, but will handle it just fine.

Allan

 

[Anonymous-0]

What model/brand plow? The old "rule of thumb" about half width = depth is true IN SOME CASES. Many smaller "light draft" plows of the 40's, 50's and early 60's held to that concept. Those are mostly 3-point plows meant for smaller, lower hp utility tractors like the Ford N's and Fergies. And even at that, the 1/2 width+ depth rule was essentially a minimum depth for decent results. As plows evolved into what was at one time known as a "high speed plow", working depths increased. I know Deere had what they called a deep draft bottom while they offered the "NU" style bottoms. They were meant for 10" to 12" minimum working depths. There are some of those older 3-point plows that won't roll soil over at those depths.

In any event 4" is WAY too shallow to be plowing, even with a light draft bottom.

As far as plowing 12" deep.... do that where I'm from and you'll be ripping into 2" or 3" of solid limestone in places. Any deeper than 7" or 8" and you're at least bringing up blue clay.

As with ANYTHING, there are no unconditional absolutes with plows and plowing. Things change from location to location. It all depends on what conditions you're working with.

 

[Kawookie]

Thanks very muh guys I will make a few changes and try again. Thanks again

 

[scot in pa]

As fast as your HP will let you, while not turning the soil back right-side up.

I did that a few times with my 7580 Allis and 6-16 Whites. Oops!

I want to say that was around 10-12 mph in sod.