plow setup?

Tried using my two bottom plow today for the first time. While plowing the plows are clogging up. I'm plowing an area that hasn't been plowed before or at least in decades. Is it normal in a grassy for dirt and grass to clump up between the plow and frame or is that a sign I have if going to deep?
 
What size plow
What kind of grass
what kind of soil
Are you using rolling cutters?

Take a piece of steel wire. tie it as far left on the plow drawbar as possible, then drape it past and in front of the lead moldboard and back to even with the end of the tail wheel. Tie the second wire midway in the plow drawbar and drape it past the back moldboard and even with the end of the tail wheel. These will help with your problem. Don't do any backing up, as that will mess the wire up and you may not see it.
 
(quoted from post at 16:14:25 05/17/16) What size plow
What kind of grass
what kind of soil
Are you using rolling cutters?

Take a piece of steel wire. tie it as far left on the plow drawbar as possible, then drape it past and in front of the lead moldboard and back to even with the end of the tail wheel. Tie the second wire midway in the plow drawbar and drape it past the back moldboard and even with the end of the tail wheel. These will help with your problem. Don't do any backing up, as that will mess the wire up and you may not see it.

I think it's 10 inch plows.
Not sure of what kind of grass to me grass is green or brown.
looked like decent dark topsoil
yes I think so

Kinda new to this so I took some pics of how the plow is setup. Where I plowed and some measurements if any of that helps.
 
I don't think it's 10 inch. Measure from the outside of one beam to the inside of the other. Probably going to be 12 or 14. Possibly 16.
 
36046.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 17:06measured05/17/16) I don't think it's 10 inch. Measure from the outside of one beam to the inside of the other. Probably going to be 12 or 14. Possibly 16.
I measured the top beam and posted pic of what I measured. Hopefully I measured it in the right spot.
 
Also, it appears that the front coulter is rather small. That can cause problems. The coulters need to cut about half the depth of the plow bottom. If they are too small the bracket will drag up trash.
 
I think that bottom was only made as a 10" acording to my books. And yes the front coulter is shot wore out and with that rust on it will never plow corectly, has to get the bottoms mirrow bright then it will work. And if for that type of bottom if same figures it should be plowing at 5" depth, perhaps 6" at most. We don't have that style bottoms here.
 
With that rust it will never work, get things shined up to mirrow bright. Then you need a good front coulter and depth can only be measured in the furrow and that is from bottom of furrow and top of soil surface. And I think Ferguson only sold a plow with that bottom as a 10" and according to all other type of bottoms it should be cutting only 5" deep, 6" at most.
 
And you need to get correct pin in that top link, with that undersize you cannot set and hold a setting. That looks like my plow except mine is a 12" with normal bottoms for this area. And We always ran the coulters set close to the bottom as in the back mounting spot. And on your plow on right outside of right beam between spots to mount coulter does it have Ford cast in beam? Should have tag on back side on angle brace in back saying Ferguson Made in USA by Harry Ferguson, Inc. Dearborn Michigan. Mine was bought new with tractor in May of 1944 when I was 5 month old.
 
The pictures help a lot. I would lose the jointer(skimmer) brackets on the coulters; they are probably dragging trash. You probably then need to rig up rubber tie straps between the beam and the left side of the coulter fork to keep the coulters from flopping around.

You don't need covering wire...yet. Covering wire can cause plugging issues. You need to get some basics down before you go to covering wire. Then it will help turn under the tall, standing grass.

As others have said, a 10" bottom should only plow 5-6" at the very most. And, cleaning as much rust off the moldboard will help matters.

I would swing the rear coulter shank around so the bend is forward, just like the front coulter shank; coulters further ahead improves trash flow. Sharpen the coulter blades with an angle grinder. Doesn't need to be razor sharp, just focus on the 1/8" of the cutting edge and make a slightly less than 90 degree edge. It needs to be sharp enough to cut residue but not so fragile that a pebble can destroy it. You can probably make the small front coulter work, it will just take some fine-tuning to get it to cut deep enough and yet not drag the hub on the ground.
 
You have a 2X10" Scotch bottom plow.There are some videos on youtube where that same type of plow is being used at British shows.This will
show how your plow should function.Your problem is that the moldboards aren't polished.The best cure for that is use.
 
From a 75 year old who has spent may hours plowing with a moldboard plow.... The scotch bottom is suited for heavy sod plowing... heavy sod as in the British Isles... where lots of rain creates heavy sod. Your plow needs to be polished. Use a grinder and polish the moldboards so the soil/sod slides across easily. The size of your coulter has nothing to do with the problem you are having as you don't appear to be plowing deep enough. Find a manual and discover what length each lift link needs to be adjusted to and determine what length the top link length is required to be. If you can't read, or have access to reading material.. than adjust your right lift link to 2 inches shorter than the left link..for starters.. and set your top link to set the plow on its tail.... and adjust from there. Adjust your colters per the operators/users manual.. If you can't get a Dearborne manual, any plow manual will do. Heavy sod moldboard plowing with the scotch bottom plow will require a rather fast speed. .. and you are not plowing deep enough for heavy sod.. per your pictures. Correct plowing is more an art rather than a science and most people who comment on forums like these really don't know what they are talking about...so choose ..very carefully .. those whom you wish to follow..
 
bad, I have to agree with a few of longmeadows points,

some plows are very difficult to use, not all plows were created equal, the land you are plowing. the cover crop all makes a big difference.

cleaning up the wings will help some, but the points must be in good shape or the old plow will not go in the ground,

if the points are in good shape, the old plow should just suck itself into the ground and you will have to use the tractor draft control to hold it up at the desired depth.

I have a set of 3x12" Ferguson MF62 plows, they have new points, new coulters, but they would give me a fit trying to turn that heavy grass in your pictures. Now after its turned and you plant a crop on it, next year, it would do a great job plowing the ground with less debris.

I tried a set of Ford 101 2x14 plows that were in good shape, they are a better plow in my opinion, that did a good job in the same field my Ferguson plows were having a fit trying to turn.

I solved my plowing problem, I bought this old set of Massey Ferguson disc plows, they do not care about the ground cover, they back up from nothing, will flip the dirt, roll over roots, whatever, the ground will be left rougher, but they will plow, grass, stalks and do not clog up much,

good luck,

just keep working at it, plow it best you can, disc it down, then plow it again, may have to go over it a few times, as you said its been years since it was turned,
but you will get it,

plant your garden or whatever, you will be surprised how much easier it will turn over next year.
a227058.jpg

a227059.jpg

a227060.jpg
 
Bad Monkey, I have posted several times about the use of a 4 1/2" Angle-Grinder, using a Thin "Cut-Off Disc", held at about a 30 degree angle to the steel surface and moved as if it were a Putty Knife blade..

The thin cut-off disc will clean the rust nicely down to the Black Oxide under the rust and that will Scour off just fine when you start plowing..

Wear Safety Googles and a Dust Mask..

This IS the easiest way to prep a rusty metal surface..
 
i have a Furguson 14 A two bottom plow that hadn't been used in year before I got my hands on it. The shares, moldboards, and colters were rusty as all get out. The best way to shine it it up is use the heck out of it. When you get that accomplish take wheel bearing grease and smear it up good after easy use. Don't mess with sand paper and wire brushs just use it.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top