what size plow for 720D

johndeeregreg · Apr 1, 2017

will a strong (70hp) 720 handle a fully mounted 4 14" in most soil conditions? or would i be better off looking for a 3 16"? there is an jd 810 coming
up at an auction Monday that i would be interested in, they have a 3 16 and a 4 14 both in pretty good shape. i haven't done much plowing at all any
that i have done was with a trailer type 3 16 pulled with a 620 and then a 730 gas another time. judging by how those handled the 3 16 makes me think
my 720 would be ok with 4 14's just want others opinions.

johndeeregreg · Apr 1, 2017

also what is a fair price for either plow? both are painted and have Coulter's and the wear parts on the bottoms appear to be in good shape.

John T · Apr 1, 2017

Greg, wayyyyyyyyy back in the seventies the wife and I farmed using a 720 and 730 and in our clay ground either tractor would handle either plow NO PROBLEM. I pulled a 4 x 14 pull trailer plow with the 720 and she used a 3 x 16 fully mounted behind her 730.

Looking back I preferred the 3 x 16 mounted as it left a slightly wider therefore cleaner furrow then the 4 x 14 did. But again, a good 720 or 720 will handle EITHER plow in decent soil and conditions. As I recall with the 3 x 16 I could pull in a gear higher which rolled the soil
over and a tad faster so it broke up and smoothed up a little better then if plowing slower.

The 3 x 16 mounted makes it easier to plow out the end rows etc., another reason that was my preference.

John T

Rick in Iowa · Apr 1, 2017

dad had 720D.didnt know 3-16 with harrow was back there even in some river bottom.

johndeeregreg · Apr 1, 2017

thanks for comments so far. also will i have any problems getting a 16.9 38 radial to drop in a 14" furrow?

John T · Apr 1, 2017

Sure, that size tire will "go" into a 14" furrow, I'm just saying it would go better in a 16" and maybe not pinch into or crowd out the edges as bad, that was my experience at least. Again, that tractor can pull either plow fine.

John T

johndeeregreg · Apr 1, 2017

so would 4 16s be to much for it?

Scott 730 · Apr 1, 2017

3-18's make a sweet setup for a 730. Had a neighbor with a 3-18's White semi mount behind his 730. You could shoot a rifle down his furrows. One of the best plow men I have seen.

Paul_IN · Apr 1, 2017

I think you'd like the 3x16 better. As another person posted, the furrow will fit your tire better and I prefer to move along faster as the furrow slice fractures and lays over much nicer. If you have any intent to go to a plow day its nice to always have enough power without needing to gear down and that slows everyone down. Does your 720 have the optional transmission with the faster gears? This essentially made every gear one faster than the standard transmission.

coonie minnie · Apr 1, 2017

Deere would have marketed the tractor for 4-16s or 5 14s. Somewhere between the 50s and now people started plowing faster, and often deeper. Faster speed, smaller plow.

I think the 720 would handle 4-16s in many conditions.

johndeeregreg · Apr 1, 2017

yes it has the optional 5th and optional 6th in it, i put them in it last winter along with all new bearings in transmission, as well as having the cam ground for mild puller and went through the governor and got everything tightened back up in there, and the pumps and injectors were gone through the summer before that. i'm pretty sure some one overhauled the engine and didn't put a lot of hours on it before i got the tractor. i just did axle seals and bearings, re ringed the pony and put 2 new rods in it and went through the power steering pedestal and put new seals bushing and bearings in it.

as dad would say i got enough in the tractor that I'm married to it. guess i can't deny that as i don't plan on selling it in my life time.

Dan in Ohio · Apr 1, 2017

Good plows will not sell for junk prices these days, especially the smaller 3 and four bottoms that have coulters and decent wear parts.

Ferd · Apr 1, 2017

Assuming the plow is more for fun than production, I think you have a lot more fun and enjoyment with the 3-16.

John T · Apr 2, 2017

It would pull a 4 x 16 HOWEVER it would be slower so I preferred a 3 x 16 behind my 720 and 730. Still depends on soil and how deep you plow of course

John T

larryanderson · Apr 2, 2017

The bigger the plow the less they bring F-145 3/16 sell well.In our area many 5 bottom go for salvage.More fun to go a little faster than to struggle at plow days.

DR. EVIL · Apr 2, 2017

There's been thousands and thousands of acres plowed with 14 inch wide bottoms with tractors with 18.4" rear tires running in the furrows. BTO I worked for did 500-600 acres a year. Dad used 15.5's in 14 inch furrows. Your 16.9 radials are a non-issue.

If your 720 is as hot as you think it is, buy the 4-bottom.

The Dukester · Apr 2, 2017

I agree, I can pull a John Deere No. 555 3-16 inch bottoms trailer plow virtually anywhere (I've plowed blue clay that looked like chunks of coal) with my 60 belt horsepower Model G weighing about 7500 lbs in 2nd gear, so your tractor oughta be able to handle a 4-14's or 4-16's integral or semi-integral plow with your tractor weighted up to a little over 8000 it's really got the power you say it has. You may not be able to go 5 miles an hour with it though........It takes SERIOUS power to pull a big plow fast........

tim s · Apr 2, 2017

Back in the 70's we had a good running 720D and a not so good running 3020G Power shift,,we had 2 145 3X16" plows one for each of them,, the 720 pulled the plow much easier than the 3020 did, It was the lower geared 720 and we used fourth gear most of the time,, the thing about pulling a plow is to be able to pull it briskly with out fighting with it,,every time you "cheat" it up and down you leave a shallow spot that will show up in the stand of the crop,, maintaining a nice depth and a brisk ground speed will cover more ground than you will with a size bigger plow and you will feel better at the end of the day,, around here in hill country we always went with one bottom less than was suggested, a 5X16 on 44's and a 6X16 on 46's and ended up with a nice looking job when done..

JLG · Apr 2, 2017

I don't know how the soil is where you are. But here in Western Maryland I'd buy the 4-14" plow and not think twice about it. We're not in sandy ground here, and every now and then you hit clay. I had a Deere F630 3 - 16" trailer plow, setup by the book with all new wear parts. We pulled it with ease with a 55hp G, 40hp D, or a bone stock Farmall M my Uncle had. I was surprised at how easy it pulled. 2nd gear in the G and D, which would be like 3rd in a 720 that has creeper gear. I could pull it in 3rd gear on the G, but it seemed too fast for the plow. 2nd did a really nice job.

My brother's 730 pulled a 4 - 16 semi-mount IH plow once just to try it. He was in 2nd gear (no creeper 1st in that tractor). After that however he rebuilt the complete fuel system and had the head and cam redone. It makes 70hp easy at 540pto rpm now and should be able to pull that plow with ease here.

I know some places have different soil and pull a bottom less than we do here.

Leroy · Apr 3, 2017

JD AR had 14.9x26 tires and pulled a 3-12" plow, your tires are 2 " wider but so is your furrow. And that tractor was sold as a 5 plow tractor, don't know what size bottoms they were figuring tho.

Ben.So.Tex · Apr 3, 2017

I plow many acers with a 4/14, Gas and LP 730 720 no problem in black land and this was 3 a point plow. Just put some weight on the tractor in the front if tricycle and turn her loose,

kj(seil) · Apr 3, 2017

Dad pulled 4-14 case plow & a case 12ft disc for years with a 720- 15.5x38s, wish I still had that tractor. put in a lot of hours on it

dwag · Apr 3, 2017

70hp on a 720 Diesel? Where can I but a Dyno like that? lol

johndeeregreg · Apr 3, 2017

i'm not sure how accurate the dyno is but i have to believe it is close because i had it on a different dyno the summer before and it put out 65 that was before i had the cam ground and went through the governor. the last time i had it on the dyno (when it hit 70 and after cam and governor work) i brought the dyno at work home and the 720 was 20 horse stronger than dads 730 gas and diesel both of them were right at 50 horse, which i expected more out of them as both of them are fairly fresh engines i believe but i'm sure the cam has never been touched in either of those. so maybe they are closer to 60 like they should be and my 720 is even stronger than 70 i don't know but i feel safe saying its at 70 horse.

johndeeregreg · Apr 4, 2017

i ended up getting the 810 4 14" at the auction. i still have to go get it, does any one have a 810 4 14 handy that they could get some rough dimensions off of? wondering if the trailer we haul our gator on is big enough for it ( our 850d pretty well uses up the whole trailer if that gives you an idea of its size) or if i'm going to have to take my flat bed.

also a big thanks to everyone that replied, i hope it works good for me

what size plow for 720D

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