disking with a 8N

pierce

Member
so, I'm new to this whole tractor thing. got an old ratty-but-working 8N with good tires... its got a vintage front loader on it... I acquired a Towner disk harrow, with 2 racks of 6 disks each, 19 or 20" diameter, mounted in a V, with a big crank that tips it forward/backwards. seriously beefy piece of kit, probably weighs 700-800 lbs. this fits on the 3-point lift without needing any extra bars or what.

I want to use this to till a couple acre meadow, repeatedly over the next few years, til the brambles and weeds stop growing and the grasses take back over.

I tested this today on the dry summer california ground, 8N seemed to do fine at mid throttle in 2nd gear, 1st seemed kinda slow. one pass over the dry mowed grass/weed field cut maybe 4-6" into the ground.

the tractor felt light in front a few times, starting while facing up a mild slope, for instance. I wasn't sure how sharply I should turn with these down, like I probably should pick it up before doing a single-brake hard turn ? with the fresh 80w90 in the gearbox, the lift seems to be working much better, it will lift the 700 lb disk assembly even at minimum throttle, and with the PTO disabled they stay up indefinitely.

so... are there any online guides or tips on disking with an 8n ?


(is it disc or disk? I can never get those straight).
 
Not sure what the experts will say, but I always lift before
turning - a lot less strain on the lift arms, although I
wouldn't lift on a slope, you're too light on the front!
 

The disc is used on the 3pt without a sway bar, you need the side to side movement to allow for turning. We used our 8N on the disc before dad bought another farm and we got a larger tractor. For tight turns you will need to lift the disc however we always made longer sweeping turns with the disc in the ground - in general the brakes should not be needed or used very lightly to turn. Brakes waste fuel.

Second gear is typically used with the plow, disc etc. - we always run at approximately 3/4 throttle. Some people would plow etc. at full throttle but dad never instructed us to run full open.

It is best to disc at an angle if you are going to make more than one pass. For example, we would disc a field from corner to corner and the second pass would be from the opposite corners at 90 degrees. Actually we would do, what dad called "two at once" ; the disc was not lifted once the field was started. I would need to post a diagram for explaination, if anyone is interested.
 
I always lift to turn like Ray and for the same reason. I normally hang some weight on the front bumper for counter balance. That wt. can be can be anything. A hunk of iron chained on or something pined thru the front hitch also works. Weight is weight. It all does the same thing. On my 8-n if I don't hang something on the front, my 7' disc makes the front end pretty light. With this weight you can also ad weight to the disc to make it cut deeper. Once again wt. is wt. there. Some people use rocks for this.
 
(quoted from post at 07:38:12 08/26/13) I always lift to turn like Ray and for the same reason. I normally hang some weight on the front bumper for counter balance. That wt. can be can be anything. A hunk of iron chained on or something pined thru the front hitch also works. Weight is weight. It all does the same thing. On my 8-n if I don't hang something on the front, my 7' disc makes the front end pretty light. With this weight you can also ad weight to the disc to make it cut deeper. Once again wt. is wt. there. Some people use rocks for this.

well, my front loader puts quite a bit of weight out front.

I'll have to measure this disk, I don't think its 6-7' wide, more like 5' or so, its got 6 20" disks on each of the two axles, which are at a bout a 45 degree angle to each other, and the disks are dished the other way on the one.

aw heck, a picture is worth 1000 words. click on them for bigger pix...





my dog approves!



a few more pix here
http://pierce.smugmug.com/By-Date/2013/2013-08-26/
 
I believe they call that unit an offset disc.
Used as much for opening the land as for cutting up plowed furrows.
Might be a lot of disc for an N to pull but I would try it for sure.
As for using it for brush control that is a good use for it too. They use them to cut fire breaks and the like.
One thing I've learned about using a disc for brush control is you need to stay after it. When you open the soil the seeds from every weed and tree in the area get in there and will establish them selves quickly. I used to do that but quit when I got a brush mower. A few mowings a year for a couple of years will keep the weeds and woody plants from getting a hold and only the grasses will remain.
Nice tool though. I'd like to have one.
 
(quoted from post at 15:09:21 08/26/13) I believe they call that unit an offset disc.
Used as much for opening the land as for cutting up plowed furrows.
Might be a lot of disc for an N to pull but I would try it for sure.
As for using it for brush control that is a good use for it too. They use them to cut fire breaks and the like.
One thing I've learned about using a disc for brush control is you need to stay after it. When you open the soil the seeds from every weed and tree in the area get in there and will establish them selves quickly. I used to do that but quit when I got a brush mower. A few mowings a year for a couple of years will keep the weeds and woody plants from getting a hold and only the grasses will remain.
Nice tool though. I'd like to have one.

the guy we got it from used it for years with an 8N. I agree its jsut about as big/heavy as I'd want to pull with this guy, but it pulls it just fine.

I've been mowing this field for the past 15 years with a high weed mower, but the blackberries are starting to sprout all over, so I'm hoping that a few years of discing will stop that and let the grasses take over again.
 
A 3 point plow, a disc, a harrow and a cultivator should be pulled straight other than minor steering corrections or very gradual curves. Turning too sharp with an implement in the ground can cause lift arm breakage at the sway chain connections. That then could allow the implement to twist, engage a rear tire and climb up your back. 60 years and never broke a lift arm because of sharp turning.
 
(quoted from post at 08:41:50 08/26/13) I'd like to see your diagram. going corner to corner sounds intersting

Sorry this is hard to read. My scanner will not read the document so I took a photo. See attached below.

There are four circles with numbers (1 - 4) in them on the diagram. The notes read as follows;

1) Start here (lower right hand corner), drop disc & drive north/west.

2) Lift disc to make turn.

3) Drop disc & drive south/east, all turns are made without lifting the disc except to start and finish.

4) Continue around & around, Finish passes will be south/west & north/east.
20177.jpg
 
We used to disk that way too Ken, but we had a pull behind disk.
Ended up going over it all twice that way.
Didn't save a whole lot on fuel though as I recall.
 
hard clay with rocks here
I always lift a disk for anything other than a long gradual turn,
otherwise disk plates or tractor parts break

with the little Fords, without a loader,
with the implement dug in and the tractor pulling hard,
I don't have much of a choice. The front is just skating and it won't turn anyway until I lift
 
What? you cut your grass with a disc? 8^)

Stan
9N 222933
2N with 8N motor 8N345567
8N 146710
8N 179555
8N 197904
8N 199000
8N 254079
8N 362039
 
(quoted from post at 06:51:38 08/28/13) Good looking offset disc. Ol Maggie is sure a good looking unit and what size are your rear tires???

hmm. 'big' :) ok, i'll go out and look.... 13.6 x 28, Firestone All Tractor. in quite good shape. as I gather, they are worth nearly as much as we paid for the tractor, heh.
 
so my towner disc harrow is almost exactly the same as this one I found online...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54477575@N05/5047155761/in/photostream/

that one seems to have some extra bars I don't have on my 3 point lift,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54477575@N05/5047776090/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54477575@N05/5047731712/in/photostream/

(outside anti-sway bars on the bottom, and an additional pivot arm on the top)

yet, my lift seems to be able to lift this thing, although its obviously very heavy. if I idle the rear drive with with it up, it does slip down over 5-10 minutes.

I did break a bolt that was holding the anti-sway chains today (the chain was secured to the lug on the lift arm with a sacrificial bolt).
 

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