3010 and 30 Rows

2510Paul

Well-known Member
My friend wants me to narrow his 3010 for 30" corn rows but keep it as wide as practical for hills. So, how much room minimum should I leave between the outside of the tire and the next row? For example, 6" row to outside of tire? Can I go less? He is using it just to rotary hoe the corn. He cultivates with the horses.

Tires are 13.x wide. Paul
 

The tires need to be CENTERED between the rows. Equal distance from the outside of the tire and the inside of the tire to the adjacent row of corn.
 
Keep the wheels at 30" centers. If it is too steep for a tractor set that'narrow' its too steep for a tractor in the first place.Period.JMHO Yes,you can scoot them out to 32 or 34"... but not worth the bother. Or the possible yield reduction due to root zone compaction by haveing the tire too close to the row.
 
If you leave 6" on the outside, you will have less than 6" on the inside with 13.6 tires. Set 'em 30" from the centerline of the tractor to the centerline of the tires.
 
Figure it centered, you can cheat out 2 inches wider maybe 4 inches if in small corn but there is a price to pay, you will nip a bit more corn.

I used to plant 38 inch corn, 30 inch beans, and had a tractor set somewhere in the middle for spraying. It worked, but sure I did run a bit more crop down especially on hills when you slip to the side.

If hills are a concern, fluid fill or cast iron weight the rear tires, will be much much more practical that adding 2 inches of width. Much much more stability.

Paul
 
Center them for 30" rows or spread them out to straddle the next set of rows, we use to do that with a 4230 years ago, it looked funky but worked well..
 
I would not dispute that you want them on center, but I have one older tractor that does not work out on 30" centers. I have to fudge to the outside of the center by a few inches.
 
A 3010 probably does not have extra long axles to reach 120 inch rear wheel spacing and straddle four 30 inch rows.

A rotary hoe does not require the same placement accuracy of a row crop cultivator or a corn head. So long as the tractor tires don't drive on the row, a rotary hoe can be mismatched to planter width or to the planter center line without a problem. If your friend is willing to skip hoeing the outside row in some fields, he could adjust the wheel spacing to 90 inches and straddle three 30 inch rows instead of two rows.

Very Dumb Question, so please be patient with me:
If you friend cultivates with horses, how does he get a team of horses down 30 inch rows? Does he only use one horse, does he straddle an extra row between the horses or does he use a team of ponies? Most horse drawn equipment was spaced at 44, 42, or 40 inches to accommodate a team of horses. Any pictures?
 
Good question. Normally he does wide rows but this this is his first year for 30" rows. I am going to call him. I don't want to move the rears on this tractor if it does not work out for him. The rack gear is rusted tight. Paul
 
On the JD B we kept it on 66" centers for cultivating either 40" or 30" rows, never changed it.
 

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