Pull Type Plow Set Up

This is a question I have to ask you guys that have plowed with pull type plows and how to set them up correctly. I was always told when I was young that if you had a pull type plow set up right that you could pull it by a chain hooked to the tractor and the plow would pull strait like it was hooked to the tractor. I know I have seen this done on film before back in high school and it always amazed me how this could be true, So my questions is have you ever seen this done in real life or on film or if you have done it before yourself. There is an art to plowing that's for sure and I try to keep in practice myself but after talking with someone and telling them about this being done it really got me to thinking about it and I wanted to ask you guys about it. So what do you think ? Bandit

Is the hitch lined up with the center of the plow bottoms

Yes, But the question I was asking is Have you ever seen a pull type plow pulled by a 10' chain hooked to the tractor to show that a correctly set plow will pull strait in the ground as if it were hooked to the tractor. I remember seeing this done on film in school but I haven't seen it sense. Bandit

One thing I can say is way back in the day the old International pull type plow would pull straight-- most the time-- until going thru a low area of what we called "jack wax" that set up very hard. Then the plow sometimes tended to push to the side and not plow as deep. Not so much later with a heavy semi mount.

As long as the plow parts are in good shape (shares and landsides espesially) and the bottoms are set to plow evenly, it will pull straight as an arrow. There would never be any side draft taken by the tractor. Even when using a 3 pt plow, if set properly, your sway chains on your lift arms won't have any tension on them. My experience with both types has shown that as shares wear, you tend to try to nose the plow down to keep it in the ground, and things start to go squirelly on you. Even more so when the landsides are shot, not enough steel left in the right places to counter the action of the plow.

The line of draft is not in the center of the plow. It is a quarter bottom width to the left of center. As long as you"re straight with the line of draft, it should pull straight.

If i remember watching them pull the old prairie plows with steam engines all they were hooked with was chains never thought about it till now but if the plow was up i bet that was an adventure going down hill.

Need a like button....I agree. Have seen it done at threshing shows.

I have a John Deere plow brochure that shows a picture of it being done and talks about it will work with a properly adjusted plow. Tom

Every plow manufacturer I am aware of put out a nice manual on how to adjust and hitch their plows. If it was as simple as set this lever to that and that adjuster to this there would not be any adjusters on a plow. Unless the hitching is off by a quarter mile a plow that had good wear parts will pull straight. Watching people try to plow at plow days has taught me that precious few have a handle of the fact that a worn out plow isnt going to pull right or plow right no matter how many things you adjust. You are correct that when everything is just as it should be you can unpin the drawbar brace. As a matter of fact most manuals will tell you do do that and then drop the pin in the hole it fits in when the plow is in the ground. Bottom line is if your interested in the best performance the very first thing you need to do is get the wear parts back to spec. Then hitch the plow so the front bottom is cutting the correct width. Then IF needed and possible adjust the wheel tread so the line of draft is correct, the importance of line of draft is not to make the plow pull straight, it is because the plow will pull easier when correct. Incorrect line of draft increases the pressure on the landsides when too far left, and pressure on the moldboards when too far right, both make the plow pull harder.

And don't leave out all bent up(LOL)

Most assured! LOL

I just posted about a book I have titled " Mechanics in Agriculture" and among other things you encounter in farming, it shows you what you are trying to achieve in setting up a moldboard plow then walks you through the steps of properly setting up a 4-16. Yes when finished you could pull it with a chain.

That's a great idea, about the swinging drawbar thing. I can't wait for it dry up so I can try it!

You are definitely right about people that don't know how to set plows I've watched amish plow and a lot of the old guys that taught me would be crying

Very interesting question and answers. Under ideal conditions it would work, but not a lot of plowing is done in ideal conditions!

It's been a long time but I used to help my FIL with plowing. We always carried a log chain. If you hit a wet spot that got the wheels spinning just unhitch the plow, drive ahead some and pull it through with the chain. Done it lots of times only Dad had the plows set up, I never did it.

That is just what I was looking for, If the plow was set up right it could be pulled by a chain and would plow strait. I saw a couple of films in high school that showed that very thing being done and it stuck with me. I was talking with someone about this and I can say I haven't seen this done in a long time, I might have to see if I can get mine to do this spring, If I can get it to do it I might have to video it and post it on youtube for everyone to see it and how its done . Bandit

Yeah, if it's set right it will pull straight. If it's not set right even if it's connected to the draw bar it won't pull straight. I've seen properly set horse drawn walking plows that you could simply let go of the handles once it was in the ground and it would plow straight and true as long as it didn't hit a stone or root or wet spot.

Banditfarmer, I am trying to get ahold of you and I apologize doing it this way. But can you pm me? Or email me? Latojr656 @gmail.com I got the same bobcat 70" mower you got and I just wanna discuss it a bit if you don t mind