Plowing tips

First post. First question. Hope I'm in the right forum.

Ran tractors as a kid on the farm, like many of us here, and just picked up an old 2N to do some plowing with. Would like to see diagrams or patters of plowing. I've done the searches, only see a couple, and maybe that's all I need, but thought I'd get a few pointers, and maybe a link or two to some drawings, or graphics, of patterns for a rectangle field. About half an acre full of blackberry and thistle roots that were way overgrown. Just want to get my feet wet and be safe about this. My 2N has the freguson draft control spring, but I can't know if it is operating properly till I use it, and sure don't want a tip over.

1. Any plow technique drawings you can link me to?
2. How to test a draft control spring safely.

If I've done this right, you should see an image of a pattern I found, if so is this a good pattern?
routes_lg.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 13:15:27 09/10/16) First post. First question. Hope I'm in the right forum.

Ran tractors as a kid on the farm, like many of us here, and just picked up an old 2N to do some plowing with. Would like to see diagrams or patters of plowing. I've done the searches, only see a couple, and maybe that's all I need, but thought I'd get a few pointers, and maybe a link or two to some drawings, or graphics, of patterns for a rectangle field. About half an acre full of blackberry and thistle roots that were way overgrown. Just want to get my feet wet and be safe about this. My 2N has the freguson draft control spring, but I can't know if it is operating properly till I use it, and sure don't want a tip over.

1. Any plow technique drawings you can link me to?
2. How to test a draft control spring safely.

If I've done this right, you should see an image of a pattern I found, if so is this a good pattern?
routes_lg.jpg

Pretty hard to tip over plowing, have you got hills?. what kind of plow do you have? to test the draft control I hook up the plow. set the quadrant lever with the pto running to just before the point where it would lift the plow then go round back and lift on the plow by hand. the hydraulics should take over and lift it.
 
Every other year plowing you reverse that pattern. Start there on the bottom left corner and throw the dirt outward. End up in the middle to finish. One moves the dirt over 12-16 inches, so you create a ridge in the middle of the field the first year with a small valley on each edge.

One wants to reverse that the next time.

It would be hard to roll over plowing, need traction to plow so you would spin before you got angled enough to tip.

The hard part is setting the plow, it needs to be level. The first round your tractor is also level side to side, but following rounds one wheel is in the furrow 6-8 inches deep, you need to adjust the three point arm up on the right side.

As well the plow needs to be level front to back while in the ground, you adjust that with the top link. If the points are worn it can be difficult to get it to suck into the ground, esp dry hard ground.

And, it needs to track straight, if it is off center on the tractor (typically) or the land sides are worn that can be a challenge to dial in with hitch adjustments.

The bottoms need to be shiny. That happens fast in sandy ground; it can be tough in wet clay ground where the dirt sticks to the bottom instead of scouring.

Paul
 
(quoted from post at 11:44:50 09/10/16)

Pretty hard to tip over plowing, have you got hills?. what kind of plow do you have? to test the draft control I hook up the plow. set the quadrant lever with the pto running to just before the point where it would lift the plow then go round back and lift on the plow by hand. the hydraulics should take over and lift it.

Thanks for the draft control tip Glenn. I'll give that a try.

As for the tipping over, I am referring to end over tea kettle, not sideways. Say I hit a buried stump and the wheels kept turning before I could control it. I'm new into this property and the fella one field over told me to watch out for hidden stumps that weren't removed, just cut below ground level 3 years ago.
 
(quoted from post at 12:47:50 09/10/16) Every other year plowing you reverse that pattern.
One wants to reverse that the next time.

That helps but because I am so visual, I'll have to try drawing it out. That's why I was hoping for a drawing or a link to one. Flunked algebra and all math classes, just ain't good at that sort of thing.



And, it needs to track straight, if it is off center on the tractor (typically) or the land sides are worn that can be a challenge to dial in with hitch adjustments.

I'll have to check on that tracking, thanks.


Paul
 
As for making it track straight different plows use different methods of adjustment to make them track straight. Need a picture of the plow to explain how to do that. If your lucky you have a lever attached to the bottom tow links bar.
 
Thanks for the draft control tip Glenn. I'll give that a try.

As for the tipping over, I am referring to end over tea kettle, not sideways. Say I hit a buried stump and the wheels kept turning before I could control it. I'm new into this property and the fella one field over told me to watch out for hidden stumps that weren't removed, just cut below ground level 3 years ago.

It would really help to see your plow. basically plows are pulled from below the axle. or the force it transfered below the axle which would tend to hold the front end down. Don't ever pull from the top link connection, thats what kills people.
 
I don't know how to add a pic from my phone. I have heard that about the top link, use the second one down, but if I recall mine only has one link setting, one pin position, though I'll double check and make sure. Thanks.
 
(quoted from post at 10:33:22 09/11/16) I don't know how to add a pic from my phone. I have heard that about the top link, use the second one down, but if I recall mine only has one link setting, one pin position, though I'll double check and make sure. Thanks.

No you missunderstand. 8n's have that double hole on top. Don't pull from that at all! You need a drawbar across the lower lift arms to pull anything. Your plow should be pulled from there too. They are below the acne when pulling.
 
You should get yourself an Operators manual for the 2N available from this site. We had an 8N bought new in 1951 The operators manual for the 8n covers how to hook up the plow and a lot of other things. It says to hook the top link in the lowest hole for heavy draft implements which includes plows. You will find a lot of useful info in the manual. As I recall, your plowing diagram is in the 8N manual.
Operators manual
 
Oh ok, yah well that makes sense then, and yes I do have a drawbar, just haven't removed the cultivator yet. When I do I'll attach the drawbar, thanks.
 
Thanks Dave, I will order that very soon, just want to add more from my list to it so I'm combining the shipping charges all in one order. Appreciate the tip.
 

Ok so I read how to upload photos, and here are two of my Ferguson plow. This was in response to the request to see the plow for adjustments in leveling. Hope this helps you explain it to me guys. I have a basic understanding, but always appreciate any tips. Thanks
 

Uhoh, I had the two pics showing and they are jpeg, below the reply box, right where I was supposed to browse and I could see them, but when I clicked on Submit, they were gone. It says Continuing Uploads, whatever that means.

If anyone can help with that too, as I didn't see anything in the section on How to Upload Photos.

I'm trying again, and I can see both pics again down below under the red bar titled Advanced Posting Tools. No progress bar, nothing showing any reason not to click on Preview or Submit. Damned computers anyway.
 

Your pictures might be too big, they have to be less than 300k. Ferguson plow? do you know the model number? Is it 1 or 2 bottoms ?
 

James Howell knows how to upload photos check it out If you don't see your photos when you click on PREVIEW YOUR REPLY they won't be in your post. It sometimes takes a while for them to upload. and don't forget to click on continue after the little pictures appear.
Posting Pictures
 
Thanks Dave, I did everything correctly, the pics were showing below, slightly larger than the typical thumbnail, and as I stated it read Continuing Upload but nothing was happening. No progress bar, no dots moving, and I am a photographer so I have uploaded tens of thousands over the years. I do understand uploading. I even write a blog for photographers helping them. This to me is not rocket science. I guess it would be helpful to know how long to wait. I think what is happening is that if the server is busy, data busy that is, then one needs to try later. How much later? Who knows.

Another problem is occurring. I need to talk with someone. I won't bore you guys with it but how do I contact them? I'm not interested in a Feedback form. I need help.
 

Glenn if this works as it appears to right now, you can see on the top front view, though I see I should have done a better job, the pins that will allow my lower lift arms to pull the plow, as opposed to using the drawbar.

40399.jpg
40400.jpg


Looks like I've got it now, geez this is certainly not the easiest uploader I've used, but I have decided not to use the Upload Photos/Videos below the second red line, but instead used the Upload Photos alternative just below the upper red line in blue lettering. Thsi one appears to be working. A thought for the team, Please remove the upload button that is not working.
 

Tats the same as mine. it's a good match for the 2N.

here is a video on setting up a plow thats the same. It looks like it has been working if it was used on an N before it might just work but mine looked that way too and it sucked until I set it up.

https://youtu.be/IplkW9xPILE
 
I had seen that one awhile back but really glad you added it to your reply because I missed some of his info, like you do in a movie I suppose, and now I still have another question. I think it will take actual application before I can ask that one and make sense of it though. Thanks again Glenn.
 
Your plow is a better plow than the one in the video. Notice the bar that the lower links hook to, his is straight and your is bent on each end that is where you adjust the width of cut of your front bottom. It's done by turning the bar to point the plow in the direction you need to get the width of cut your plow is designed to take, NOT BY MOVING THE BAR SIDE TO SIDE. Some plows have a lever attached to this bar to make that adjustment. Is your plow a 12" 14"or a 16"? Half the width of the 12 14 16 is the depth you should be plowing. and when you use the method you saw in the video, put blocks under the left side wheels front and rear it makes a small difference in setting the plow level front to back.
 

Does anyone remember seeing the old Fords plowing AROUND the field..making Square Corners..???

Remember figure if you want the Head-Land in the middle of the field or leave a Dead-Furrow in the middle of the field..usually, you would alternate from one plowing to the next to keep the field level..

Would a 2x14" be too much plow for a 2N..?

I suppose it depends on the ground and conditions, but I wonder if the 2N may have been sold originally with 2x12"..??
 
If it's a 3 point plow when you get it adjusted where you want it be sure to take measurements of the top link and the right leveling block arm so you can remember where it should be next time you use it. If you feel you need to take pictures do that as well.
 
(quoted from post at 18:05:09 09/14/16)
Does anyone remember seeing the old Fords plowing AROUND the field..making Square Corners..???

Remember figure if you want the Head-Land in the middle of the field or leave a Dead-Furrow in the middle of the field..usually, you would alternate from one plowing to the next to keep the field level..

Would a 2x14" be too much plow for a 2N..?

I suppose it depends on the ground and conditions, but I wonder if the 2N may have been sold originally with 2x12"..??
use a 2X14 Furgason plow on my 2N and it does a great job.
 

Good advice Steve, I will do that. I decided not to plow this fall. My first priority is killing blackberry and Canadian thistle. Sprayed 3 times so far, and allowing remaining weeds to grow as a cover crop. Remember, this field has been fallow for at least 13 years. Too late now to spray again, so if I need to mow before anything sets seed, I will do that with a landpride brush hog. Then in the spring I'll plow and disc whatever is there. This field will wait another year before I plant vegetables for a garden.

Looking forward to more input on plowing though.

Steve you said you are currently using a 2-point plow on your 2n. Are you using the 3-point or a drawbar?
 

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