John deere 2 bottom plow.

jdeere830

Member
Hello all, so I got this 2 bottom john deere plow off my land a year ago. It is an older plow, I think it"s something like a 1940"s. Now, I pulled this whole plow apart and repainted it, and now I wanna try hand a pulling it around a little bit. I have been using our JD 40.
Now, the problem I am having is that when I drop the plow to the ground, only one of the plows is digging in, the other just skims the surface of the ground.
I don"t know what I"m doing wrong, I really want to get this fixed am I can"t take it to a plow day event, any help of tips would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mitch.
 
I will get a picture later today, but the points look decently good, and they appear to be turning down.I think the plow is a model 44.
 
Is the plow level fore and aft or riding on its nose? Not SPRUNG is it? Is your hitch adjusted correctly? A friend with a manual is always a great help! Awaiting your PHOTOS.
 
The plow does not seem to want to sit level, I have to put the 2 levers at extreme opposites to make the plow get even close to sitting level.
 
Is it your front or back bottom that won't go in? Your hitch is to high or to low.
 
Ok,here she is. Now, when I try to plow, I have to have both levers in extreme opposites to even get 1 of the plows to dig. I just don"t know what i"m doing wrong.
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Not for sure on that plow but my number 52 the right bottom won't get into the ground good on your first pass but once you have made one pass bad can place the right tire into the last furrow they both cut in equally
Also check your tire sizes a friend had a plow similar to your and he put to big of tires on it so it wouldn't cut deep at all he finally switched out to smaller tire
 

Look at the rear wheel...it is adjusted way too far down and will not allow the rear bottom to penetrate much, if any..

You are NOT going to be very happy with your choice of tire tread on the left side..that tire needs good tread, to turn the lift mechanism without sliding..
Adding an old snow tire chain will help..!!

Your Coulters are sure showing a LOT of "Experience"(wear) and those Shares may be worn just enough to be "Iffy" as far as "Suck" is concerned..
But, over-all, it looks to be a good plow..

Not sure if a JD 40 is rated 2x14"...

Ron.
 

Bet you'll tell us your WIFE parked that other one..!!

Seriously...be SURE to tie your trip-rope to your seat with a Light piece of String (so it will break easily..!!

Ron.
 

That plow is really designed to run Level with the furrow (Rt) wheel IN the Furrow, with the Leveling lever set about 1/2 way (or less) from the top.

With both levers DOWN all the way, it should set fairly level with both wheels on level ground, with the rear Share just about scraping on the ground.
As you know, the arm from the plow frame, to the hitch causes the rear wheel to Lift up, when the levers are both moved all the way down, with the plow hooked to your tractor hitch..

Ron.

The depth adjustment should allow more than a 7" plowing depth..

Ron.
 

One more thing..you NEED to clean that rust off the wearing surfaces..

Best tool I have found is an Angle-Grinder (4 1/2"), with a Thin Cut-off disc, held at about a 30 degree angle (wear safety glasses and a Mask).

It will peel that rust off like a hot putty knife, right down to the Black oxide under the rust.
At that point, the soil will slip over the parts and scour your plow quickly..
Never (NEVER) allow a plow to become rusty..
Ron.
 
Ok, so I should clean the plows, and raise the tail wheel, and tie the trip wire to the seat.
When I had first tried plowing, I had the rear wheel acutely removed, and the trip wire was tied up to the seat, and still nothing, where do I go from here?
 
Points make all the difference in the world when it comes to plowing. The points must be in good to excellant condition for the plow to work properly.

Have an old farmer look at then,
many old plows were retired when the points worn out.
 
The hitch is set for a high drawback. This makes the plow tend to rotate forward on the axle lifting the rear bottom out of the ground. The adjustment is at the top of the pie shaped plate the drop the hitch down from the frame. Remove the front bolt and and swing the plate so the top edge it parallel with the frame.
 
A plow is not supposed to set 'level' on flat ground.It is made to set level only in the furrow.It is in the adjustments that are made while IN a furrow. Who gives a rip how it sets on flat ground....BTw good lookin plow.
 
Ok, so how do I keep the plow from rusting after I have done that? And shouldn't the plow clean itself with use? I have pulled it around quite a bit and it just seems to be turning that silver color, no black oxid.
 
Are you talking about the 2 plates that connect the hitch assembly to the plow frame? They look like they are almost parallel with the frame, is their more adjustment that can be made? Or am I taking about a different part?
 

Yes, the plow is eventually Scour, but it may take 20 acres to get it to finally have the soil sliding over clean metal, and the plow will not do a very good job until it is..

You won't see the black layer, as the rust wears off and the soil will stick to that rust like it is glued on (use a Putty Knife often)..

Using the angle-grinder as I described will take the rust OFF, right to that micro-thin Oxide layer under the rust and that WILL not interfere with the plow/Soil contact areas..

Once Scoured (wear-polished) and right after the last use, rub a good thin layer of motor oil on all polished surfaces, then spray cheap Enamel paint over the oil, to hold the oil in place.
Or, smear a good coating of grease on all the wearing surfaces..

Scouring a plow can be a PITA, so get it in shape and KEEP it that way..!!

Did you get the plow to penetrate correctly..?
Did you have to adjust the rear wheel up.?
Ron..
 
Ok, I have adjusted the rear wheel up, in fact last summer when I ran the plow I had the rear wheel removed. Could you describe the process of lowing the hitch again? I belie that is my problem (or a big part of it) but I just can't seem to figure it out. Am I loosing up the rod with the spring attached? I am new to running I implements like this, but I really want to figure it out.

Also, you said that I wanna use a angle grinder on the rusty plow, but that you wait "it WILL not interfere with the plow soil contact area". Am I just misreading this, or does grinding the plow not really help?
 

Using a 4 1/2" Angle-Grinder with a Thin Cut-off wheel, held at approx. a 30 Degree angle will NOT scratch the surface of the steel..!
It will act like a hot Putty Knife and peel the red rust off (wear a dust-Mask and glasses).
Best way to get the job done and done right..

I would not be adjusting that rod with the spring on it, if (when hooked to the tractor, the plow raises the rear wheel about 4" off the ground..
The Spring is just there to allow the spring to compress when the blow is in the ground that is all that rod on the Hitch is for.
I am not sure just how much you know about a plow and plowing....
The rear wheel looks (in your picture) like it is adjusted VERY Low..
With the plow IN the ground, it should not leave a heavy mark in the furrow..just enough to act as a Rolling Land-Slide and control how deep the rear bottom of the plow can go in..the adjustment is critical, for proper plowing..
As you said, you actually could take the rear wheel off, but then, you will need to put a longer Land-Slide on, with an adjustable "Heel", to do the same thing the rear wheel is to do..

Hope this helps...

Ron.
 
Ok, how do I adjust the night of the hitch? Is it the 2 plates the drop the hitch from the frame? If so, I'm. Of sure their is anymore adjust their.
 

The rear of the Hitch (Tongue) should be about 3" from the ground, when the plow is fully in the ground with the plow level front-to-rear.

The only way you will know if there are any other adjustment holes in those attaching plates is to take the bolts loose or out and see.

From what I can see in your photo it looks about right.

Have you adjusted the rear wheel..?

If you have a manual, it will show you a "Line-of-Draft" that will extend from your drawbar, to a point about 3" above the top of the rear plow share.
That is the actual point that would be in line with the line of Force from the tractor drawbar, to that point.

You should try to obtain a Manual for your plow.

Ron.
 
Ok, I will try to obtain manual, I have parts manual, but I believe your talking about a owners manual. and no, I have not have a chance to adjust the rear wheel, I will do so and try it when I get some free time this week.
Thanks for all of your help.
 

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