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What Plow?

J

Joel Sanderson

Member
I am starting to look for a 3-16 or 4-14 trailer plow, and I would like to know what kind to get, but I haven't seen many work. In the past, two conditions have made it really hard for me to plow: hard ground so the plow won't go in; and heavy matter, so the plow plugs. I had an Oliver 3-16 trailer plow that I tried to plow heavy canary grass sod with, and it plugged so badly I could barely make a plow length before it was stuffed full again. I went to the same field with a newer John Deere 5-16 semi mounted (reset version of a 145) and it plowed fine--no plugging. The angle of the frame on the newer plow is steeper, so the bottoms are farther apart. I have a 2-16 Oliver plow for my A, and last summer it would not go in the ground, while the 5-16 trailer plow behind the 80 did. So......

I would like to hear people's opinions on

1) What make or model of plow goes in hard ground the best?

2) What make or model of plow has the most clearance between its bottoms?

Keep in mind this is a 3-16 or a 4-14 trailer plow. I will be pulling it behind a D.

Thanks everyone.

Joel
 

I see no way the bottoms of a true 16'' bottom moldboard plow can be spaced different widths. The standards that bottoms attached to can be taller to give more trash clearance or moldboard wings could have different curvature.
 
3-16's behind a D? Seems a bit small for 3-16's; BUT I have an Oliver 4-14 4340 pull type. The owners manual shows many features that were add-on extras to help combat the type of thing You are talking about. They large wires that push the grass sideways so the coulters cut it shorter just as an example. But probably the best plow I ever saw was Oliver 545 4-14 Semi-mount plowing at a farm show last year. Probably 50 plows out there & that one was the best!

Best plow I ever owned for trash was a JD F-650 with trash boards in 3-14's. Finding an F-650 today isnt easy. I do see some on tractorhouse once in a while!
 
There really in no 'best brand' for penetration. The shares are what determines that.They get worn and resemble sled runners,they will not penetrate. Some soils are hard,even new 'deep suck' shares have trouble going in.16" plow hs more clearance(especially in corn stalks) than a 14"As far as best brand,I (personally) prefer an IH plow.However JD and Oliver are also good plows. Be sure to get something with 'throwaway' shares.However,you indicate you will be using a JD 'D'. Probably has no hydraulics?If so you will be limited to a rope trip type.Those are older and will most likely have 'blacksmith' shares.They are obsolete,most are worn out
(ie.'sled runners') these days.There are a couple of guys here that deal in the old shares.Shares are where you need to look at on a potential purchace. Remember,It is better to have an implement that is 'too small' than to have one that is 'too big',pulls the guts out it in low gear.Common mistake lots of guys make.So maybe a 3x14 or 2x16 may be better for you.
 

This probably wouldn't work for you D, since it is a hydraulic lift, but I learned to plow with a IH model 70 3-16 pull type plow that Dad had. It did a nice job of turning things under. We picked all our corn on the ear, and never chopped the stalks, and that plow would turn them under like nothing else I ever saw.
You could still plug it of course, if you weren't careful, but for the most part it did a heck of a nice job.
I still have the plow, but have not used it in years. It would need some work to put it back in shape.
 
The 2x16 Oliver that would not go into the ground probably has worn/'sled runner' shares.No wonder it wouldn't penetrate.Shares are often overlooked.they need to have 'suck' in order to work properly.I cant count how meany folks tell me their plow wont work,it wont go into the ground.Or it goes in and rides out.I almost universally find their shares are worn. They had no idea.
 
I was always told Oliver went in the ground the best. Deere laid it over the best and IH resets were the best for rocks. I owned several of each and tend to agree. Tom
 

I see no way the bottoms of a true 16'' bottom moldboard plow can be spaced different widths. The standards that bottoms attached to can be taller to give more trash clearance or moldboard wings could have different curvature.[/quote]

It's the good 'ol pythagorean theorem: A squared + B squared = C squared. If A stays the same and B is longer, C gets longer. :D

The plowing width is the same, but the distance between the bottoms is greater. It makes a huge difference. I'd like to find a trailer plow that has a long angle with more clearance. Have you noticed a difference between makes?


mvphoto33124.jpg
 

I'm gonna respectfully disagree with you here, from experience. Our 5-16 behind the 80 will go in ground when the 4-16 semi-mounted behind the 730 will just skid along the top--no matter how new the points are. Same with my Oliver. The points were new that day when the 80 could plow and I couldn't. It was hard ground, in August, and that 80 had to pull some of the way in 1st gear, but the A never got to find out. There's a huge difference between plows.

When I was a kid we plowed all our ground, and we had to keep the 730's points newer than the 80's plow, or the back would just start to drag if it was dry. The 4020's plow was not quite as bad, but it wasn't as good as the 80's. These are all John Deere plows.
 
(quoted from post at 18:52:18 03/19/19)
This probably wouldn't work for you D, since it is a hydraulic lift, but I learned to plow with a IH model 70 3-16 pull type plow that Dad had. It did a nice job of turning things under. We picked all our corn on the ear, and never chopped the stalks, and that plow would turn them under like nothing else I ever saw.
You could still plug it of course, if you weren't careful, but for the most part it did a heck of a nice job.
I still have the plow, but have not used it in years. It would need some work to put it back in shape.
Click to expand...

My D has hydraulics, so this is good to know. I'll look for a Model 70 and see what I find. Thank you very much. How did it do in hard ground?
 
Don't you guys have an old blacksmith around that knows how to put some SUCK in your plow lays? I used to hang out in an old blacksmith shop and watched Fred do it several times. 1st time I saw it, We had a darn JD plow that would not plow bean ground. Fred told dad to bring them in and he'd put some suck into them. Boy was he right. Dad set the plow down and it kept going down. Actually made a plow out of it. Look around someone can be make them work. Only took Fred about 15 minutes per bottom. Do not heat them.
 
(quoted from post at 15:56:44 03/19/19)
(quoted from post at 18:52:18 03/19/19)
This probably wouldn't work for you D, since it is a hydraulic lift, but I learned to plow with a IH model 70 3-16 pull type plow that Dad had. It did a nice job of turning things under. We picked all our corn on the ear, and never chopped the stalks, and that plow would turn them under like nothing else I ever saw.
You could still plug it of course, if you weren't careful, but for the most part it did a heck of a nice job.
I still have the plow, but have not used it in years. It would need some work to put it back in shape.
Click to expand...

My D has hydraulics, so this is good to know. I'll look for a Model 70 and see what I find. Thank you very much. How did it do in hard ground?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it did OK. I don't recall ever having any issues with it.
 

Assuming the wearing parts are CLEAN, Scoured and properly adjusted, seldom will you not get a plow to drop in..BUT..

IF that becomes the case, Plow a "Starter" Pass across the field (open furrow nearest the open field)..

If you can make that pass with the plow in the ground, you should be in GOOD Shape to enter the ground..

MOST important part is NO RUST PERIOD...

Oil that plow if it will set more than over the night...
 
There was a furrow from the 80's 5-16 Deere plow, and the Oliver still would not go in the ground. It had already plowed about two acres down the road on my ground, so it was well polished. I think there's not enough weight on that little two bottom's frame. I had a similar experience with the 3-16 Oliver I had. Hard ground wasn't its friend.
 
Dad had, I still have, a 2-16 and 3-16 Oliver trip plows.

He had a large rock on the 3-16, he would often wrap some chains, 100 lbs or so, on the 2-16.

Back in 2012 I couldnt get the 4-20 IHC 720 semi mounted to stay in the ground on the low clay ground where we always compact the heck out of it in our wet soils, it got very very dry that fall and the compacted ground just set up like a brick. Many had problems.

If your groun is always that hard, you might want to look at a different approach, a ripper or good chisel plow like a glenco soil saver or so to make it bust hat har stuff up.

Paul
 
The rock's interesting. I was thinking of putting a tank of water on it, which I could empty when the ground's soft. Our ground usually isn't hard like that unless it's super dry. August last year we were getting a field ready for an alfalfa seeding, and that's when my 2-16 Oliver wouldn't do more than scratch the surface. Shoulda been done months before, but you know how that goes.
 
I have a John Deere 3x14 and an international 3x14 the John Deere handles trash way better that the IH does if a plow won?t go in the ground with good points it?s not adjusted right you want the nose of the share lower than the opposite end of the share . In extremely hard conditions you might have to drop the nose quite a ways to get the plow in the ground
cvphoto17185.jpg
 
Some of it is rocky besides and that makes for a long expensive day plowing at times . I would love to have a D my uncle had an early one on round spoke wheels changed to rubber . Ever since I read John Deere reactors and equipment volume one and watched echos of the past the model D had been my dream tractor that and the Dain
 
My my! I say, there's nothing quite like a picture to prove your point. Is that your plowing job? If so, which plow was it? I'll experiment more with tipping the points down next time it's hard. Hopefully I won't have to plow like last summer's conditions for awhile though.

Thank you very much for your input. I appreciate it.

Joel
 
Thanks, Steve. I've been eyeing your #70 4-14. I wish it had trip bottoms, though maybe that's not a problem. I'm curious: did they ever make one with auto reset? Or did that come later?

By the way, that 2-16 Oliver I got from you last spring works fabulously behind my A--except (as I've been saying) last summer when it was too dry on my dad's place. (But as I'm being told, that might have been how I had it adjusted.) I'm really happy with how it plows in my ground and turns sod over. It makes a very smooth field.

Joel
 
Joel this was the John Deere F130 it has deep suck shares on it it was so dry here last year some of the ground was set up like concrete
 
That's some demonstration--pulling four fourteens through summer sod, and it doesn't notice! Of course, that engine's been improved a wee bit. ;)
 
I have not seen anywhere that you mentioned having rolling cutters on your plows. IF you dont, that could have an effect on your hard plowing. IF YOU DO, but they arent sharp, they wouldnt help much.
 

Unless it was entirely too dry and Hard (Dry Blackjack?), it should and there should never be a need to add weight to a plow to get it into the ground..

We have some Blackjack that is Best plowed when you "chast water down the furrow", then it falls apart like ashes..

Plow it mid-summer (if you Can!) and it will not work down until a heavy rain..!!

Tractor tires will leave RUBBER on the ground as they slip....front ewd up, Breaking Cover-Boards off...!!

BTDT..!!

As I said, a swipe across the ends can give you a chance to drop into that open furrow and then you should be good to go...
 
What are number 18? They look like deep suck, at least that is what my 5x14" and 2x14" have. Never any problem on hard
ground.
 
I know how that goes!

We have no shortage of rocks here, so that was an easy setup for dad. As a wheel lift trip plow, he also put a snow chain on the lift wheel to lift it up.

Paul
 
Yes John Deere has them they have deep suck shares and regular. some aftermarket companies I?ve noticed have a longer point than others when I get in the rocks I like regular or stubble share
 
Oh, silly me! You mean to make a pass along the headland, perpendicular to the field, to get the plow to start? I get it now. Thanks.
 
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