Not so hot redneck plow !! Seeking TRACTOR GOD wisdoms :)

Unfortunately not the same can be said with my creation. I am seeking divine intervention from the TRACTOR GODS on my efforts to reclaim nearly 100 acres of 10 yrs. overgrowth. Below I have attempted to outline what I have done so far.

I start by parking the tractor on a level surface (dirt road) with the left wheel up on about 5-6" of blocking. I use this to simulate an "in furrow" condition. The general idea is to set the plow level when the tractor is in the furrow.
I then center the plow on the 3pth behind the tractor before making further adjustments. To center it I have fashioned anti-sway chains from 5/16� chain hooked to frame mounts and lower lift arms (Thx Bro Burr!). I then check the plow�s position relative to the right side wheel position. Since my rears are not adjustable I try to position the plow using various anti-sway chain lengths so that the front disk of the plow will run just inside the path of the wheel. I am considering moving my right front wheel further outward so it will fall on the outermost wall of the furrow while rear rides atop the landside.

Now I adjust the angle of attack on the plow. Using my top mounted turnbuckle above the beams, I adjust the angle to slightly off level (tilting fwd ~2�) so the front disk is being more aggressive than the rear. Since this is a disk plow it has no heel plate for adjustment, as such I pay less attention to how the bottom surface of the plow contacts the ground. I am in constant full contact with the ground except at the headlands. I set the depth with my 3pth lever and use the tail wheel to penetrate and maintain an estimated depth of 6�. In this newly reclaimed ground I increase the depth a bit more (7-8�) to enable the plow to plow deeper and break up any roots. Of course, I have no wheel weights, which would be very helpful for traction. I do have some water in there but nowhere near full.

With all these adjustments made I was expecting to be able to turn nice furrows. I also realize that the above adjustments were made with the plow under no load. Once the plow gets into the furrow it is under tension, so the angles change somewhat. I am experiencing heavy draft, incomplete trash coverage (sway) and at time wild furrows as the front of the tractor is frequently pitched hard to the right when traveling EAST. I am attributing this to different soil conditions within the same field (heavy clay??).

These basic settings and my limited experience are all that I have as a guide. I have been considering plowing solely in one direction just to get the ground broken. Bring it on TRACTOR GODS instill me with some knowledge and wisdom and other items you may have to offer!

I have never used a disk plow, only molboard plows. So, my observations probably don't mean much.

I've always felt your 3-point pins are quite high. In my plowing, things always work when the plow is being pulled from as low as possible. I notice the original set-up of that plow had some very low pulling brackets. Pulling high loses you a lot of traction, and will cause the plow to want to tip out of the ground, giving you poor draft (will want to buck up & down like a bronco). My semi-mount plow, the bottom of my tractor arms are shiny & smooth from basically dragging on the ground. (It would help to see a pic of the action - how it looks when the plow is in the ground.)

Also, I've never used sway stablizers on a plow. For the molboard, it works much better to allow it to find it's own path, it will trail in 1 place most of the time. You need to either move the wheels of your tractor, or the frame of the plow, to line the furrow up. It sounds like your tractor does not have movable wheels, and you may have made a solid frame? Many plows have a clamped-on drawbar that can shift left or right. Trying to adjust the lower arms off-center can mess things up, make it want to pull to one side pretty badly. You are actually changing the angle of the plow left-right, as you pull the lower arms to one side. This will make things want to slap left-to-right & right-left as you plow. Seems like a tiny angle when you shift the arms, but it does matter.

If any of my observations apply to a 3-point, disk-plow - I have no idea! Good luck, and keep us informed. :)

--->Paul

This can be done by raising the tractor arm on that side with the crank adjust. Which I think Shep is doing.

--->Paul

Pic of redneckin' efforts and below is link to original as purchased.

Also link to other pics of redneckin' plow but you have to copy and paste in browser.
Link

Do you have turnbuckles on your sway chains and if so, is the chain tight on each side. The disk has to be stablizied to keep it going in the same direction as the tractor. Your tractor, if it is the same one you got stuck should pull this implement with no problem. I would get some stabilizer bars to use.

What position is the draft control in -- heavy -light or in-between. Try using it in various positions and see what happens.

I can't figure out from your description if you used the lift arm gear to get the angle of the plow right. From the picture the plow needs to dip down on the left side when you use it. I would leave the wheel alone right now as it is in the picture.
Once the plow "bottoms out and takes hold", the depth you have the lift arms set at along with the draft control should keep the plow at the same depth. Remember the two blades cut two swaths of dirt and I would think angled-in may not be the best way - level might be best way to plow with it.

Sometimes it is just trial and error. Good luck. Let us know what happens.

Thurlow -
I think your right on the money! Here is pic of my buddy's plow behind my rig. At that time I had no anti-sway devices and plowing was fine. I will disconnect and see what happens.

Also Burr - your right on that plow I had it lower in the rear as you mentioned. I will readjust and post results for above corrective actions.
Thanks,
ShepFL

Shep all I can think of is this.

I use a double pan Ford plow and set the rear a little lower than the front.

I also set the right lift arm pretty high so it looks like the plow is laying down to the left.

I run it in heavy black clay (gumbo) and it does good. The long ribbons it slices off sure are hard on arthur hips and h-roids when ye cultivate or disc it over again.

When mine is doing best I have it adjusted so that the front pan runs about 6-8" inside the right rear wheel with the rear about 6" lower than the front and the right side about 6" higher than the left. That disc plow works good when you use it on the egg spatular techneek.

You'll need to run the sway chain on the right side to keep it positioned but the left side is optional.