Single bottom plow, breaking shear pins like it's my job

[Overtaxed]

I have a 16" Everything Attachments single bottom plow that I'm pulling through some rough stuff (clay, unbroken ground) and I can't keep a shear pin alive for more than a few runs through the field. My tractor is 60HP, 4WD (although I've been in 2WD trying to "spin" before I break it, doesn't work), about 8000 lbs (Kioti NX6010, 4WD, HST, loaded ag tires and FEL). I have a lot of other ground engaging gear, including a big box blade that will stop the tractor with the rippers down, no problem, but the plow, it seems to break the pin when I look at it wrong. Compounding matters, the rotation of the plow when the pin breaks is incredibly stiff, so, I have to beat it with a sledge to get it back into position. As you can imagine, breaking the pin is coupled by a string of cursing, because I know it's 10 minutes of pounding to get another stupid pin in.

A few questions; should I just go to a harder bolt? What's the downside; obviously the tractor can take the stress, the box blade, as I said before, hooks up the same way and will stop it dead if I dig in deep. So I'm not worried about the harder pin breaking the 3pt (but, maybe I should be?). Weld the plow up and just remove the "release" entirely? I have a subsoiler and potato plow without a pin and never have problems with them. Drill out the hole and put in a bigger bolt? New plow (hope this isn't the answer!).

Thanks for the help!

 

[LouNY]

The purpose of the shear bolt is to protect the plow.
Why only a 1 bottom on 60HP, 3 would be more appropriate for that HP.
If you increase the size or weld it solid you will tweak the plow frame.

 

[Overtaxed]

I have a single bottom because I use it to plant trees in rows, and I didn't want to turn more than a single row.

That's my fear, but looking at the EA plow line, the 2 bottom plow frame looks identical to the single bottom, and, obviously, will pull 2X as hard because of the additional blade in the ground. So I don't think the frame would be the problem, however, I do wonder if the blade and shank can take it. I'm honestly shocked at how little it takes to break, I've broken it without even hearing the engine lug, and I'm usually plowing at 1K RPMs and 1-1.5MPH. It's just really fragile, and, the plow is built like a tank, so I wonder if it's a "CYA" thing, it certainly seems like the construction could take a lot more abuse than it actually does given the trip on the plow.

 

[jeff9366]

KIOTI NX6010

Engine Model 3F183T
Engine Gross Power 60 hp (44.7 kW)
Rated Speed 2,600 rpm
No. of Cylinders 3
Fuel Type Diesel
Aspiration Turbo Charged
Displacement 111.4 cu. in. (1,826 cc)
Fuel Tank Capacity 14.8 U.S. gal. (56 L)
Transmission
Transmission Type Hydrostatic
Shuttle None
No. of Travel Speeds - Forward / Reverse 3 Range
Min. Travel Speed of Forward w/ Ag @ Engine rated speed 0 mph (0 km/h)
Max. Travel Speed of Forward w/ Ag @ Engine rated speed 18.26 mph (29.38 km/h)
Power Take-Off (PTO)
PTO Type Trans Independent
PTO Power 48.3 hp (36 kW)
Rear PTO Speeds (1st) 540 rpm
Mid PTO Speed 2,000 rpm (Optional)
Brakes and Clutch
Brakes Wet Multi Disc
Clutch None
Dimensions w/ AG Tire
Length w/ 3-point hitch 139.6 in. (3,547 mm)
Width 65.7 in. (1,669 mm)
Height from Top of ROPS 103.1 in. (2,618 mm)
Wheelbase 75.6 in. (1,920 mm)
Ground Clearance 15.7 in. (400 mm)
Front Tread Ag Tires - Min 53.3 in. (1,355 mm)
Rear Tread Ag Tires - Min 52.5 in. (1,324 mm)
Turning Radius w/ Brake 9.97 ft. (3.04 m)
Hydraulics
Pump Gear
Pump Capacity (Max. Flow Rate) 17.9 gpm (67.6 L/min)
3-Point Hitch
Standard Category Category I & II
Lift Capacity, 24" aft of hitch 3,177 lbs. (1,441 kg)
Control Type Position with Draft Control
Weight
Weight with Ag Tires 4,183 lbs. (1,897.4 kg)

 

[jeff9366]

1. Moldboard Plows are designed to be operated with the right front and right rear tires 8" deep (for a 16" plow) in a plow furrow. If you are scratching just one row I believe all four wheels must be on level ground. Four wheels on level ground will stress the plow in ways for which it was not designed. Plows are very sensitive to "geometry".

2. A 16" plow properly in the ground exerts almost twice the draft force resistance of a 12" plow.

3. NX6010 has Draft Control. When engaged Draft Control will automatically raise the plow when it encounters too much resistance, which in most situations would be underground boulders, rock ledges or really hard ground. When pulling the Moldboard Plow are you engaging Draft Control? Draft control will also protect your Potato Plow.
Directions on how to engage Draft Control will be in your Operator's Manual.
You may have to return to TBN for information to adjust Draft Control properly, as Draft Control interacts with Position Control.

4. Is your soil moist? Dry soil can have four times the draft force resistance of moist soil.

5. Is the ETA plow for a Category I or Category II Three Point Hitch?
If you are using a Category I plow are the pins correctly bushed? If there is any play at the draw pins, the load on your shear bolt will surge periodically.

If you are using a Category I plow I suspect that is part of your problem. A Cat I plow will be designed around 12" of ground clearance. Your tractor has 15.7" of ground clearance. Plows are very sensitive to "geometry".

6. I suggest lubing your shear bolts with Anti-Seize compound.

7. I would not use a harder shear bolt without discussing with Mike or Travis at ETA, after answering above questions. It takes just a tiny bend of the moldboard to put it out of alignment with the plow frame, which will permanently degrade the plow. Your heavy tractor has the potential to bend the plow.


I have an ETA 12" single bottom plow with ETA's smallest frame size, but full size moldboard. With ETA plow I turn soil behind a Kubota subcompact BX tractor. This reduced size frame plow is designed for subcompact tractors. Works fine. I have several other ETA implements which have been satisfactory. ETA is a good supplier.


Consider a Bucket Spade for planting small trees.
MORE: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/328798-bucket-spade-today-fel-bucket.html?highlight=

 

[LouNY]

I have a single bottom because I use it to plant trees in rows, and I didn't want to turn more than a single row.

That's my fear, but looking at the EA plow line, the 2 bottom plow frame looks identical to the single bottom, and, obviously, will pull 2X as hard because of the additional blade in the ground. So I don't think the frame would be the problem, however, I do wonder if the blade and shank can take it. I'm honestly shocked at how little it takes to break, I've broken it without even hearing the engine lug, and I'm usually plowing at 1K RPMs and 1-1.5MPH. It's just really fragile, and, the plow is built like a tank, so I wonder if it's a "CYA" thing, it certainly seems like the construction could take a lot more abuse than it actually does given the trip on the plow.

Or try lengthening the right side lift arm and shortening the right side which should throw the plow into a vertical cutting plane and check the level of the plow and adjust your toplink to be more level when the plow is in the ground. with larger plows there are usually adjustment to allow a tractor to remain out of the furrow.

 

[CincyFlyer]

Perhaps get some very strong springs and make an "over-center" trip, so you can just back up and lift it when it sticks.

 

[jeff9366]

My tractor is Kioti NX6010 60HP, 4WD, although I've been operating in 2WD trying to "spin" before I break the plow shear bolt.

I have a subsoiler and potato plow without a pin and never have problems with them.

Subsoiler and Potato Plow are designed to be operated with all four tractor wheels on level ground.

 

[jeff9366]

Perhaps get some very strong springs and make an "over-center" trip, so you can just back up and lift it when it sticks.

Trips involved considerable force. On trip plows the spring is enclosed to reduce the danger to human flesh.

OP needs to learn how to plow. He may need a different implement for his task. A Category II Potato Plow or a Bucket Spade will likely serve better than a Moldboard Plow operated in ignorance.

( We all start in ignorance. But it is better to seek guidance before using a new implement and certainly before replacing the third shear bolt and before beating the plow frame with a sledge. )

 

[Overtaxed]

So, today's update. Went out, broke 2 pins, got pissed and went to the barn, welded it up. Stay tuned for the results.

So, to answer the questions, it's a cat 1 plow, and the NX6010 has cat 2 pins, but it is correctly bushed down.

Yes, I'm using draft control, and it works great pulling the plow up when I hit something, but it's just not fast enough, when I hit something hard at any speed above 1MPH, the pin shears before the draft control can react and reduce the pressure on the plow.

The soil is in good shape for me right now, but it's always hard to work, a lot of clay; but this is as good as it gets.

So, what happened when I welded it? Well, I'm not dead, so the tractor didn't flip over, so at least there's that. I put 2 welds on it, both small beads (and very ugly, because I suck at welding), with the thought that if the pressure was really extreme, perhaps the weld would break before something else. Anyway, the results were incredible. I feel like I could throw soil 10' now, it just shreds through the soil, I'm able to plow at 4-5MPH easily now, and could probably go faster if I was more comfortable. It's 1000% better, I just can't believe how much faster it is now and how much harder it pulls. With the pin, I would just barely feel resistance (at 1 MPH) and the pin would break. Now, I can feel it dig and work back there, it's just a totally different implement. I finished plowing about 2ac this morning and looking at it, nothing appears to be bent or broken on either the plow or the tractor. I figured the tractor would be OK, I have implements that will "dead stop" the tractor hitting something off the 3pt, so I can't see why the plow would put more force it than my 72" box blade, for example. But I kind of expected something to break on the plow, not a scratch on it. If I had to estimate, I'd guess I'm putting 2-3X the force on it that I did before (with 1X being where the pin would break). It still doesn't pull close to as hard as the blade with rippers down though, that thing you can really feel.

So, my conclusion from all this; the shear setup on the EA 16" plow is protective far before the limits of the implement. The plow is capable of a lot more than that shear pin can take, it's shearing way before something bends; which, I guess, it what I thought was the case, my cheepo subsoiler pulled much harder than the plow and didn't break, so I assumed and expected that the EA plow, which weighs about 3X as much as the subsoiler (and is built much better) wouldn't break. And, so far, I'm right. If it does break, I guess I'll be in the market for a trip plow, because I'm not playing this shear pin game again, it's a royal PITA with a plow, especially in hard soil.

Thanks for the advice/suggestions, I did write to EA and ask them; so I'll be sure to update with what their response is. Perhaps they would have told me to go a higher grade bolt? Which I thought about, but I had the welder and I was at the end of my rope changing pins, I was either going to break the plow after welding it or throw it into a ditch and buy something else.

 

[jeff9366]

Yes, I'm using draft control, and it works great pulling the plow up when I hit something, but it's just not fast enough, when I hit something hard at any speed above 1MPH, the pin shears before the draft control can react and reduce the pressure on the plow.

Do you know how to adjust Draft Control sensitivity by moving inboard end of Top Link among several vertically stacked hole pairs on the tractor?

Have you read about Draft Control in your Operator's Manual?

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think I would have first went with a larger bolt (one size up from current) then if that still sheared, go to a harder bolt of the larger size. I would have kept working up in bolt size till I got no more shears in normal conditions which would still shear if hitting a big rock or stump. Welding would have been a last resort.

 

[Overtaxed]

Do you know how to adjust Draft Control sensitivity by moving inboard end of Top Link among several vertically stacked hole pairs on the tractor?

Have you read about Draft Control in your Operator's Manual?

Yes, I was in the middle hole, I can't get the clearance to get into the bottom hole because of the way my top link connects to the plow, there's just not enough room there. Frankly, I just don't think it could be fast enough no matter how fast it was for hitting a rock; I'd hit and the pin would break so fast I didn't even have time to get off the throttle, let alone wait for the 3pt to respond. But it does help a lot when plowing, it just didn't fix the problem of breaking the bolts.

I thought about upsizing the bolts, but, the thought of trying to drill that metal with a hand drill (because I can't get it up on my press) makes my head hurt. I'd rather buy another plow, frankly, than try to rig a way to drill out those holes though what has to be 1.5" of hardened iron. If I had a tool that would have done it, I would have gone that way first, but I don't have (and don't know of) a tool that would have made drilling that easy.

Just out of curiosity, why is the idea of a "solid" plow so dangerous when things like subsoilers and tater plows are often solid (no shear bolts). My subsoiler doesn't have a bolt, and I've stuck that thing hard, no tractor flips, no broken/bent stuff. And, in my estimation, the EA plow is built a LOT heavier than my crappy subsoiler. I get that you're taking a much bigger bite with a plow, and have more likelyhood of a hard stick, but didn't plows used to be "solid" (no shear pins)? I'm pretty sure I've seen some that are, and I don't think that they are built that much different than what we buy today, were they?

 

[countrybumpkin]

Draft control is not for lifting the implement when hitting a obstruction.

 

[LouNY]

Yes, I was in the middle hole, I can't get the clearance to get into the bottom hole because of the way my top link connects to the plow, there's just not enough room there. Frankly, I just don't think it could be fast enough no matter how fast it was for hitting a rock; I'd hit and the pin would break so fast I didn't even have time to get off the throttle, let alone wait for the 3pt to respond. But it does help a lot when plowing, it just didn't fix the problem of breaking the bolts.

I thought about upsizing the bolts, but, the thought of trying to drill that metal with a hand drill (because I can't get it up on my press) makes my head hurt. I'd rather buy another plow, frankly, than try to rig a way to drill out those holes though what has to be 1.5" of hardened iron. If I had a tool that would have done it, I would have gone that way first, but I don't have (and don't know of) a tool that would have made drilling that easy.

Just out of curiosity, why is the idea of a "solid" plow so dangerous when things like subsoilers and tater plows are often solid (no shear bolts). My subsoiler doesn't have a bolt, and I've stuck that thing hard, no tractor flips, no broken/bent stuff. And, in my estimation, the EA plow is built a LOT heavier than my crappy subsoiler. I get that you're taking a much bigger bite with a plow, and have more likelyhood of a hard stick, but didn't plows used to be "solid" (no shear pins)? I'm pretty sure I've seen some that are, and I don't think that they are built that much different than what we buy today, were they?

Plows where and still are available in several configurations,
Solid no trip or shear pin, for sandy soil no rocks,
Trip plows, requiring stopping and reversing to reset,
Spring resets which reset under spring tension
Auto reset using hydraulics with nitrogen charged accumulators to provide the reset force.
In the northeast most areas have rock and or ledge rock which will destroy ground breaking implements without trip protection.

Plows can be used for many things other then just primary tillage, we have dug shallow drain ditches, buried wiring and other similar projects.
Depending on the size of a field and how much head land traveling you wanted to do and especially with roll over plows we would cast the soil uphill,
starting at the top of a side hill and plowing across the field. When you see fields with a stone wall almost buried on the uphill side and quite exposed on the downhill
you can see why it would make a difference in hilly ground.

Many of the heavier subsoilers are available with shear pins, cultivators and potato and beet diggers will usually not have them as they are designed to be used in soil that has been tilled and loosened.

 

[MHarryE]

If I gather from what you say, the shear bolts are breaking due to load, not from hitting a large rock or other obstruction that would damage the plow. I have 3 small plows, 1 and 2 bottom Fergusons and a 2 bottom King Kutter. None of these have trip mechanisms. I once hit a buried stump with the 2 bottom Ferguson - it broke the tip off the share that hit the stump but the obstruction was enough to spin all 4 tires on my Kubota L5740 without damaging the frame.

For most of my work I have a 5 bottom International auto reset. My soil is very hard pulling. I can get too many trips and resets from driving too fast. I also have a 4 bottom International with a spring trip that requires backing to reset. It will also trip from pulling too fast, rarely from hitting an obstruction.

When watching Everything Attachments videos, I always wish I had soil as mellow as theirs. Something I recommend is comparing soil texture seen in their videos vs your own soil. Your welding solution might be fine if you don't have rocky soil. If its not uncommon to hit a rock drilling it out and using a larger shear bolt might be the preferred solution.

 

[Overtaxed]

If I gather from what you say, the shear bolts are breaking due to load, not from hitting a large rock or other obstruction that would damage the plow. I have 3 small plows, 1 and 2 bottom Fergusons and a 2 bottom King Kutter. None of these have trip mechanisms. I once hit a buried stump with the 2 bottom Ferguson - it broke the tip off the share that hit the stump but the obstruction was enough to spin all 4 tires on my Kubota L5740 without damaging the frame.

For most of my work I have a 5 bottom International auto reset. My soil is very hard pulling. I can get too many trips and resets from driving too fast. I also have a 4 bottom International with a spring trip that requires backing to reset. It will also trip from pulling too fast, rarely from hitting an obstruction.

When watching Everything Attachments videos, I always wish I had soil as mellow as theirs. Something I recommend is comparing soil texture seen in their videos vs your own soil. Your welding solution might be fine if you don't have rocky soil. If its not uncommon to hit a rock drilling it out and using a larger shear bolt might be the preferred solution.

To be fair, this soil would be the opposite of "mellow". It's virgin soil that is heavy clay, about the worst possible situation for pulling a plow. The only good news, there aren't a ton of tree stumps in there, I only found 2-3 that were big enough to be of any concern (the rest just flipped over with the plow).

My soil is rocky, but not big rocks, little (up to basketball sized at the absolute largest) that flip up pretty easy with a plow. Now, I suppose if I caught just the tip of a plow on a basketball sized rock that was buried entirely below it, something bad would happen, probably the same thing you described, break the tip off the plow or maybe stop the tractor dead, depending on how much of the plow was engaged? I always plow in 2wd because of the size of my tractor vs the plow, I want the tractor to spin because, even 2wd was way more than enough to break the pin, I was hoping that the tractor would give out first, but it never did.

Well, the field is plowed, I'm not dead, the plow still appears to be straight, and I've stopped keeping Tractor Supply in business buying shear pins like I was attempting to corner the market. So, I'm happy with the results, took me about 1/4 the time to do the 2nd half of the field than the first half took (because I wasn't breaking pins non-stop and could go faster), so I'm calling it a win. One more patch of land to flip this year, and then I set the plow up for a few months. With the welded area, and the fear of flipping the tractor over, this plow will now be known as the "widowmaker".

 

[Ford850]

The easiest solution would have been to get a harder grade bolt (same diameter) as the shear pin, so you're still protected but it won't break free as often. The biggest risk of plowing with a cat1 plow that is welded tight, on a cat2 tractor, is when you hit a solid object and maintain traction. You'll likely tweak the plow beam. Most other ground engaging implements are centered on the 3ph frame and the force distributed evenly. Plows put the force from each bottom to it's dedicated beam. So all the tractor's energy is forced to that one off center beam if you hit an immoveable object, and the beam bends or twists. That's why plows trip individually, since each beam is the weakest link.

 

[Overtaxed]

The easiest solution would have been to get a harder grade bolt (same diameter) as the shear pin, so you're still protected but it won't break free as often. The biggest risk of plowing with a cat1 plow that is welded tight, on a cat2 tractor, is when you hit a solid object and maintain traction. You'll likely tweak the plow beam. Most other ground engaging implements are centered on the 3ph frame and the force distributed evenly. Plows put the force from each bottom to it's dedicated beam. So all the tractor's energy is forced to that one off center beam if you hit an immoveable object, and the beam bends or twists. That's why plows trip individually, since each beam is the weakest link.

Which is what I was going to do, but the store was closed and I needed to get the plowing finished before the rain came. But, yes, I do agree, I think that the "right" answer (of which none of these are right because we're rigging it beyond what was intended, even if, IMHO, the intended load is FAR below the actual ability of the implement) was get a harder bolt.

I welded about 1" on each side of the shank to the frame; I didn't weld the entire thing because I figured, if I really get it into it, maybe the weld will break before the entire plow bends or blows apart. Wondering how strong 1" of weld is compared to the bolt. Have no idea, but I'd be curious if anyone has an estimation. I've tacked metal together before with just a spot weld and that's darn strong by itself!

 

[Ford850]

Which is what I was going to do, but the store was closed and I needed to get the plowing finished before the rain came. But, yes, I do agree, I think that the "right" answer (of which none of these are right because we're rigging it beyond what was intended, even if, IMHO, the intended load is FAR below the actual ability of the implement) was get a harder bolt.

I welded about 1" on each side of the shank to the frame; I didn't weld the entire thing because I figured, if I really get it into it, maybe the weld will break before the entire plow bends or blows apart. Wondering how strong 1" of weld is compared to the bolt. Have no idea, but I'd be curious if anyone has an estimation. I've tacked metal together before with just a spot weld and that's darn strong by itself!

Also, you may never hit anything that would bend the frame of the plow. You might be fine as is. If it were me, I would cut the welds and try a harder bolt, maybe even two grades up if one grade up still breaks. Worse case, you might have to resort to tacking some welds on there again. I once had a plow with a tweaked frame. It was so slight it was difficult to see, but I never could get that plow adjusted to plow easily. That makes me more conservative in these decisions, but it's your plow and as long as you're turning soil all is good.