CT230 w/ 3 bottom plow?

[galaxie428]

Anyone using a 3 bottom plow with their CT230? I picked up a real nice Ford 3 bottom at an auction a few weeks ago and I am dying to try it out. Unfortunately, it is still too wet and still a little frozen underneath I think. I should add that I beleive it is a 3-14 if I measured correctly.

I feel pretty confident that I can pull a two bottom but three bottom I am not sure. The third bottom is easy enough to take off but I would like to try it first.

 

[newbury]

I got a 1 bottom (mainly for my B7610) and could just about stall my M4700 (w/ loaded rears) in moist clay.
from elsewhere:

rule of thumb (brush hog 5hp er foot of width) for bottom plows its about 15hp per plow. 12" take less, 18" take more.

my 33hp hydro just squeeks out my 2x16 Dearborn. A 2x16 was the standard 2 bottom matched with a 30hp tractor from the 60's

so the 15hp stands up from a number of data points.

so 3bottom ~45hp which is why 60hp tractor pulls a 3bot fine.

Search is your friend.

You might want to drop one of the three blades.

 

[smstonypoint]

Here's some info on estimated drawbar HP requirements for various implements: http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/Ag.%20Ext.%202007-Chelsie/PDF/e1152.pdf. From Table 2, the estimated DBHP requirements per foot of moldboard plow width plowing at at an 8" depth are 5.4 in sandy soil, 9 in loam soil, and 12.6 in clay loam soil. These estimates are for ag. tractors -- I suspect that the DBHP requirements may be higher for lighter CUTs.


Steve

 

[motownbrowne]

Do you, like most cut owners have r4 industrial tires? If so, you might not even be able to pull 2 14s. With r1s and some weight up front, 2 should be fine. I really doubt your ability to pull 3.

Okay, looked up some specs. I think you should either make it a two bottom, or buy a farmall m. The m is designed to pull a 3-14, and they cost about 2k around here. They weigh about 5k and have more power at the engine than your bobcat. Also, being geared vs hydro, they have way more power at the drawbar. If you try pulling it, don't overheat your hydro. Plowing isn't their strong suit, and that's way more than it's designed to pull.

Do you have any experience plowing? How much land are we talking about? I'd probably recommend a single bottom for most compact owners. They are much easier to set up and get good results with. You could even pull it with r4s.

Good luck.

 

[Daver1963]

I have a 2 x 12 Ferguson plow on my L2800 (30hp). Just did some plowing the other day. It was about the right combo. I wouldn't want a 2 X 14 let alone a 3 X14.

 

[galaxie428]

Thanks guys. I do have the r4's on mine because I also mow with it and they do a nice job of not tearing up the yard.

I gave it a try last night even though it was still a little wet outside. I was able to pull it until I hit a really wet spot, then it just stopped me and I spun out. Our soil has a little bit of a sandy/rocky mix to it and the place I was plowing had been tilled about 2" last year. I did not measure the depth but it looked like a good 8-9" deep on the pass I made before I got stuck. I have not done any setup on it since i bought it.

That being said, I will probably pull the third bottom off in case I need to plow some ground with a harder soil. I have some guys that are going to put food plots in for deer and quail this year so I am not sure what we will be plowing.

The plow sits really tight up towards the back of my tractor, too close. It hits on my 3pt arms. I was hoping to use it with my quick hitch but the lever on the right hand side that adjusts the tilt of the plow interferes with the QH. I am going to try to figure out a way to make it work with the QH but not sure exactly how yet. I hate having to try to hook something up after using the QH.

 

[Daver1963]

Here are some helpful instructions on plowing. They are for a Ferguson plow, but the concepts are good for any plow.
Plowing Procedures (6 pages)

 

[galaxie428]

Thanks Dave, I will look at that tonight. I had someone send me some scanned pages from the Ford plow on how to set it up. I can comapre the two.

By the way, what are all you Kubota people doing hanging out on the Bobcat forum? I posted on here expecting to get real life experience from the BC folks and no one person that has a BC responded. This used to be a very active forum but no so much anymore. I don't stop by as often. Maybe you Kubota owners have ran everyone off!

 

[Daver1963]

Instead of visiting every forum I usually look at "Today's Posts" and "New Posts" as it shows the newest or most active threads going on. I suspect many others do the same thing.

 

[motownbrowne]

Instead of visiting every forum I usually look at "Today's Posts" and "New Posts" as it shows the newest or most active threads going on. I suspect many others do the same thing.

Yep. Same here. Sorry if we ran everyone off. I wonder if most bobcat owners spend time on the kioti forum, since they made the tractors anyway.