Draft Control / Position Control

Soundguy · Nov 10, 2005

( you had to be careful of hitting rocks....it could be quite hard on the plow ....I am sure draft control has it's purpose but, I am not sure what it is, either )

Lie it was 66 years ago.. that is still one of the purposes of draft control.. object avoidance. Helps prevent broken plow tips.. and hanging the tractor on a big rock... the plow will lift to avoid it.. still bets a bit of a shock.. but not as bad as it would be without it.

Having plowed on a ford N, and also on a NH 1920. ( bigger better more hp.. no draft control ). I prefer draft controll for plowing.

Soundguy

Toolguy · Nov 10, 2005

I am sure draft control works fine if the soil conditions are fairly consistent. It can't react fast enough to avoid rocks, though.

Toolguy

Soundguy · Nov 12, 2005

You may want to try to contact the ford and ferguson engineers that designed and implemented the draft sensing hitc. They were kind enough to put plowing instructions in the 8n manual an up.. and very detailed pictures and explanations of how the hitc avoids ( ries up and over ) obstacles that are encountered. Int he 8n manual in front of me, their example of an obstruction is a rock....
Doesn't get much more clear cut than that...

Soundguy

Toolguy · Nov 12, 2005

One word: Marketing. Doesn't mean that it really did it.

Soundguy · Nov 12, 2005

That's your opinion. The fact of the matter is that when you look at the geometry of the 3pt lift, and a plow, and if you understand compresional and tensional forces, and look at the top link connection, it is -easy- to see how and why the lift can raise to avoid an object it encounters, all the while working to keep the front end down.

If the 'marketing' info as you call it was so bogues, then ford wouldn't have sold close to a million N type tractors from 39-52, and then kept going with the draft sensing 3pt lift on the NAA, hundred, and thousand series, and then still on many models thru the buyouts leading to today with CNH. My owners manual on my 2002 NH7610s also has a section of the 3pt lift, draft control,and proper attachment for safety, that reads in very similar language to my vintage reprint manual from 52... Guess that's all marketing jive that's pulled the wool over everyones eyes for 66 years right? If so.. thre marketing director of ford / now CNH... needs to run for 'emporer' of the world, according to the powers you have attributed to him/her.

Soundguy

JerryG · Nov 12, 2005

It does work. As the draft increases, the plow raises. In other words, as the rock is contacted, the plow is raised up until the rock is past because the draft is then reduced.

Toolguy · Nov 12, 2005

I can see that you have a strong liking for draft control and I respect that. It does work under certain conditions but, think about this. If draft control was the final answer for protecting the tractor and plow from rock damage, then why were spring trip bottom plows developed and later, power reset plows? That was a big breakthrough in the mid fifties. The 1955 Ford 850 with a Ford 3-14 mounted that I plowed hundreds and hundreds of acres with had trip bottoms. So did the JD 4-16 semi-mounted plow that we got in the 60's. I agree that the draft control will lift the plow once it hits the rock but, by then it is too late. The damage to the plow occurs at the moment of impact, before the draft control can react. Draft control will maintain an even load on the tractor. The trade off for that is an inconsistent implement depth as ground conditions get harder or softer. We managed to do a fine job of plowing without using the draft control by adding weights to the tractors so they could pull the plow through the tough spots without raising it up. There is still weight from the plow on the lower links even if you don't use draft control. That is the advantage of a mounted or semi-mounted plow over a pull type. The pull type or trailer plow relies entirely on the tractor to pull it. It needs an even heavier tractor. However it is hard to beat the job that a well tuned trailer plow can do.

I will not comment further on this thread other than to say that I respect everyone's opinion on this forum. I am just trying to share my experience and knowledge on this subject. You may disagree with me and I am OK with that. It is just my .02.

Toolguy

Soundguy · Nov 13, 2005

( I can see that you have a strong liking for draft control )

And we can see that you hold draft control in low regaurd. Again.. to each his own.

( the plow once it hits the rock but, by then it is too late. The damage to the plow occurs at the moment of impact, )

Perhaps.. perhaps not.. I've seen plows surviv large buried obstructions.. I've seen damaged ones too. In any event.. the 3pt setup /draft lifing over the obstruction is not 100% solely to protect the plow.. it also serves to help protect the tractor and operator from backflips. Ever seen a picture of a fordson standing on end hooked to a buried stuck plow?? I've seen many pics like that. I'll bet thier operatorswished they would have had 3pts lift with draft sensing hyds... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

( You may disagree with me and I am OK with that. It is just my .02 )

ditto

Soundguy

Geoffrey Mokomane · Dec 30, 2013

Please shed light here, I have MF375 and have attached 3 disc plough to till the land, the problem is that it raises the plough when it suppose to be ploughing, so the operator has to keep an eye on it and he keeps on handling the position and draft control livers, this was not the case before, what might be causing this? I suspected both Position and draft control levers might need adjustment but the problem seem not being resolved. Normaly we use draft lever to raise and lower the plough and keep Position control lever in raised position ie Transport mark.

what can I do now?

Tx Jim · Dec 30, 2013

Geoffrey Mokomane
Does position control lever move once you take your hand off of it? If so you need to tighten the friction washers(mechanism) that are intended to hold lever where it's set.