How much disk can I pull? Kubota L3200

[Fallon]

Kubota L3200 HST, 32hp, I think its running 3,800 lbs with the loader on & R4 tires filled.

I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist for a bit on 3pt disks & getting ready to actually go hunting finally. There's a good chance I'll use it to get my 5 acres in shape, then end up selling it, or keeping it, who knows. Pulling the subsoiler through things right now & realizing it's taking a log more grunt in the over grazed & compacted pasture area than the little overgrown area I did behind the barn. We have a decent bit of clay around.

I've been eyeing a 6.5' Buhler if I can talk them down a bit. But I'm wondering if a 20 disk 6.5' will end up being more than my L3200 can handle. The other options are a handfull of 5' or 6' King Kutter disks both new & used that seem to be all over.

I'm also thinking about buying or renting a tiller. Probably a bit slower than a disk, but I can just take it slow with the HST & I'm only looking at 5 acres. I figure renting a tiller for a week would end up costing as much as I'd lose flipping a disk or tiller in a couple years.

Devin

 

[jeff9366]

I trust your L3200 has 4-WD.

A Tandem Disc Harrow is considered a secondary tillage implement; a plow is a primary tillage implement.

Do not consider angle-iron frame Disc Harrows. Consider only Box Frame Disc Harrows.

You can pull a Disc Harrow with 18" diameter pans for sure. 16/18" will cut better/better penetration. 20/18" will break up dirt clods finer. Should work fine IF the ground has been broken with a plow within 2-3 years before you want to disc and has not been compacted by livestock.

You can pull a Disc Harrow with 20" diameter pans under moist soil conditions. 20" diameter pans usually ride on 1-1/8" axle, rather than 1" axle of 18" pan Disc Harrows. A Disc Harrow with 20" pans will have around 50% more weight bearing on dirt through each pan. Disc Harrow with 20" diameter pans will cut/penetrate much better than an 18" diameter pan Disc Harrow.

Less aggressive (straighter) adjustment of the gang angles makes a DH easier to pull, more aggressive mixes soil more. Learning how to adjust a Disc Harrow for your conditions takes time.

If penetration is a problem the first pass, shorten the Top Link to lift the rear gang, increasing weight on the front gang. On succeeding passes, adjust Top Link so front and rear gangs penetrate equally, which will give best soil mixing.

Photo #1, #2: Howse 16/18" Disc Harrow on Florida sandy-loam, NO rocks, prepping game food plots. Ground disced every year.

Photo#3: Short Top Link = weight on front gang.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/307781-disc-harrow-wisdom-farmwithjunk.html

 

[Fallon]

I'm running a subsoiler through now, got about half way done after work today. Not the greatest plow job, but it's the tool I had & the ground is pretty compacted in spots.

I had read that link earlier, great resource.

Tractor data lists my 3pt capacity as:
Rear lift (at ends): 1,998 lbs
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 1,435 lbs

I'm assuming that translates into being able to lift around 1,000lbs worth of disk hanging a ways out. Weight wise that fits in with the 40lbs per disk * 20 disks minimum for good penetration. I suppose I could pull off 2 or 4 disks or something if it pulls to hard for my tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

Penetration will be influenced by what is growing on your land now and depth of vegetation roots. Sub-soiling compacted spots is good for renovation and will make discing easier. Pasture grass is tough to disc without prior plowing because of root depth and density. You will be better off with 20" diameter pans if you are NOT going to break with a plow.

A 16/20" is much lighter than 20/20". I can't give you a blanket recommendation for16/20", because pan thickness varies considerably, therefore total DH weight varies, but I think you would be fine. Howse 16/20" is 878 pounds, Howse 20/20" is 1,097 pounds.

Nine inch pan spacing (16/18", 16/20", will allow larger rocks to process better than seven inch spacing. (20/18". 20/20")

20/18" and 20/20" are SOMEWHAT more for breaking up clods produced by Fall plowing.

No you can't pull off pans. Two implements you tighten as hard as possible, then tighten some more, are nuts on axles of Disc Harrow and cutters on a Rotary Cutter/Bush Hog. If a Disc Harrow loosens, it will wear either the center of the pans, called hubs, the axle, or both. You do not want to take a Disc Harrow apart unless REPAIR is essential.

However, you can adjust gang angles "straighter" to reduce draft force.

FEWER PANS will give better penetration. 16/18" and 16/20" will penetrate better than 20/18" or 20/20" counterparts.

Have your soil tested before discing. If you decide to amend, the Disc Harrow will mix in amendments.

A tiller is good, but slow. Like a DH, rocks in soil make difference to how deep tiller penetrates and how well it mixes.



EVEN FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO CONFUSE YOU:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/296476-considerations-disc-harrow-selection-18-a.html

(At the time LINK was written I had a Kubota B3300SU, similar to L3200.)

 

[jeff9366]

You have not expressed what you intend to grow after renovating your land.

Buhler Disc Harrow web site:

http://www.snowvac.com/allied_disc_01.php

Buhler Disc Harrows are pretty light, relative to peers.

 

[LD1]

Way more info than I can offer.

All I can say is if it ain't muddy and you do have 4wd, you should have no issues pulling either a 6' or 6.5'.

 

[FredH]

I Pull a 6.5" KK angle ( 20 - 16" ) frame behind my TC 30 HST with 4 wheel drive and have no issue's . And This Is Not Flat Ground Here . Also soil is a type of clay will vary by percentage of how much is clay versus how much is top soil , Dang near every were . While it May be 50 /50 top soil - clay mix on this spot , 5 yards away maybe 75 / 25 top soil - clay , while 10 yards away maybe 90 / 10 clay - top soil . Clay is like Adobe , In that when it Dries , It would make a great house till it rains again .

Anyway , I use mine to make firebreaks around property line and also down each side of Our driveway right of way to keep weeds down . Have Added 5 100# weights to disk , which now makes it around 1100 lbs.'s and have no problem picking it up . Sometimes going up hill , I will have to pull it up a bit if the soil is to wet and it starts to bog . Going downhill hill , it has dropped all the way to the axles and keeps chugging along .

I also pull a 8 shank , app. 6' 5" wide homemade ripper with 18" shanks , 12" useable depth , Downhill or side hill with little issue's unless it hooks something big .

Fred H.

 

[blueriver]

The age old question .. You will pull it but the deeper the disc goes in the harder it becomes to pull .. Each pass gets the disc deeper ... When it gets down to the disc axle you'll need all your hp

 

[bullbreaker]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nybirdman]

Six passes with a disc or one with a tiller..............with that sized tractor a tiller would work much better and take less time and fuel.A large AG tractor with a monster disc is an awesome machine,these smaller tractors not so much.