Leinbach Disc Harrow

[N80]

I'm looking to purchase a disc (6-7 foot) some time in the future. Ruled out JD and Landpride as too expensive. King Kutter makes two models. One is light duty and made of angle iron which looks too cheap and flimsy for my needs. Their heavy duty model looks okay, has box tubing frame. That was my top contender. I have not looked at the Howse but suspect it is similar.

I saw an 8 ft Leinbach at a dealer the other day. Looked well built. It appeared to have similar materials to the KK, but seemed to be finished and painted better. The Leinbachs weigh about the same as the KKs. However, I called Leinbach, which is about 1.5 hours from me, and I can pick one up there for (a lot) less than a KK at Tractor supply. Plus, the angle of the gangs on the Leinbach is adjusted with a big screw drive rather than bolts that have to be removed.

Harrow

So that's where I'm leaning now. And I like the fact that they are made and sold locally (Winston-Salem, NC). They also answered my emails quickly and were very helpful.

Home Page

Any thoughts or experience with a Leinbach disc? Any others that I should look at? Hope to buy late this summer.

 

[SkyPup]

I used a 6 foot Leinbach for the last twenty years and recently sold it to a friend who is using it. It ran into allot of rocks and roots and stumps the first ten-fifteen years and needed welding only once. It took a beating and still is in good shape. Mine was made of angle iron, but the box tube steel would be a much better choice.

After I sold the Leinbach angle iron discer, I got the Leinbach tube steel model and have used it about ten times or so. It is much beefier and heavier than my previous angle iron model.

 

[mjarrels]

Shop around for a used "KING" Heavy duty and can't be beat.

mark

 

[California]

I used a 6 foot Leinbach for the last twenty years

How much hp were you pulling it with?

One of those (6 ft Leinbach, angle iron) came with my 24 hp Yanmar but I don't think it is well suited to it - at least I can't pull it up the slopes in this orchard easily. The previous owner was on dead-flat floodplain. I'm thinking about trading down. Comments?

 

[SkyPup]

32HP 4WD, but I'm on a floodplain too.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Just about every small disc on todays market is built with the same assortment of components. Same bearings or boxings. Same spools. Same axles. Same disc blades. The only real difference is the FRAMES. Leinbach seems to have resisted the trend towards ultra-light duty equipment. I wouldn't exactly term their disc as heavy duty, but it's a very good mid price range disc. If you can get it cheap, there's no reason not to.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon George,
The farmer down the road from me gave me a 7ft Taylor Way disc harrow this past fall. In the photo you cant see it but the center support support piece that controls the angle of the front gangs is cracked in half It is tubular steel with a series of 1/2" holes spaced along its length for changing how aggressive you want the front gangs. I just measured it and made a new one out of solid stock. This spring Im planning on cutting out the old one and weld the new piece in.

Im planning on pulling it with the Massey, hopefully it can do the job !

 

[SkyPup]

George, running a discer is just another good reason to get a nice MIG welder.....

 

[N80]

Scotty, the fact that the Leinbach uses screw drives rather than bolts on holes through the center support might make it (a little bit) stronger. Who knows.

I'll be using the disc on some tough, somehwhat sloped terrain. Lots of clay and rocks. But, my tractor is 45 hp and 4wd so I think it will handle the 6'10" Leinbach with 20 18" discs okay.

As far as finding a used KK, or used discs of any sort around here, well, they seem to be scarce. Seems like every hunter/landowner in the state has a CUT and a few small food plots begging for a 5-6 foot disc harrow. The used ones I've seen around were beyond my mechanical/restoratian abilities.

The farmer next door has a mig welder. Spent half the day last weekend helping him do some welding on the giant scoop for his new (used) skid stear for loading turkey poop into the spreader. (The scoop is nearly as big as the skid steer, looks hilarious.) So, I'm sure he'll return the favor to help me fix whatever I screw up on the disc harrow!

 

[Ford850]

George,
I bought a KK angle frame a couple of years ago. If I could do it over I would buy the heavier tube frame model. I love the disc but had to add a couple hundred lbs for weight, and that probably stresses the angle frame. The only other thing I wish for is easy adjustable gangs. That Leinbach looks slick to me. If it was even close to the KK price I would grab it.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Scotty started showing pictures, so I have to now

Here's my favorite type of 3-point disc. I've wanted one for YEARS. Finally got around to buying one last fall. When Harry Ferguson started selling his own line of tractors, a line of implements was also available. In the late 1950's, the Ferguson 6' and 7' lift disc was upgraded to the model 25. The design didn't change much, mainly more built-in weight. The #25 stayed in the MF line-up until the mid 80's. They work..... Just over 1000lbs in 7'-6" trim, they'll dig as well as some heavier disc's. Remove one bolt per gang and each gang floats independently. Levers above hitch allow "on-the-move" adjustment of gang angle, both front and rear. And the #25 leaves a nice level seedbed.

Pictures 1 thru 4 show the disc as I bought it. 8'-10" width.

Pic 5 thru 8 show it after the axles were shortened, making it a 7'-6" model. Rear disc blades had been recently replaced. Fronts were a different story. So... New notched blades.

 

[N80]

I'd love to find something like that. Also wondering about scrapers. I've got a lot of gooey clay.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'd love to find something like that. Also wondering about scrapers. I've got a lot of gooey clay.

Scrapers are a useless waste of iron......unless you're discing in sticky loose soil. Then they're worth their weight in gold. I had a good 3-point disc without scrapers. (LMC brand ???) I sold it and bought the MF25 disc primarily to get one with scrapers. As a fringe benifit I got the best working small disc I've ever used. And speaking of iron and weight, the scrapers and associated mounting hardware add another 250 lbs to the total. Weight on a disc is a GOOD thing. Also, note how "short" the #25 is compared to most common designs. The weight is carried close to the tractor when raised. Easier on the tractor that way.

 

[N80]

With my soil i might need them, but I'm assuming I can add them later if needed.

How about the disc size? The unit I priced has 18" disks. There is an identical model with 20" disks. Which is preferable? Is there any advantage to the smaller disk diameter?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Bigger diameter disc (A) weighs more, and (B) SUPPOSEDLY will dig deeper. Generally speaking, it's rather unusual that you would get 18" blades all the way to the axles on these lighter draft disc's. The disc I pictured has 18" blades. That's always enough for what I need.

I'd bet Leinbach offers scrapers on their disc as an option, but I'd also bet you'd faint if you saw the cost involved. I'd use a scraper assembly off of an old disc or fabricate all the mounting hardware and buy the individual scraper "blades" aftermarket. The only times I had real problems with a disc without scrapers was in fresh plowed ground. The disc was cutting all the way to the axles. Dirt would ball up between the disc blades. That became a "wheel" that raised the disc up out of the ground. I had to carry a tile spade on the tractor and stop every few minutes to chop packed dirt out from between the blades.

I found a disc with scrapers and ended that nonsense.

 

[scott_vt]

Scotty, the fact that the Leinbach uses screw drives rather than bolts on holes through the center support might make it (a little bit) stronger. Who knows.

The farmer next door has a mig welder. Spent half the day last weekend helping him do some welding on the giant scoop for his new (used) skid stear for loading turkey poop into the spreader. (The scoop is nearly as big as the skid steer, looks hilarious.) So, I'm sure he'll return the favor to help me fix whatever I screw up on the disc harrow!

Mornin George,
Rule #1- Always have a farmer friend down the road to help you out !
Rule #2- Read rule #1

Mornin Bill,
That rusty old harrow is a bit out of character behind that beautifully restored Massey !

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Mornin Bill,
That rusty old harrow is a bit out of character behind that beautifully restored Massey !

It's about to udergo a character improvement crash course/paint job! As soon as I get motivated and ready to wear red paint for a few days. Already got all the decals and paint sitting on the workbench!

 

[N80]

I saw an add in the South Carolina Market Bulletin for a M.-F. disk. I think it said it was 8 feet but had no other description but needs work and $400. If it was close by, I'd go take a look but its several hours away.

I would love to have the time and inclination to restore an old tractor and some implements. I think it would be tons of fun. The farmer next door has a Ferguson that is beat up but running. (Main sheet metal is okay, few dents, but only minor rust.) It would be perfect for a re-do and I'm certain he would sell it to me for nothing. Unfortunately I don't have the time or money for such a project, already got too many money sucking hobbies as it is. Just the list for my current tractor is endless:

Disc
Hyd. Top link
Tooth bar
Canopy
3 bay shed
sub soiler
work lights

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I saw an add in the South Carolina Market Bulletin for a M.-F. disk. I think it said it was 8 feet but had no other description but needs work and $400. If it was close by, I'd go take a look but its several hours away.

I would love to have the time and inclination to restore an old tractor and some implements. I think it would be tons of fun. The farmer next door has a Ferguson that is beat up but running. (Main sheet metal is okay, few dents, but only minor rust.) It would be perfect for a re-do and I'm certain he would sell it to me for nothing. Unfortunately I don't have the time or money for such a project, already got too many money sucking hobbies as it is. Just the list for my current tractor is endless:

Disc
Hyd. Top link
Tooth bar
Canopy
3 bay shed
sub soiler
work lights

Back when my wife and I first married, we started talking about having kids. We thought about "waiting until we could afford them". We decidecd to have a family anyway. The 3 kids are grown and gone now, and I'm about to turn 60. I can FINALLY afford to have kids now but I'm too worn out to do anything about it.

Like my dad always said, "WAIT is what broke down the bridge".

 

[N80]

Okay, when I'm 60 I'm going to buy that Ferguson (T23 or something like that) and make it brand new! It really is a jewel. Not much to look at but again, everything runs and works on it so it would really just mostly be cosmetics. Seems like the lower hitch arms (it is not a 3 pt hitch) are bent (but still usable) and the little running boards that your feet rest on are rusting out. But at least the engine and tranny would not have to be torn down at this point.

Very tempting and I don't even know why. I need another tractor like ahole in the head, much less an old beater.