McCormick GX45, number of plows?

[b6200hst]

Hello, I know this question gets asked alot, but, I will ask again for MY tractor. I have a McCormick GX45, manual transmission, 44hp, 4wd, FEL, ag tires, weighs in right around 4200 lbs with loader. The tires are not loaded and I have no weights anywhere. I will be plowing a relatively loose soil, some recently plowed, some with a decent sod built up (old hay field). Should I just stick with maybe a 10" or 12" 2-bottom or do you think I could move up to a 3-bottom plow?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

You could easily pull 2X14" or 2X16", MAYBE even 3x12" or 3X14" if conditions are absolutely perfect. But....You're a little "light" for 3 bottoms in many conditions. (ie sod ground) MFWD will overcome some of the lack of weight, but how much is questionable.

Myself? Unless I had (literally) hundreds of acres to plow, I'd go 2-bottom (14" or 16") and pull it EASILY, and at a moderate speed. I've always found it to be more productive pulling a smaller plow faster, rather than struggling along with a big plow. Speed (around 5mph) will net you a better plowing job.

A simple solution....Find a 3-bottom plow, try it, and if it's too much of a load, remove the rear bottom (to make it a 2-bottom plow)

Again, IMHO, you'll struggle with 3 plows (and that HP/weight tractor) in many instances. I'm certain someone will chime in about how "back in the day" they pulled 3 and 4 bottoms with 45hp. That was likely with a tractor that weighed 8,000 to 10,000lbs, and was moving along @ 2-1/4mph. "Modern plows" (ie those built post WWII) don't like to be pulled that slow.