Quick Hitches Packed Clay. Ripper? Subsoiler? Disc? Scarifier?

[Beau42x]

I need break up hard packed clay on my racetrack. I need to get down as far as I could. I have spots of fine sand that need to be mixed into the clay with my grader BUT first it needs to be broken up. What is my best 3ph option?

 

[jeff9366]

What is the operating weight of the tractor you will use?

Does the tractor have 4-WD or just 2-WD?

How deep do you want to penetrate the track?

What has packed the clay, animal hooves or tires?

How far into the track can you push a spade when the track material is moist?

Anything hard less than 18" below the track surface?




Without above answers I will tentatively suggest a Chisel Plow (Photo #1) or Chisel Plow's lighter duty clone called a Field Cultivator. (Photo #2)

These implements will go deep but not disrupt the surface too much.

 

[Beau42x]

I'm not sure what you mean by operating weight. The tractor has 150hp and weighs 6270KG. Then there's calcium in the tyres. It also has a front loader attached. It is 4wd. The clay has been packed by my champ 760 grader, my water truck, packing trucks and of course a full season of stock car racing in 2016. When moist I can probably push a spade about 3" in. Here's the plan: I would like to break the clay up as far down as I can, even if its only 6" at a time (the lower, the better), then pass the grader over it at an attempt to mix any sand with the clay (move it up the track, break some more, move it down the track and so on) until when I can re-pack the track without having spots where there is sand only. The problem is there are spots say 3'x3' of sand only, that the cars dig out through the night. Leaving "holes" in the track surface.

 

[jeff9366]

The tractor has 150hp and weighs 6270KG. Then there's calcium in the tyres. It also has a front loader attached. It is 4wd.

I recommend a Chisel Plow. With your heavy tractor you should get down 10" the first pass, 14" the second pass OR DEEPER. These implements will go deep but not disrupt the surface of your track too much.

Chisel Plows are plains soil implements. There are likely Canadian producers.

LINKS: Athens Plow - Model 156 Chisel Plow
Subsoilers & Rippers >> Rome Plow
BRILLION Chisel Plow
357 Inline Ripper - Wil-Rich


MORE: Chisel Plow site:tractorbynet.com - Google Search

 

[Beau42x]

thanks Jeff, I will look into it!

 

[jeff9366]

Determine what size Three Point Hitch your tractor has. Probably a Category III, Three Point Hitch. Maybe a Category IV, Three Point Hitch.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Chisel plows work great for fields and pastures that have suffered normal compaction. But you're talking about a race track that has been professionally compacted, and the dirt is going to be like concrete. You will likely break some shanks on a chisel plow trying to break it up.

Instead of a chisel plow, I'd look at a subsoiler. Something like this: Sub Soiler

Or this: V-Ripper Subsoiler | Northstar Attachments

I'm not sure you can get enough traction with your tractor to bust up the soil on that tract. The best solution may be to hire a dozer with a ripper on the back. That would do it.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Lets think a bit differently here. Why rip up the whole track just to repair a few spots? Rent a backhoe and dig out the sand spots and refill with dirt off of the track. If you compact the dirt in 6" layers with a jumping jack it should stay in place.

 

[jeff9366]

When moist I can probably push a spade about 3" in.

Here's the plan: I would like to break the clay up as far down as I can, even if its only 6" at a time ~~~ until I can re-pack the track without having spots where there is sand only.

The problem is there are spots 3'x3' of sand only, that the cars dig out. Leaving "holes" in the track surface.

The 3" spade test indicates the track surface is not compacted.

Subsoilers and Chisel Plows are not too separated in function, perhaps overlap in some manufacture's descriptions. Both will get beneath track surface to disrupt deeper, per OP's desire and best pothole elimination practice. In either case, PARABOLIC shaped rippers decrease draft force resistance and strain on the shanks/rippers and would be essential were I making the choice, based on limited information we have. I am sticking with my Chisel Plow recommendation for the moment. I like spring-protected Chisel Plow's ability to reset/trip if encountering a finite hard area or boulder, over shear bolt protection on some subsoilers.

With either a Chisel Plow or Subsoiler the OP can vary the "bite" of the implement by adjusting the Three Point Hitch Top Link.

Chisel Plow will leave the track surface easy to smooth with the grader, while leaving some undisturbed, supportive subsurface after the first pass. Less labor intensive to smooth track surface with a grader, which the OP has, than using a jumping jack. Tractor has a loader if he needs to move material. I speculate OP grades entire track surface after each race.

Chisel Plow should speed rain absorption/drainage as sand and clay is amalgamated over time.

Clay absorbs a lot of sand and remains clay.

Most Chisel Plows are sized for a Category III Three Point Hitch, which I speculate matches the OP's 14,000 pound tractor. Various width Chisel Plows available, with varying census of shanks.


BEAU42X: What is the length and width of your track?
Is track banked or flat?
How many laps is a typical competition?
Are ex-sand holes confined to certain sections of the track or evenly disbursed over the track?
Any problems with standing water after rain?

Correct me if I am interpreting your goals incorrectly.

 

[Streetcar]

Lets think a bit differently here. Why rip up the whole track just to repair a few spots? Rent a backhoe and dig out the sand spots and refill with dirt off of the track. If you compact the dirt in 6" layers with a jumping jack it should stay in place.

Great thought, even if you scarifying all of the clay you will still need to spread the sand out prior to compacting track

 

[Egon]

I'd go for the ripper type implement. If the pulling gets tough reduce the depth or take out rippers. Rip numerous times and then do the windrow thing numerous times. Going back and forth in the same direction will do a good job Of moving soil along the track and mixing it.

Bigger cat with three ripper on the back would be perfect for the job.

 

[Dadnatron]

I would go ripper/subsoiler. Given the relatively finite width and distance, you don't need many shanks to do the job. A chisel plow will put a lot of stress on your 3pt given what you are trying to tear up. They are designed for field cultivation, not purposely compacted material.

You could probably purchase a single or double shank Cat 3 ripper and get everything loosened up quickly. Regardless, you are likely to also need a disc to break up the larger chunks which will invariably be brought up by the ripper or whatever implement you choose. The track will break along fault/stress lines through the compacted material and since you have compacted the entire track, as densely as possible, the chunks are likely to be large initially.

I would just get a Cat 3 subsoiler, 2 or 3 shank, just make sure they are heavy. The parabolic shape would be fine for your purposes although the curve causes more compaction along the shank midpoint in a field. Take a more shallow pass initially and see how it fractures as well as how your tractor pulls. Then alter as needed.

I suspect a disc will be able to break up the chunks enough to begin mixing.

But, as was mentioned above, you might just need to fix the problem spots, but you would certainly know better than I, how that would affect the track and subsequent racing.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . Most Chisel Plows are sized for a Category III Three Point Hitch . . . .

??? Chisel plows come in all sizes and 3 point hitch categories. I've got one about 6-1/2 feet working width with a Cat 1 hitch on it.

 

[jeff9366]

Chisel Plows are PRIMARY TILLAGE implements. Most frequent use is to cut through hardpan.

OP has a 14,000 pound, 4-WD tractor.

OP can push a spade into the moist track 3". Therefore track is not too compacted.

Wheels, even race car wheels, pack ground less than animal hooves over time.

 

[AGRIMAN]

Coming from someone with track prep experience, my first choice would be a heavy cross cut harrow. This will do three things for you, help keep the clumps down, help to keep it somewhat level and it will help mix the dirt.

It you can't get a cross cut, I would use a tandem harrow along with a chisel plow. I would alternate between the two. This will help keep the clumps down.

I would not use a ripper. If you end up with any deep furrows from the ripper (below your working depth) it will be difficult to possible to get them packed back. You may think you have, but after some laps, the cars will knock the dirt back out of them and you wil end up with a rutted up mess.

 

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the whole getting deeper into the ground....

if fixing up all the ruts in lawn has taught me....

dig up / till area were ruts are. wider than rut itself is. and just a bit deeper than rut itself. and then shovel off a few inches loose dirt, compact the lower dirt, toss on a couple more inches of dirt, compact it, then toss on some more dirt, and compact it, till within a couple inches of surface for grass.

digging deep to bust stuff up. and then not going back and compacting a couple inches at a time. results in a bigger muddy mess. ((just as AGRIMAN noted)) this goes for dirt driveway to rock driveway, to dealing with culverts placed under the driveways as well. each few inches you need to compact the clay. and not just dump a bunch of dirt on 12 plus inches thick and only compact the top.

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getting the correct moisture in the dirt for compaction. you can have to much water, and you can have it to dry as well. to wet = muddy sloppy mess that makes ruts, to dry and you get a dust storm and only compact top 1 inch maybe a little more.

if it is to wet, stay off of it, you will cause more issues. clay by nature loves to slip and slide when it is wet.