just help me out: 27 hp Satoh ? Satoh is the american trade name for Mitsubishi or Iseki tractors ?
If it is built the same way as a Kubby, Kioti or Iseki, i guess the tractor would weigh less than a ton. The 11.2-24 tires should be enough in dry conditions to put 27 hp to the ground.
Also, what tires do you have ? Thise Japanese rice field tires with 3 inch lugs on them ? My neighbour had a Kubota
B7000 with those tires, the rear end would sit on the ground after 3 wheel turns. Those tires arent suitable for normal soil, only for sucking mud, or bone dry clay because they dig in so easy.
I plough with a Zetor 5245 with loader (close to 4 ton) about 10 to 12 inches deep, with a 3 furrow 16" reversible plough, it doesnt make much difference in traction, on cultivated soil or solid sod, the only thing you notice is that it runs on 1800 rpm instead of 2000 when you hit the spots that havent been cultivated. Sod requires more traction, but it also gives more traction to the wheels if you have normal Ag tires.
This tractor is puttign out near 55 hp but its the sheer weight and tires that keeps it going with this darn heavy plough. (it weighs nearly a ton !)
You also might have the problem that the bottom of the plough is worn off, so that the weight of the sod on top of the moldboard, is carried by the underside of the landside of the plough. According to Harry Ferguson, a plough should have a good "underbite" to prevent hard pan forming (no weight sliding over the soil down the furrow) and to generate traction: the rear axle should carry the full weight of the soil on the moldboards, this creates great traction.
With my tractor and plough, when hitting a hard spot i can lift the front of the tractor, including the heavy loader, out of the ground and work through the hard spot with only the rear wheels touching. It bellies out the 16.9-30 rears, and gives incredible traction.
If your plough doesnt have the "underbite" you can fix it by welding a chunk of old leaf spring (nearly as wear resistant as a real plough chisel) on the inner tip of the moldboard, extending at least an inch under the landslide.
removing only the moldboard, not the arm, will not decrease the required traction because it will drag through the soil instead of lifting it.
If your friend hasnt used it in 10 years, is he o.k. if you cut it off completely ?
