Tandem Disc Harrows

[sunspot]

I'm looking to buy one mainly to even out some acreage.
I have a 47 hp Ford 3910, 4600 lbs.
The soil is a nice dark loamy mix about 6" deep changing to sandy clay for 4" then 2" of small river rock.
It is pasture grass with silver sumac and some gum trees trying to get big and lots of some other type woody stemmed weed/brush.
The questions are;
How wide. How many blades. What blade size. Notched or smooth blades or Combo.
Anything else I should know? All suggestions and comments welcome. I'm new to all this and trying to learn.

I do have/use a 6' brush hog with dull blades. I've have scalped the ruts and woody plants real well, nor meaning to do that. The gum keeps coming back along with a silver sumac. Another reason I want to level the land a bit more and really chop them up. I'm not talking golf course smooth just less bumping and scrapping.
Also I want to plant a deer plot on a few acres. What is a decent brand?
My local dealer has a Atlas 500 with 20 each 20" disks. He wants $1175

 

[texasjohn]

My preference for the type of work you describe is the scolloped disks as in your photo. They do a better job of chopping surface trash.

What you are showing will get the job done.. however, I believe you will want to put rocks/weight on it to get better penetration. Your horsepower is well matched to this width disk. You could pull one wider, but there might be situations where you would need to set the disks at less of an angle or remove weight or remove an outside disk to get the results you want. This kind of disk kinda puts extra stress on the 3ph arms and jounces you on the tractor some.

The benefit of a 3ph disk is you can lift it and make a sharp turn. There also is a disk that is pulled and has two tires that are raised and lowered by a hydraulic cylinder. I personally prefer this type of disk because it is heavier, typically just a little wider and you can adjust the depth of cut while operating by raising/lowering the wheels. Disadvantage is that to make 180 degree turn you must stop, raise the disk, execute turn and straighten out, then lower disk. This leaves a larger area at the end of the field...however, a circular trip around the ends of the field with lowered disk takes care of this. However, since this disk is drawbar pulled, the only stresses are on the drawbar and drive train, and the tractor isn't skittered about when you pull it, making for a straighter pull.

I don't think brand particularly matters. The rather easily replacable parts include the disks and the bearings. On used disks, sometimes the disks are so worn they need replacement, or bearings are gone and need replacement. I have done both and it's a relatively easy job if you can turn a wrench, have jacks, etc. So, you don't HAVE to purchase new... I got mine at local farm auctions where you can talk to the owner, find out why he's selling it, how he's used it, etc...

Welcome to TBN and I suggest you fill out your profile... helps us to answer if we know how many acres you are dealing with, etc.

 

[john_bud]

A similar 6.5 ft wide heavy duty KK tandem disc (750#) with notched front and smooth rear is about $800 on sale this time of year.

The eq may be good, but the deal isn't.

jb

 

[Soundguy]

Sweet gums will come back even if you bust the stump up pretty good. I have a stand of them that I took out 6ys ago.. and some of the trees in that stand have 3" to 4" bases again.. I'v given in and let them grow to break up the property a bit.

That tractor will handle -any- 6' disc.. and work an 8'er well.

Ditto onthe scalloped discs for vegitation..

soundguy

 

[JoeinTX]

You're definitely in the ball park..........6.5' tube frame with notched discs is a nice fit for good, deep, soil work. As noted above, you could handle a larger disc if your soil was worked and conditioned but for your situation you need something narrower, heavier, and working deeper.

As for prices, well, KK and Howse do make similar good discs but the prices on them may not be that much better enough to prevent you from picking this one up. If you can catch a sale or special at TSC or Northern Tool or any other dealer of the two you might get something equivalent for a few hundred less.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

With any disc, probably the most telltale "spec" is lbs per disc. Weight equals mass. Mass USUALLY equals strength. It ALWAYS equals soil penetration. When considering different models, compare lbs per blade.

A lightweight disc can have weight added, but consider that lightweight frame may or may not respond well to adding substancial amounts of weight. Some fold like a tent when put to the test.

Notched blades cut better, but will tend to bend (or break) easier than plain. More an issue in rocky soils.

I personally prefer a disc with scrapers. That's more important in plowed ground (or muddy conditions)

If the info is available, pay attention to gauge of disc blades. Some mighty thin ones on the market. They bend easier and wear out quicker.

You'll find 3-point disc's with either sealed bearings or cast "boxings". Both are acceptable. Sealed bearings are good if maintained. Boxings will remain servicable long after wear becomes evident. For a disc that'll see ocassional use, I personally would prefer the boxings. The deal with wear/dirt/water/rust/abuse in a much more forgiving manner.

The disc in your picture appears to be a decent model. From appearances, the gang frame (black box tubing) appears hollow. Some are solid bar stock. Besides the obvious strength issue, solid bar has more weight.

 

[dixiedrifter]

One thing else to think about is blade spacing... my disc has them 7.5" all around... and it does OK for finishing, but for cutting it doesn't do worth a crap... go for the 9" spacing on the front and 7.5" on the back.

 

[Glowplug]

Does anyone know what the recommendation is for the minimum pounds per disc that will cut and chop up sod and small vegetation using notched discs?

 

[firefighter9208]

I'm looking to buy one mainly to even out some acreage.
I have a 47 hp Ford 3910, 4600 lbs.
The soil is a nice dark loamy mix about 6" deep changing to sandy clay for 4" then 2" of small river rock.
It is pasture grass with silver sumac and some gum trees trying to get big and lots of some other type woody stemmed weed/brush.
The questions are;
How wide. How many blades. What blade size. Notched or smooth blades or Combo.
Anything else I should know? All suggestions and comments welcome. I'm new to all this and trying to learn.

I do have/use a 6' brush hog with dull blades. I've have scalped the ruts and woody plants real well, nor meaning to do that. The gum keeps coming back along with a silver sumac. Another reason I want to level the land a bit more and really chop them up. I'm not talking golf course smooth just less bumping and scrapping.
Also I want to plant a deer plot on a few acres. What is a decent brand?
My local dealer has a Atlas 500 with 20 each 20" disks. He wants $1175

Sunspot,

Where in Alabama are you located?

I just bought a 6.5' disk from Lowery Manufacturing in Boaz Alabama. It is a 500 Series 20x20 and weighs almost 900#. You can buy directly from them. I paid $900.00 tax and all. I live just outside of Springville. Here is a link to their website Lowery Manufacturing Company-LMC .

I bought the one with friction bearings. It was a little cheaper than the sealed bearings and the grease won't dry up from me letting it sit most of the year. Just grease before use and then every 4 hours of use. We've been using disk with greasable bearings all my life.

Chris

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Does anyone know what the recommendation is for the minimum pounds per disc that will cut and chop up sod and small vegetation using notched discs?

Not sure if there is a set number, but I'd look for AT LEAST 35# per blade on a 3-point model, and would guess by my own experiences that something to the effect of 40-45lbs would be better. Additional weight beyond that point, all the better yet. Some extra heavy duty models will go as high as 80lbs per blade.

Better "AG type" wheel disc's generally start in around 60lbs per blade. Offset's and primary tillage models go WAY higher than that.

Remember ground speed has a lot to do with the success of any disc, regardless of weight. Too slow and you get little or no "soil action" to break up and mix soil. Too fast and the disc wants to ride up out of the ground rather than cut. 4 to 5-1/2mph seems to be a good working speed for MOST disc's.

 

[Glowplug]

Not sure if there is a set number, but I'd look for AT LEAST 35# per blade on a 3-point model, and would guess by my own experiences that something to the effect of 40-45lbs would be better. Additional weight beyond that point, all the better yet. Some extra heavy duty models will go as high as 80lbs per blade.

Better "AG type" wheel disc's generally start in around 60lbs per blade. Offset's and primary tillage models go WAY higher than that.

Remember ground speed has a lot to do with the success of any disc, regardless of weight. Too slow and you get little or no "soil action" to break up and mix soil. Too fast and the disc wants to ride up out of the ground rather than cut. 4 to 5-1/2mph seems to be a good working speed for MOST disc's.

I have been looking at discs from Monroe Tufline. I am interested in the model T4X92020 which is 8-feet and weighs 1445lbs. That's 72lbs per disc!!

 

[N80]

Tufline makes quite a range of discs. Anywhere from the typical angle frame, extreme light duty ones like at TSC to big, beefy, serious professional models.

I'm in the market for a disk too. An aquaintance just bought a Tufline that is very impressive. It says on its label it is one of the 'TH' models but does not look like the 'TH' models on the Tufline web site. It has 22" disks and this sucker is heavy. I'm not sure about the specs, but the website says around 1000 pounds with 20" disks. His has 22's and looks a little beefier than the one on the web site. I think it is the 6' 8" model. It has tubular gang hanger, rather than flanges and it has pillow block bearings rather than 'flange bearings.' I am very impressed with it.

I hooked it up to my 45 hp CUT. The 3pt specs say it will handle a disk this size. It lifted it okay but there was not much clearance between the front disks and the ground even with the hitch all the way up. So transporting would be tough. There was a lower set of hitch pin holes so that might resolve that problem. However, even though it lifted it...it strained and even with the loader on, it got light in the front. So I need a little smaller, somewhat lighter set.

The nice thing about the Tuflines and in particular this TH series is that you can get 18, 20 or 22" disks (notched or round), you can get 7 1/2 or 9 inch disk spacing and you can get the tubular gang hangers and pillow block bearings even in the smaller TH series disks. I'm going to take a look at a 6'4" model with 20" disks and I think my tractor would be able to handle it better. The TH series axles are also 1 1/8" compared to 1" in most of the others.

Now here is another thought. Tufline makes this same disk in a hinged model. On the hinged models you can get 9" disk spacing up front and 7 1/2 on the rear gangs. They say the 9" spacing is better for cutting and tilling while the 7 1/5 spacing is better for seed bed prep. At first I didn't pay much attention to the hinged model but then I thought of a few things. I'd like someone to confirm that I am correct in my thinking:

1) The hinged sets are heavier, which can be better.

2) With the rear gang folded on top of the front gangs, this should be easier on the 3pt system since you would have less weight hanging way out behind the lift points.

3) For cutting and digging you could keep the rear gangs folded over the front gangs to put a lot of weight on the front gangs for better cutting and digging action.

4) With the disk unfolded, you get better seed bed prep with the 9" spaced fronts cutting and the 7 1/2 inch spaced rears following to 'harrow' the seed bed.

To me, this sounds ideal. Especially since everything I am planning on disking will have been previously plowed.

In any case, sunspot, take a look at the Tuflines. If you primarily need cutting and tilling, one of the heavier Tuflines would be ideal. I have no idea how much these Tuflines cost, but I suspect a heavy hinged model with pillow block bearings is going to cost waaaay more than a KK, Howse or Leinbach.

If I can't afford a Tufline, I'll likely get a Leinbach. They are probably not any better than the KK, Howse and lower end Tuflines, but they make them nearby and I can pick one up for cheap.

 

[Glowplug]

I have no idea how much these Tuflines cost. . .

Nor do I. I would LOVE to know how much a 3ph lift type Tufline around 7'-8' wide with notched blades and scrapers weighing 1400-1500lbs would cost. I'm guessing over 2-Grand though! Yet another reason to play the lottery!

 

[sunspot]

Sunspot,

Where in Alabama are you located?

I just bought a 6.5' disk from Lowery Manufacturing in Boaz Alabama. It is a 500 Series 20x20 and weighs almost 900#. You can buy directly from them. I paid $900.00 tax and all. I live just outside of Springville. Here is a link to their website Lowery Manufacturing Company-LMC .

Thanks firefighter. I'll check them out. Boaz is a bit of a trip for me but if I can save some bucks, what the heck. I live near Montevallo. Not much farming around here. Chilton Co has quite a few groves. It seems all the good used equipment is in Cullman Co.

 

[N80]

Nor do I. I would LOVE to know how much a 3ph lift type Tufline around 7'-8' wide with notched blades and scrapers weighing 1400-1500lbs would cost. I'm guessing over 2-Grand though! Yet another reason to play the lottery!

Well, it just so happens that I stopped by a tractor dealership on my way home from work and they had a TH series 8' disk with 22" notched blades with 9" spacing, tubular gang hangers and beefy pillow block bearings. It weighs over 1100 pounds in that configuration and the dealer had it priced at around $1700. No scrapers. Now, that disk (as beefy as it is) is only rated up to 55 hp. However, to look at it, I feel certain it would be fine up to 70 hp. The fellow I know who has one is pulling it through some tough stuff with a 65 hp JD and there's no problem. It looks very well built.

So, the TL series, which is bigger, beefier and having scrapers will easily run $2000.

He also had some of the lower end ones. They looked a bit junky with 'C' shaped frames (better than angle iron, not as good as tubular) and some of the welds looked so-so. Plus, they were as much or more than a KK disk which has a tubular frame. So while the higher end Tuflines look like good stuff, the lower end is about the same as all the other lower end stuff.

I did look at the flange bearings (vs pillow block bearings) and to be honest, the flange bearings look plenty beefy enough for me and my purposes.

 

[firefighter9208]

Thanks firefighter. I'll check them out. Boaz is a bit of a trip for me but if I can save some bucks, what the heck. I live near Montevallo. Not much farming around here. Chilton Co has quite a few groves. It seems all the good used equipment is in Cullman Co.

Montevallo isn't that far away. I 59 North to Gadsden. Get off on 431 and head North (I think). It's about 15 miles from Gadsden to Albertville. Lowery is real easy to find. Call them if your going to go and pick up a disk and they'll make sure to have one in stock.

Chris

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Montevallo isn't that far away. I 59 North to Gadsden. Get off on 431 and head North (I think). It's about 15 miles from Gadsden to Albertville. Lowery is real easy to find. Call them if your going to go and pick up a disk and they'll make sure to have one in stock.

Chris

A local "shortline" dealer who went out of business a few years back, sold LMC equipment. When he closed up and auctioned off his remaining inventory, I bought a 7'-6" LMC 3-point disc. It was well made, reasonably heavy, and built with the same "generic" parts as 90% of the 3-point disc's available on todays market. I have no issues with their products over-all. The LMC disc did have one minor fault. The "strut" running rearward from the top link "A frame" to the back of the disc was a little flimsy. I used the disc while I was re-shaping and seeding a couple waterways on my farm. To make the disc cut in our hard clay, I added 400lbs of suitcase weights to the frame. That made it dig right in. The disc wanted to rotate around the front gang, raising the rear of the disc as it was pulled forward. The strut I'm referring to buckled almost immediately. It was made with 2 pieces of flat stock, roughly 1/4" X 2" X 30" to 36" long. They were spaced approx. 1-1/2" apart. After they buckled, I removed them, straightened them, and then sandwiched a piece of 1-1/2" iron pipe in between them as a stiffener. Then I re-installed the strut. At that point, I could weght the disc enough to make it dig right in, and there were no further issues. It performed flawlessly after that minor repair.

After completing the task at hand, I sold the disc. (For a tidy profit!!!!) I see the current owner quite often, and have never heard of any problems with the disc. (Believe me when I say this guy would expect me to warranty ANY problems he should encounter for eternity)

IMHO, the LMC disc is as good as most any disc in its price range. The one and only apparent "weak link" was easily beefed up to handle heavy use/heavy weighting. The strut is the same or simular to just about every comparable disc I've seen. I wouldn't hesitate for one moment to recommend an LMC disc to anyone who's shopping for a medium duty 3-point disc in that price range. But like almost anything, it isn't perfect.

 

[RoughneckDave]

LMC makes good stuff ofr the money

i have a BB and Bushhog made by LMC, both bought used and haven't had aany problems with them. The BB is the MT line, their HD box blade and its pretty solid

you would do well with a disc by them


I was looking at them till i ran across a used Tufline. Bought disc and replaced 8 bearings for less the half a new tufline 6'8" folding disc costs new.Had to do some minor welding on it, but like new except for the paint.


dave

 

[sunspot]

Call them if your going to go and pick up a disk and they'll make sure to have one in stock.

Chris

A bit of an update. I was looking to make the trip up north to look over the disc harrows and I find this notice on the web page.

"For Wholesale Dealers only at this location!"
See the link below.

Lowey

 

[RollTideRam]

Call them to see if they have a dealer down your way. I live about the same distance as you and can by LMC in Hartselle. Boazlawnandgarden.com is probably the place to buy from if you have to go. JC