Snow Blade Turning plow won't track properly

[tree grower]

I started plowing (40 yrs ago) with an 860 using Dearborn 2-bottoms, and the results were perfect. I now have a Dearborn 1-16 I used behind an 850, and now behind a JD 1050, and I can't plow worth a d__m. The plow main beam has been broken, but repaired to the point that the original geometry appears to be retained. I have the Ford Plow Book for N models, but that isn't much good for trouble-shooting. My biggest problem is that the plow makes a furrow too wide, ie the distance between the furrows is more than 16"--more like 20-24". I have set the beam as far to the right as it will fit on the cross-shaft, and adjusted the stay chains on the bottom links to move the whole unit as far to the right as possible, rotated the cross-shaft so the point doesn't pull to the left, and adjusted the top link to generate the proper 'suck', and I still get wide furrows. That said, every so often the parameters align just right, and the furrows are beautiful for about 20 ft . To complicate matters, 90% of the terrain I plow is sidehill and rocky. I would really like the design specs for setting up a plow from scratch. The Plow Book tells how to adjust it, but it is based on the assumption you have a Ford N tractor, and plows set at the factory. I want (I think) the specs for assembling the plow if it came as a kit.

I am fairly confident that most of the trouble is operator error. Any suggestions ?? All feedback welcome.

 

[Phillip w]

I never was worth a toot at setting up a plow. When your plow is at its max depth say 8 inches or so. The plow needs to be running basically level. Is the plow pulling hard??? A plow that is not set up right usually wants to pull hard. If it is set up right they don't pull to bad. There is a noticeable difference. There is a pitch factor that plays into it. One side of you 3 pt arms should be adjustable so that arm can be higher or lower than the other arm. This creates that "pitch factor". Might play with that to see if that helps. I have always got someone to set my plow up and then left it be. Like I say, I'm not worth a toot setting up a plow, just watch guys do it. When it's right, it plows nice and really doesn't pull too hard. Good luck.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I started plowing (40 yrs ago) with an 860 using Dearborn 2-bottoms, and the results were perfect. I now have a Dearborn 1-16 I used behind an 850, and now behind a JD 1050, and I can't plow worth a d__m. The plow main beam has been broken, but repaired to the point that the original geometry appears to be retained. I have the Ford Plow Book for N models, but that isn't much good for trouble-shooting. My biggest problem is that the plow makes a furrow too wide, ie the distance between the furrows is more than 16"--more like 20-24". I have set the beam as far to the right as it will fit on the cross-shaft, and adjusted the stay chains on the bottom links to move the whole unit as far to the right as possible, rotated the cross-shaft so the point doesn't pull to the left, and adjusted the top link to generate the proper 'suck', and I still get wide furrows. That said, every so often the parameters align just right, and the furrows are beautiful for about 20 ft . To complicate matters, 90% of the terrain I plow is sidehill and rocky. I would really like the design specs for setting up a plow from scratch. The Plow Book tells how to adjust it, but it is based on the assumption you have a Ford N tractor, and plows set at the factory. I want (I think) the specs for assembling the plow if it came as a kit.

I am fairly confident that most of the trouble is operator error. Any suggestions ?? All feedback welcome.

I had the trouble you are experiencing and it took me awhile to realize it was because on my Kubota Tractor, I had inverted the rear wheels to get a wider stance. This put my rear tires a little wider than my front...great for stability, but it was making my tractor "crab" going down the furrow.

In my case anyway, the front wheel was kept in the furrow by slightly steering the wheel so the four wheel drive tractor "pulled" the front end against the furrow constantly. The back wheel was against the furrow too, but it was a constant fight with the tractor. The different tire tracking from the front wheel to the back put the plow a bit wider even though it was side shifted on its mount making it cut a wider than normal furrow. Like you, I would get the occasional proper tracking, but it was because I was turning my front wheel outward a bit in a correction. As it did, the rear wheel tracked a bit outward of the furrow and made for a nice furrow...but only for a short period of time. In short order I needed to turn the front wheel back into the furrow to keep both the front and rear wheel in the furrow.

This may or may not be your issue as I do not know if you have inverted rear tires or tire spacers on your tractor.

How did I come to this conclusion? When you are plowing 10 acres with a single bottom plow, you have a lot of time to analogize just about every aspect of plowing. (LOL)

Incidentally I was using (and still do) a 2 bottom Dearborn Plow with a huge rock converting it to a single bottom plow. You can kind of see it on this picture, just in your case...keep the rubber side down! (LOL)

 

[jaxs]

Pulling to the side and not tracking right is one thing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's another story. Broken Track you better caaalllllll somebody! :ambulance:

 

[kthompson]

I suspect the tractor width on rear wheels is the issue also (compare to the size tractor the single plow was made for). No idea on that plow but you are not missing a wheel (sorry do not remember what the side wear plate was called when no wheel) that prevents the plow from pulling to the felt too far are you? Do an internet search for pictures on that.

 

[bindian]

Somewhere on TBN, Farmwithjunk left a huge resource of knowledge on how to set up a turning plow the right way.
Do a search for Farmwithjunk and be prepared for a lot of knowledge on plows.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Egon]

You should have two adjustable pins on the plow that the lower three point arms attach to. Rotate them so the plow beam is parallel to the tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

FARMWITHJUNK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...oard-plow-wisdom-farmwithjunk.html?highlight=

 

[downslope]

You should have two adjustable pins on the plow that the lower three point arms attach to. Rotate them so the plow beam is parallel to the tractor.

Not all 3-pt plows have pins or crossarm that can be rotated. A lot of Dearborn plows all you can do is slide the crossarm left/right.

 

[BrokenTrack]

No idea on that plow but you are not missing a wheel (sorry do not remember what the side wear plate was called when no wheel) that prevents the plow from pulling to the felt too far are you? Do an internet search for pictures on that.

Isn't that called the "land slide"???

 

[BrokenTrack]

Pulling to the side and not tracking right is one thing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's another story. Broken Track you better caaalllllll somebody! :ambulance:

I would like to say that it happened fast, but that would be a lie. I felt the tractor start to go over and just stepped off it like it was in slow motion, funniest thing I ever seen on a tractor. Of course this is the first time I ever flopped over a tractor before. I have been operating tractors, bulldozers, skidders, log loaders and excavators for 40 years and never put one rubber side up.

It was kind of funny how it happened. This is on a pretty good hill that is not apparent in the photo, and I was closer to the fence then it looks too. I had the bucket up so when I rounded the corner I would not mash it. Then the front tire popped out of the furrow, so I cut it back and when the front wheel dropped back in, she just kept going over; like I said, in the slowest way imaginable.

It was not a big deal. I had the skidder right there to put it on its wheels again.

Now off all the machines I have had in hard spots, I would have thought I would have rolled the skidder by now. More than once I have thought, "Now how am I going to get out of this?"

 

[bindian]

FARMWITHJUNK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...oard-plow-wisdom-farmwithjunk.html?highlight=

Thanks Jeff.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Egon]

Not all 3-pt plows have pins or crossarm that can be rotated. A lot of Dearborn plows all you can do is slide the crossarm left/right.

Right.

I would assume that the mention of an adjustment would alert the OP to his problem and look at where it can be alleviated.
1-16
[video]https://www.google.ca/search?q=dearborn+1-16+plow&client=safari&hl=en-ca&prmd=msivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwigku-J3N_YAhVm9IMKHZLRBJwQ_AUIEygD&biw=1024&bih=681#imgrc=hG1On-leqjGInM:[/video]

Many of those sliding adjustment's also change the angle of the pins.
[video]https://www.google.ca/search?q=1-16+dearborn+plow&client=safari&hl=en-ca&prmd=imsvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ0_jQ39_YAhVL7YMKHWoBBFYQ_AUIESgB&biw=1024&bih=681#imgdii=cSWPRwFsfGWCaM:&imgrc=zc_9yZfKDjio9M:&isa=y[/video]

 

[jeff9366]

If you plant row crops, the best alignment of the rear wheels is equal to or slightly wider than your front wheels, so your front wheel is in a furrow, the rear wheels follow the fronts in alignment, tire center following tire center. That is the way tractor dealer mechanics normally set the wheels when assembling the wheels to the tractor chassis pre-delivery.

(Some 2-WD tractors have variable width front wheels too.)

If you have spread the rears wider than the fronts before mounting a Turning Plow, the tractor may "crab", throwing off the Turning Plow. Crabing is exacerbated by having one front and rear wheel in a furrow, the other front and rear wheels on unfurrowed ground, which causes weight of the plow to oscillate from side-to-side in tiny but significant amounts beyond Three Point Hitch ability to stabilize swing.

If you have rear wheels spread to increase stability on your hills, which is a standard procedure, you may not be able to get your 1 X 16" to track properly, period.

 

[BrokenTrack]

If you plant row crops, the best alignment of the rear wheels is equal to or slightly wider than your front wheels, so your front wheel is in a furrow, the rear wheels follow the fronts in alignment, tire center following tire center. That is the way tractor dealer mechanics normally set the wheels when assembling the wheels to the tractor chassis pre-delivery.

(Some 2-WD tractors have variable width front wheels too.)

If you have spread the rears wider than the fronts before mounting a Turning Plow, the tractor may "crab", throwing off the Turning Plow. Crabing is exacerbated by having one front and rear wheel in a furrow, the other front and rear wheels on unfurrowed ground, which causes weight of the plow to oscillate from side-to-side in tiny but significant amounts beyond Three Point Hitch ability to stabilize swing.

If you have rear wheels spread to increase stability on your hills, which is a standard procedure, you may not be able to get your 1 X 16" to track properly, period.

Thank you for wording this so much better than I did! Kudo's to you!

 

[Egon]

I started plowing (40 yrs ago) with an 860 using Dearborn 2-bottoms, and the results were perfect. I now have a Dearborn 1-16 I used behind an 850, and now behind a JD 1050, and I can't plow worth a d__m. The plow main beam has been broken, but repaired to the point that the original geometry appears to be retained. I have the Ford Plow Book for N models, but that isn't much good for trouble-shooting. My biggest problem is that the plow makes a furrow too wide, ie the distance between the furrows is more than 16"--more like 20-24". I have set the beam as far to the right as it will fit on the cross-shaft, and adjusted the stay chains on the bottom links to move the whole unit as far to the right as possible, rotated the cross-shaft so the point doesn't pull to the left, and adjusted the top link to generate the proper 'suck', and I still get wide furrows. That said, every so often the parameters align just right, and the furrows are beautiful for about 20 ft . To complicate matters, 90% of the terrain I plow is sidehill and rocky. I would really like the design specs for setting up a plow from scratch. The Plow Book tells how to adjust it, but it is based on the assumption you have a Ford N tractor, and plows set at the factory. I want (I think) the specs for assembling the plow if it came as a kit.

I am fairly confident that most of the trouble is operator error. Any suggestions ?? All feedback welcome.

If the furrow is too wide it means the plow share is not tracking parallel to the tractor centreline. Seeing as there was damage it may be wise to check the plow frame alignment for the main beam and the individual plow shares to the main beam. Your adjustments are have been made to the main beam so far.

 

[tree grower]

Thanks for all the good feedback. Just to be clear, my wheels are set as narrow as possible. The farmwithjunk thread has a lot of valuable info. I think I will print it out, and underline key points

 

[Ford850]

which kind of Ford plow do you have? Does it have a flat cross beam or a round one?