What size Disc harrow to buy?

[sclearman]

I'm getting some very varied and confusing advice from a few different places. I need/want to buy a disc harrow for my place to open the ground a bit, knock out the grass and get things ready for putting in food plots. I have about 10 acres that I need to disc.

My question comes in with which disc to get. I use a New Holland Workmaster 35 (LS g3033). I have been told that it will handle pulling a 10' travel disc, that it won't be able to pull over a 4' 3point disc, that it will pull a 3point disc up to 6', and that it will pull a 3point 6 1/2' disc but only a light weight angle iron frame, not a box frame heavy disc.

I hope you can understand that it's confusing.

So, I'm asking advice, hopefully from folks who have the same or similar tractor. What size/weight disc will this tractor handle? My soil is mostly soft sandy loam, with a bit more clay in the mix in the lower area. I have no rocks, but do have a few roots left from where the mesquite trees were pushed up.

I have looked at the County Line 6 1/2' disc at Tractor Supply CountyLine® Heavy-Duty Disc, 6-1/2 ft. Cutting Path - Tractor Supply Co. .

I am going back to the tractor house to look at their disc, which is a heavy angle iron frame.

I'm open to advice.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Your tractor might pull those disks in non-plowed ground but I promise you it won't when you go to disk it next time. I would go no larger then a 5' square tubed frame disk with notched blades that is easily adjustable. Sandy soil is tough to pull through trust me. Look at everything attachments. They have nice disks. You don't want to bother with angle iron disks, no weight.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Oh and also get one with sealed bearings.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have an 8 foot boxed frame fairly heavy disc and my LSP7010 has to be in 4 WD to pull it in fairly loose soil. It isn't a problem for a 35 HP tractor to pull one that wide (8 foot) in very hard ground but after a couple of loosening up passes, you wouldn't want anything wider than 5 1/2 feet.
OH and a 3 PH disc pulls easier than a drag type, that is one that hooks to the drawbar and uses wheels raised by a hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower. (travel disc as you called it). A travel disk usually cuts better than a 3 PH style also.

 

[Gary Fowler]

One thing you didn't mention is what kind of tires you have. AG tires(R1) will pull more than Industrial (R4)

 

[sclearman]

One thing you didn't mention is what kind of tires you have. AG tires(R1) will pull more than Industrial (R4)

Sorry, yes they are Ag (R1) tires. and of course it is 4 wheel drive.

 

[sclearman]

I forgot to mention, the dealer where we got the tractor is bringing in a disc for me to look at. He says it is a heavy angle iron frame, like 3/8' angle. A smaller version he did have in stock appeared to have bushings for bearings, they looked like pvc pipe cut and used as a bushing. I'm pretty sure I want to stay away from that.

 

[jeff9366]

This LINK will help you:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

 

[sclearman]

This LINK will help you:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

Thanks, that is an excellent write up. comments after the write up kind of muddy the water again. I'm trying to reconcile the 5hp/foot of disc. By that, the workmaster 35 with 33 hp should handle a 6-6 1/2' disc fine. However several folks here have said it wont. In fact on the New Holland web sight the list a disc of 70", double gang box frame specifically to work with the tractor Attachments-and-Loaders-Compact-Tractors New Holland disk-harrows - Models, technical data and characteristics

But the New Holland dealer where we bought the tractor doesnt carry that exact disc, and of the similar ones he does have he said they are too heavy for the tractor.

really wish I could find someone with that tractor, or a 'try before you buy' dealer.

 

[jeff9366]

You are kind of missing the point.

The important dimension is the disc diameter = weight per disc.

Width of disc gangs varies depending on how aggressively gangs are set by operator. More aggressive = less width. Perfectly "straight" = max width. So there is no "one" width.

The Disc you provided a link to seems like it is a 20/16", 7-1/2" disc spacing, at any rate 678 pounds/20 = 33.9 pounds per disc.

This disc will do fine, reducing plow furrows. For acting "sort of" like a plow, or "sort of" like a tiller, it is too light.

I would look for a 16/18", 9" disc spacing, or a 16/20", 9" disc spacing, for food plots.

If your Disc Harrow begins to slow the tractor's forward motion, you lift the three point hitch. Usually, 1" of lift is enough to reduce Disc Harrow draft force and maintain tractor speed.

You have to get used to muddy-water/diverse-opinions here.

DO YOU HAVE A FEL OR FRONT WEIGHTS ON YOUR TRACTOR?