What size Disc harrow to buy?

[jeff9366]

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. .

Countyline Disc Harrow is a 20/18", nothing wrong with that for smoothing plow furrows

For Food Plots you want a 16/18" or 16/20" so you have enough weight bearing on each disc to cut through surface vegetation. Under 40 pounds per disc will not cut it. There is no angle-iron frame Disc Harrow that will even approach 40 pounds per disc. Forget angle-iron frame Disc Harrows; they are for gardeners with regularly worked soil.

 

[texasjohn]

Here's what I have learned..

I use a chisel plow, 3 pt hitch, on undisturbed soil to begin breaking it up. I go up and down one way all across the field. Then, attack it at a different angle, maybe 45 degrees off from the first pass. Then come back a third time at about 45 degrees from yet a different angle. This goes deep and you are left with chunks of dirt held together by grass/roots. Only with the third pass do I feel that I'm making good progress.

Then, I use a disk plow, pull type, with 2 wheels hydraulically operated to smooth things down and do the final breaking up. Angle of attack, weight and width of this disk affects how much horsepower is needed to pull it, along with type of soil. I find that a wider disk is best for me....if things get tough to pull, just lift the disk a tad with the hydraulically operated wheels and you are off again. If, after a while, you decide that the disk is too wide for your tractor, you can always remove the outer disk on each gang, thus making it narrower and reducing the pull required. The pull disk does a far better job for me than a 3 pt hitch disk...more weight per disk.

If you don't want to purchase two implements, then multiple passes with the disk, as indicated with numerous passes at an angle from the previous one, will get the job done. It also helps to have a gentle rain between each pass to help break clods up. However, lately in Central Texas we don't get rain.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

One of our Deluxe Box Frame Disc Harrows would be great on your 35. You wouldn't have any problem with the 16-18(68") that weighs 686 pounds.

I do not blame the NH dealer for not stocking the NH disc harrow, box blade, scrape blade and landscape rake because they do not look very special, however the price is most likely pretty special.
Travis

 

[sclearman]

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?

I think I am beginning to understand.
Yes I have a front end loader on the tractor, no other weights so far.

Let me make sure I understand....
assuming the same size frame with adjustable gangs, 6' for example (which will adjust wider or slimmer depending on gang angle) the set with 16 18" discs will cut better and deeper because of the weight on each disc, and should pull easier because of less surface area going through the soil? Even though it may 'cover' the same width?

 

[Texasmark]

I have a disc exactly like the Countyline shown in the thread you posted.

On top of it I have 4 ford wheel weights for a total of about 300#. I pull it with my 1965 Ford 3000 that is somewhere around 35 engine hp. I run the discs set at about mid position and let them seek their own level....3pt is all the way down.

My soil is Houston Black Clay. The disc is not the primary soil breaker. I come in first with something like the Hay King Pasture Renovator to dig down deep with minimum surface disturbance. Then I come back with this disc and work an x pattern.

I have the 6 speed Ford tranny which is 3 hi, 3 lo range gears. I run the disc in hi-1, essentially 4th gear out of 6 at PTO rpms. The disc works better if you move it at a good clip. I have the engine rpms up around PTO when I start a new run and drop the disc. Works just fine for me. I have a camera and the disc is on the tractor currently so if it keeps me from being called a liar, which some do from time to time, I can post a picture. But it will take some effort in getting the camera card setup for a pic on here.

I just went out to verify the actual weight of the 4 weights and realized I took the disc off as I was finished with the current usage. However, I have nothing to do today and I have a new card in my camera so I will go out and take a couple of pictures to support my claims.


Edit #2. Just so I keep things straight, I used my 6530 to pull the Hay King, obviously too much for the 3000.

I put in a longer set of rear axles in the disc to add a flipper disc on the end. Since the tractor's tire spacing was just inside the width of the disc, when the ground was damp I would get my tires gummed up with the overthrow from the plow into the next row. The added smaller diameter discs flip it back in the plowed area.

Mark

 

[texasjohn]

Texasmark, I believe you
I have houston black clay and have covered my 3ph disk with rocks...at least 300 lbs...as well.

 

[Texasmark]

Texasmark, I believe you
I have houston black clay and have covered my 3ph disk with rocks...at least 300 lbs...as well.

Thanks John. I just got them posted.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Texasmark, I believe you
I have houston black clay and have covered my 3ph disk with rocks...at least 300 lbs...as well.

Thanks John. I just got them posted.

Mark

 

[jeff9366]

Let me make sure I understand....
assuming the same size frame with adjustable gangs, 6' for example (which will adjust wider or slimmer depending on gang angle) the set with 16/18" discs will cut better and deeper because of the weight on each disc, and should pull easier because of less surface area going through the soil? Even though it may 'cover' the same width?

== YES ==

I do not own a Disc Harrow from (Temporarily blocked due to reports of company closure). I own several other implements from ETA, they are very good quality. I like the screw adjusting gangs on the ETA Disc Harrows.

As you have an FEL you will not need front weights. If front is light, scoop up some dirt in FEL bucket. VOILA!

 

[grayw0lf]

My $0.02:

I have 29hp at the PTO on a Kubota L355SS w/ FEL. I have an older set of discs, about 6 1/2-7' wide & probably weights 700lb or so. I have no problems in 2wd. It used to spin the tires a bit before ballasting my rear tires. They are notched discs & seem to dig in quite well, though running the middle buster first in virgin soil definitely helps.