Which disc for me?

[pharmvet]

The only disc I have ever used has been a 6 ft or 8 ft. 3 pt. type. The 6 ft. Ive used was pulled by a small MF or Ford and the 8 ft was pulled by a borrowed Ford (not sure of model, but definately larer than the MF135). I was really surprised how much that 8 ft disc pulled the tractor. Anyway, now I have a Ford 7710 4wd and want to get a disc to use on foodplots. Ive been told by local farmers how much better a drag type disc works than a 3 pt type. However the 3 pt is much easier to manuver in tight areas and get on and off a trailer. What would you say would be the "perfect" disc for my needs. I want to be able to cover some ground but still be able to get through gates and possibly carry with trailer. Would you suggest a good heavy 3 pt or a drag type, also, about what size would fit this tractor setup? thanks

 

[Egon]

It would sound like you have to pick the type of job you want to do and then look for the disk. The size of disk may depend on the diameter of the disk's and total weight put on them.

 

[flusher]

The only disc I have ever used has been a 6 ft or 8 ft. 3 pt. type. The 6 ft. Ive used was pulled by a small MF or Ford and the 8 ft was pulled by a borrowed Ford (not sure of model, but definately larer than the MF135). I was really surprised how much that 8 ft disc pulled the tractor. Anyway, now I have a Ford 7710 4wd and want to get a disc to use on foodplots. Ive been told by local farmers how much better a drag type disc works than a 3 pt type. However the 3 pt is much easier to manuver in tight areas and get on and off a trailer. What would you say would be the "perfect" disc for my needs. I want to be able to cover some ground but still be able to get through gates and possibly carry with trailer. Would you suggest a good heavy 3 pt or a drag type, also, about what size would fit this tractor setup? thanks

With the hp you have in that 7710, I'd look for a used 10-13 ft wide wheel disc. Here's mine-- it's an old Minneapolis Moline KA-1300 tandem disc, 13-ft wide, made by Krause for MM. I've removed several outer pans from each axle so my Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto) can pull it on my hayfield.

 

[rambler]

I pull a 12/19 foot older pull type JD disk with my 7700. The wings fold up, 12 foot or 18 foot. Depends on what i want to do, works well one way or the other. Tho IHC makes better disks....

Anyhow,w here in the heck would you find a 3pt disk big enough to consider????

--->Paul

 

[Harold_J]

The only disc I have ever used has been a 6 ft or 8 ft. 3 pt. type. The 6 ft. Ive used was pulled by a small MF or Ford and the 8 ft was pulled by a borrowed Ford (not sure of model, but definately larer than the MF135). I was really surprised how much that 8 ft disc pulled the tractor. Anyway, now I have a Ford 7710 4wd and want to get a disc to use on foodplots. Ive been told by local farmers how much better a drag type disc works than a 3 pt type. However the 3 pt is much easier to manuver in tight areas and get on and off a trailer. What would you say would be the "perfect" disc for my needs. I want to be able to cover some ground but still be able to get through gates and possibly carry with trailer. Would you suggest a good heavy 3 pt or a drag type, also, about what size would fit this tractor setup? thanks

Well, if you have to get through gates and want to transport easily on trailer, that will set the upper limits right there.

How many acres of food plots are you thinking of disking, and how often?

The 7710 should easily handle a 10-14ft disk depending on soil conditions, terrain and overall weight and style of disk. I have a tractor the same size and use an older Ford 3-pt
disk that is 10ft wide. It's a model 201 and has 32 blades, 8 on each axle. This disk is a very easy pull for a 7-8000 lb tractor, but it does the job for me. These kind of disks can still be found used and also come smaller. Don't worry if you have to use a disk that is "too small" for the tractor. As long as it covers the wheel tracks and you don't abuse it you will be OK.

Even a 10' disk should probably be loaded sideways on a trailer or truck, do you really want to travel any distance with something 10' wide?

Personally I would stay away from a pure drag type disk without wheels. Go for either a wheel disk around 12' or smaller or a 3-point. Used International or Oliver wheel disks are good, or the 3-pt Ford and MF's do a nice job also.

If you are looking at new 3-point go for the heaviest models. Athens, Hay King, Land Pride, Monroe all make something.

http://www.hayking.com/3-pt Disc.htm

http://www.hayking.com/pull-type_disc.htm

http://www.monroetufline.com/products/t4x_hl-series-disc.htm

I would look for something used and save some money, it's only a disk.

 

[pharmvet]

Thanks, Thats just the sort of information Ive been looking for. I have only ever been around 3 pt discs. It seems that if I can get by with a 3 pt. it would solve all sorts of problems for me (loading on trailer, going through gates, less moving parts to maintain,) I guess the real question is : Does a drag type do that much better job than a 3 pt (all else being equal)

 

[Egon]

Seeing as you are going to transport the equipment go for a heavy duty three point and make life easier for yourself.

If you were actively farming it would be a different matter.

 

[flusher]

Thanks, Thats just the sort of information Ive been looking for. I have only ever been around 3 pt discs. It seems that if I can get by with a 3 pt. it would solve all sorts of problems for me (loading on trailer, going through gates, less moving parts to maintain,) I guess the real question is : Does a drag type do that much better job than a 3 pt (all else being equal)

From what I read here on TBN, there's not a great deal of performance difference between the two types of disc, provided both are set up properly.

If you need to haul your tractor and disc on a trailer, I'd find the largest 3pt disc available--probably 8-9 ft wide to stay legal when towing. Makes trailoring the disc a lot easier. Something like this

3 Point Disk Harrow - 8 FT. - Antique Tractor Ads & Info

or, if you have the bucks, this

Howse 3-Point Disc Harrow — 7 1/2ft. Width, Model# HT20022 | Disc Harrows + Rakes | Northern Tool + Equipment

Another approach sometimes used is to convert an 8-9ft drag disc to 3pt. Takes a cutting, drilling and welding, but it can be done.

 

[wolc123]

Listen to those farmers. I have used several of each, 3 pt, transport (wheel), and pull-type. Each type has a place, but of the (3), I like 3 pt the least because they are the least effective at getting ground ready to plant. They take more hp per foot of width, using more fuel, and require more weight to achieve similar results than the other types. This is because they are constrained and can not follow the ground contour like pull-type or transport. Unfortunately, to fit on a trailer or between narrow gates you may be stuck with that type. I think I would just go with a tiller instead if I had those limitations.

 

[Renze]

3 meter, or 10ft is the standard size used here, with tractors like your 7710

The pulling behaviour of the disk shouldnt matter if you set it up right. If you have a chain for a top link, or put a slotted plate instead of a hole on your disks top link bracket, it should follow the ground contours just like a pull type.

You might want to loosen the 3pt lift arm stabilisers in the field, to make it seek its own line of traction, instead of pushing your tractor straight ahead when you steer.
With a floating top link pin, and the 3pt stabilisers loose, it should behave as a pull type and require the same hp. When you constrain it to run straight behind the tractor, it cant compensate the lateral forces between the front and rear disks so you'll be forcing it out of its natural path, causing the increase of power requirement: the same as a poorly setup moldboard plough. Some people have trouble pulling the same 16" three furrow moldboard plough with 90hp, as i pull with 50hp, because their trackwidth is wider, and they dont set up the plough head accordingly and force it to run under an angle with the stabilisers. That takes lots of power, and countersteering.

Since you plan to trailer it to the field anyways, you dont have to slacken and tighten the 3pt stabilisers between fields anyways.

 

[Barry Bowen]

3 PT discs do the worst job of working the ground! If you want the convenience for handling the equipment you are going to give up the effectiveness of it. Transport disc do the better job. An off set disc will work the ground the most, it is almost like pulling a rolling plow. Personally you could not give me another 3 pt disc even if you paid me to take it.

 

[R W]

I agree with Barry Bowen. Would not entertain the the idea of owning a 3pt set of discs,
you will find the the trailing type far more convenient especially if fitted with hydraulics.

 

[HCJtractor]

My opinion is that food plots and farming are two different applications. I don't know about what type of food plots you have or what you want to plant, but I plant about 25 various sized plots on my 300 acres. Some are rectangular and as big as 300 yds. x 100 yd. But most are smaller, and most are narrow,say 20 yards wide. I have to traverse tight woods roads to get to my plots and some of the narrow ones create problems turning around at the ends. And let's face it, food plots are not designed for maximum yield like farming, but simply to get an eddible crop to hold wildlife and supplement their nutrition. They don't have to be perfect to still work. The big wide discs may work great on open farmland, but would never work for me. I could not even get those big implements to where I need them.

I use a 20" x 20 disc (3 pt. type) behind my 70 horse Kubota. It is an 8' wide model. Even at that width, I have to be really careful not to snag a tree in using it. It's easy to hang it on a tree and break a disc or bend the shaft (done that several times). I would get the heaviest one you can find.

I learned this year that by plowing the plots first with a good bottom plow (I use a 3 bottom Ford) it greatly speeds up the process. One pass with the plow and then later come back and make 3 or 4 passes with the disk. I then use a homemade drag harrow to level things out. Works great. I broadcast the seed but a grain drill would be nice, but not necessary.

I think deer are much more comfortable in small narrow plots is tight places than big open fields. Now if you live in big agricultural areas where the deer are accustomed to feeding in the open, maybe the big wide pull disks would be great, but here in S.C. our deer will not be seen in open fields after daylight, so the small plots / planted shooting lanes work much better in my opinion.

 

[jeff9366]

You might want to loosen the 3pt lift arm stabilisers in the field, to make it seek its own line of traction, instead of pushing your tractor straight ahead when you steer.

With a floating top link pin, and the 3pt stabilisers loose, it should behave as a pull type and require the same hp. When you constrain it to run straight behind the tractor, it cant compensate the lateral forces between the front and rear disks so you'll be forcing it out of its natural path, causing the increase of power requirement: the same as a poorly setup moldboard plough.

HELPFUL INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR POSTING.