Will My Tractor Handle a No-Till Drill?

trook · Aug 7, 2015

I own a JD 5075 4wd cab and want to rent a 10ft JD 1590 no till-drill for about 6 acres of food plots this fall instead of using a disk, harrow, cultipacker, etc. While looking online, they recommend a tractor with 85 pto hp for this model drill. However, this drill is pulled and the pto is not utilized. The book shows the weight is just over 3k pounds unloaded. I expect to have roughly 600 lbs of seed in the hopper. Overall weight should definitely be under 4k pounds.

Do you think my 75hp JD 4x4 will have any problem pulling this drill? The property is predominately flat and dry. I also have a FEL. Estimated weight of my tractor with FEL and loaded tires is close to 10k lbs. The drill uses hydraulics to lift/lower the wheels. This is NOT a 3ph implement.

whis · Aug 7, 2015

you are going to be about 20 hp less than they recommend, buy there is only one way to find out

smstonypoint · Aug 7, 2015

My impression is that manufacturers are conservative when recommending minimum horsepower requirements -- tractors with somewhat lower HP can handle the implements, although perhaps at lower speeds.

I can't get a link to work, so Google Matching Tractor Power and Implement Size Iowa State to obtain a pdf file that gives some useful information. Based on my calculations from that publication, you should be OK.

Steve

Edit -- I forgot that the relevant info is also available at Farm Machinery Selection | Ag Decision Maker.

BertZegers · Aug 7, 2015

I think your o.k. with 75 HP.

a 4 wheel drive 75HP pulls as good as a 85HP 2 W.D. You might have to go a little slower,if power is an issue, but this doesn't matter for 6 acres.

We lower and lift the drill "on the run" after choosing the right gear, and use the power shift.
I think we go as fast as 6 miles per hour, but I am not 100% sure.

Bert.

hosspuller · Aug 8, 2015

I've used a 45 hp tractor on a 6 foot no-till drill for a hay field. The issue is pulling speed and control on hills. Since you don't have hills, speed alone is your question. I don't see any problem for your job.

flusher · Aug 8, 2015

You're close on hp and are only risking rent money. I'd go for it. My guess is that your tractor will handle that drill OK.

Good luck

Dewbie · Aug 8, 2015

You shouldn't have any problem at all. I'd go for it if I was in you shoes.

trook · Aug 8, 2015

I may be wrong, but I am under the impression that the minimum HP recommendation has more to do with the physical size of the tractor since I will not actually utilize the pto. I too believe that I may just have to slow down a little and be a little extra careful if I am on anything other than perfectly flat ground. Thanks for the feedback guys!

HCJtractor · Aug 8, 2015

I pull a Truax no til drill with my 68 horse Kubota M 6800. It can be used on the three point hitch or towed, depending on whether the tow bar is attached. It weighs over 3000 lbs, probably closer to 4000.

it's too heavy for my three point hitch, but towing it is absolutely no problem. It's very easy and causes no concern. And my land is hilly, and I have many food plots. Mine is only 8' wide, but still a very heavy drill. I think you would gave no problem. This picture shows it without the towing bar assembly, and I don't like using it in this mode. It's too heavy to lift. I use it pulling it off the drawbar, not attached to the three point.

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RedNeckRacin · Aug 8, 2015

Not that this is that important, but a clear distinction needs to be made between pto hp and flywheel hp which is what is being compared here. Maybe I'm stating the obvious but pto hp is relatively close to drawbar hp. These newer machines are advertised at the flywheel and give people a false impression of size. Noone uses flywheel hp to run an implement. I agree that the hp rating is likely conservative. Since the op has 4wd and it's going to be pulled by the drawbar, I don't think there will be too much that can't be overcome by downshifting.