Plowing sod
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=130961
Printed Date: 18 Jul 2025 at 6:34pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Plowing sod
Posted By: BillinAlberta
Subject: Plowing sod
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 7:57am
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I am using a 14" 3 bottom snap coupler plow to break old sod. It is now shining and working very well until it gets to a low spot.It tears the quackgrass roots out instead of being cut by the coulters and plugs on the frame . The coulters are 14inch and well worn.The plow itself has a lot of acres on it but still functions great mostly. Would new coulters or even going to 16 inch rather than 14 inch make any difference? Is it time for new shears and other parts?
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Replies:
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 8:55am
| I was trying same thing in 60yr old fescue.(3-16) same result .thought about lowring cutter but dug it out for 3rd time and went got 220/chisel plow.LOL! |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 9:30am
| If you look at each generation of plow model built, Engineers were always increasing the "throat" area to be able to plow deeper and handle more trash without plugging. I know for some conditions, there was a way to drag a length of #9 wire from each rolling coulter to help tuck under grass. I've never done that and don't know if it would help your situation or not. |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 9:33am
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Not the plow expert here. But have plowed some. The components do get worn and worn out. If you can get/ borrow some new parts and compare to the old ones it may help you decide. As far as plowing quack grass in low spots? Well may not be a lot of folks that can help unless they were standing there? Can you lower the coulters? I had to move my coulters from where I thought they should be (left and right) to where they plowed good and the plow turned over what they cut. My plow was kicking out clods. After adjusting the dead furrow was nice and clean. But I was not plowing sod. It was clay ground bean stubble. Pictures of the plow and or the plowed ground might help??? Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: A&A MN
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 10:01am
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A wire might help. You fasten the wire to the Coulter shank. The wire is to run in the furrow. In other words they run in the same furrow the coulter is cutting land for the plow to turn over. I had the best luck with the wires about 10 feet long. Don't back up with your wires trailing with out watching them. Are your coulters set deep enough. Are they ahead of where the plow is starting to turn dirt Some times it would even help to set the coulter so it was cutting 1inch wider than what the plow was turning. If the coulter is cutting ground that the plow bottom has already loosened. You will have problems. I would use a right angle grinder & sharpen the coulters. Then I would set them so they about 4-5 inches deep. I tried all of the above & some other things the were stupid. Plowed a lot of corn stock ground with trailing wires. The only advantage I saw to trailing wires was nothing sticking up from the plowed ground. About every 3d or 4th day the wires will break. Even when I started to chisel plow I never found any wire. |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 10:33am
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In some of our tough areas we used to mount "disk Coulters" on the plows similar to the coulter used on a G plow. They worked very well. Took some more power to operate but gave a clean furrow. I do not know if they are available now but they worked very well. Especially in recently picked trashy corn fields. Good Luck! Bill Long
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Posted By: Dipstick In
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 2:24pm
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I answered Creston about plowing with wires before I read your post, they really do work! As for the coulters, A&A is right, you need to set them where they run to the "land" side of the bottom about an Inch, and probably that 4-5 inches deep that he recommended, if they don't plug that deep! You need the ground "sliced" ahead of the breaking action of the bottom so that you are NOT tearing into the furrow wall and causing it to crumble!!! Plowing too shallow (less than 7 inches) can also cause the walls to crumble. ------------- You don't really have to be smart if you know who is! |
Posted By: PaulB
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 4:46pm
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I've never plowed quackgrass, so I don't know it's specific problems. For those that have never been properly taught from their elders how to plow, I suggest to get a copy of " The Operation Care and Repair of Farm Equipment" (yes it's a book published by John Deere) any volume will do. It will have very detailed instructions on how to properly set up neary any piece of Farm equipment so that it will do it's job properly and easily as the engineers intended.
I can tell you that worn coulters and any other plow parts will not allow a plow to do the job intended. Also correctly set jointers will do a marvelous job of turning under tall grass. For general trash, concave coulters are the thing.
------------- If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere. Real pullers don't have speed limits. If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY |
Posted By: TREVMAN
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 5:53pm
| I plowed 25 acres 3 times over different directions full of quack with my WD and 3 bottom pin hitch plow. It plowed excellent, was in at least 8 inches each pass. Thought I got it for good. Next spring, it came up like it had been seeded...Way better stand than pre plowing. What gives...quack spreads by rhizome. All I did was spread and cover the roots...Only way I could kill it was with glyphosate. You may be wasting your time and money. I couldn't kill it with tillage...maybe a heavy disc but I don't have the power to pull one. Trev. |
Posted By: BillinAlberta
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 9:28pm
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Thanks for the comments. Much appreciated. Trevman the paddock got 2 ltrs glyphosate in early october.It has browned up nicely.I was involved in the early research at Agriculture Canada with glyphosate on perennials.No tillage will eliminate it unless endlessly repeated . A rod weeder can be effective. If you can get a moldboard plow through the mess it only needs a couple of passes to make a seedbed (plow ,disc twice ,seed barley or oats.) The last time I spiked the ground twice then bounced over it time after time with a disc.Would be nice to avoid all the bouncing on body and machine. I will try new 16"coulters and sharpen the plow shares.Also I have been plowing at 4 to 5 inches.Will go deeper. |
Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 9:34pm
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Maybe this will help in setting up the plow? https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/33404/1061770.pdf?sequence=2" rel="nofollow - click here to download pdf ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2016 at 9:54pm
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Here is another manual http://open-furrow.soil.ncsu.edu/Documents/DHC/The%20Moldboard%20Plow.pdf" rel="nofollow - click here to download pdf file ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 6:57am
| Never heard of trailing wires in my life.....now 3 threads in 1 day! |
Posted By: mruhlig77
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 7:02am
| Sometimes using a 14 inch bottom but a 16 inch spacing works good in sod...the 2 inch remainder helps roll over the furrow...Mark |
Posted By: Allis dave
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 7:47am
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http://www.thebedacompany.com/" rel="nofollow - http://www.thebedacompany.com/ This guy does plow seminars. He basically goes around and tells people plow history and how to properly setup a plow to do well and draft correctly. It's always interesting to hear him speak. His DVD "Guide to better plowing" explain it all. Sorry for all the green. (you'll see hehe) |
Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2016 at 9:18am
That is neat. Thanks Dave. Mike ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Allis dave wrote: