6 furrow mounted plough

[J 1177]

Old dowsdwell dp8b here 5f. Started on a zetor 9111 as a 4 now it's a 5f on a mf 6480. When funds allow I was going to drop to a kv 4 f vari width as our soil varies so much and I think a vari width would be more useable. A friend borrowed a 5f kv 100 clearence plough it was ridiculous.
Quite a few lads around here used to run 6f dowsdwell but have changed to Kuhn.

 

[jh.]

Quite fancy some 20.8/42s. Going on other thread there good ploughing tyre.

On 650s at moment, as has been already said you can't reduce tyre pressures enough cause when you lift plough huge increase on weight on tyres.

I've been trying to find some 16.9r30 to try with my 18.4 rear spraying wheels for my 7485 and get off these 710s for the winter ploughing. Last tractor had 710s and 20.8s for ploughing and difference was night and day.

 

[Lazy Sod]

I used to have a Kverneland LB 5 furrow vari width on a Fiat F140. I could always push it out to the maximum furrow width (18") and plough like that all day. I can't remember what speed I ploughed at but it was as fast as I felt sensible. The land was stoney greensand. Having vari width was a great advantage on angled headlands.

 

[Chae1]

Ploughing, marking out fields with autosteer now makes me question weather vari width a necessity. It is nice when last run against a dyke or fence though and shutting down plough to avoid them!

When its very wet I've seen me shutting it down to make it uphill. Been a few years though.

 

[Rust]

Ploughing, marking out fields with autosteer now makes me question weather vari width a necessity. It is nice when last run against a dyke or fence though and shutting down plough to avoid them!

When its very wet I've seen me shutting it down to make it uphill. Been a few years though.

Is vari width just to make up for lack of ability ??

 

[Spud]

My neighbour ploughs with a 6430 130hp? and 4f reversible auto reset KV.

I often question myself when i can't get going with my 5f and 100 clearance kv and t7 260 and hes still going!

Why does extra furrows require so much extra hp!?

It isn't necessarily power, over 30hp/fur it becomes more about grip.
We have two virtually identical MF 7620's - the one on 20.8r42 tyres puts the power down a massive amount better than the other on 620's, especially on the plough.

We used to pull 4f with a 2wd 399, then added a press with a 956 turbo up front....and snapped the plough (Ransome TSR300).
That was replaced with a 4 then 5f kv on an 8340NH, then 6290MF.
2008 saw a 6f Dowdeswell DP120MA behind a 6490 (or 7495) which was ok, but a big lump on the road, too heavy for its own depth wheel, and generally too much of a pita. We took the 6th furrow off, and it's a pleasure now.
The old Dowdy on a 7620 ran alongside a 5f KV on a 6480 for a few years, but running two in spring needs more tractors and men than we can spare, so we've upgraded to a 4+3 KV RL100 wagon plough. I have to say I'm impressed. Much handier than the mounted 6, much kinder on the tractor, ins & outs and headland size no worse than the 5 mounted, and capable of serious output in the right land. Being a wagon plough, it's very stable, compared to a semi with single rear wheel.
Weight transfer not been a problem for traction, a correctly set up mounted plough should run with the top link in the slot on a lower link sensing 3pl anyway.

 

[Chae1]

Is vari width just to make up for lack of ability ??

Probably. I've never ploughed without it. In my opinion main benefit is last run finishing a field.

Plough also closes when it trips to give better clearance. I don't generally alter width i plough at unless really wet and want to get up a hill. Just leave it at 16"

 

[KB6930]

Ploughing, marking out fields with autosteer now makes me question weather vari width a necessity. It is nice when last run against a dyke or fence though and shutting down plough to avoid them!

When its very wet I've seen me shutting it down to make it uphill. Been a few years though.

It's good for straightening out a bent side to start from as well but the biggest benefit for me is as you say finishing a headland in just the right place no trying to run in an extra furrow or take one less to get along a hedge or fence

I think I'll try a 6 mounted next time but will have to be 100 clearance for ploughing muck in . I tried a semi mounted kuhn a couple of years ago and got on well but it's too long for sharp hollows and hill tops especially with the wheel around the 5th furrow it had a lot of see saw affect but if it was on the back like a PB kv you're a out 2 furrows extra off the fence for a finish .

Fields like this I could pull 8 or 9 but then I get onto a shitty steep hill and struggle with 5 with 200hp

 

[Chae1]

It's good for straightening out a bent side to start from as well but the biggest benefit for me is as you say finishing a headland in just the right place no trying to run in an extra furrow or take one less to get along a hedge or fence

I think I'll try a 6 mounted next time but will have to be 100 clearance for ploughing muck in . I tried a semi mounted kuhn a couple of years ago and got on well but it's too long for sharp hollows and hill tops especially with the wheel around the 5th furrow it had a lot of see saw affect but if it was on the back like a PB kv you're a out 2 furrows extra off the fence for a finish .

Fields like this I could pull 8 or 9 but then I get onto a shitty steep hill and struggle with 5 with 200hp

Have you had top pin breakout for turnover ram too?

 

[KB6930]

Have you had top pin breakout for turnover ram too?

No not any breakage of beam or top or bottom turnover pin but I know folk who have. Only things I've had to weld up on these is the land wheel stub and the older ones used to have a single plate for the vari width ram used to break but I've not had a problem since they double plated it

 

[KB6930]

Vari width also very good with obstacles out to 20 inch then in to 12 out to 20 again and I slip past it next time

Also good for picking stones and lifting them to the headland

 

[Spud]

It's good for straightening out a bent side to start from as well but the biggest benefit for me is as you say finishing a headland in just the right place no trying to run in an extra furrow or take one less to get along a hedge or fence

I think I'll try a 6 mounted next time but will have to be 100 clearance for ploughing muck in . I tried a semi mounted kuhn a couple of years ago and got on well but it's too long for sharp hollows and hill tops especially with the wheel around the 5th furrow it had a lot of see saw affect but if it was on the back like a PB kv you're a out 2 furrows extra off the fence for a finish .

Fields like this I could pull 8 or 9 but then I get onto a shitty steep hill and struggle with 5 with 200hp

If you've a lot of hills &hollows, get a wagon plough - leave the spool for the rear half in float and it'll follow the contours no bother.

 

[jh.]

Probably. I've never ploughed without it. In my opinion main benefit is last run finishing a field.

Plough also closes when it trips to give better clearance. I don't generally alter width i plough at unless really wet and want to get up a hill. Just leave it at 16"

My manual vari width has been at 16" for years but after your comment , just spent a bit of time there and closed it into 14 . If its still dry on Monday , will see if I can move it again in a field .

 

[Sandy]

My manual vari width has been at 16" for years but after your comment , just spent a bit of time there and closed it into 14 . If its still dry on Monday , will see if I can move it again in a field .

Is it wet down in fife

 

[jh.]

Is it wet down in fife

Chap that takes ground for tatties , still has some here to lift . Spring salvage job now .

 

[farmerofthenorth]

My nei farm

Am I daft to consider a 6 furrow mounted plough (Kuhn varimaster auto reset) are they to big for carrying on the arms ? I would have a semi mounted but awkward shaped fields put me off ! Any advice would be good !

My nei farm My neighboring farm runs a mounted 6 furrow plough on the back of a t7250 it has a 2 tonne weight on the front mind but does it very nicely they got it second hand is 10 years old only had the usual stuff replaced but never had any major issues with it though

 

[JeremyD]

Have a six furrow kv Lb 85/300 with packomat press on a NH T7030 pulls it no problem but absolutely on its limit lifting it! Had hydraulic pressure tweaked up slightly and front tyres ballasted! Has seen one cross shaft out and probably see a few more out!