Breaker ring Cambridge rolls

[Arthur Living]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of going all modern and replacing my old gang rolls with a set of folding rolls. It seems that quite a lot of secondhand sets have breaker rings on them. I've never had any experience of using them and was wondering what the advantages and disadvantages are. We have very mixed soils with everything from sand to gault clay within a matter of yards but no stones.

Many thanks

 

[snipe]

Bit heavier, keep cleaner if a bit damp, more cultivation action

 

[Muddyroads]

Been impressed with mine on dry cloudy soils. Power harrow would have rattled them around whereas 2 passes with the rolls and it was fine enough for grass seeds.

 

[David.]

I think it depends a bit on whether the breakers are bigger diameter than plain rings or not. My Edlington rolls have breakers and plain rings which are about the same size, and they will pick up soil just as soon as a plain set would imo.
This is a bit disappointing because our red soil picks up very readily, and I actually think rolls with bigger diameter breakers would clean better because of the differing rolling circumferences of the rings.
Try and see some working before you rush in and assume you will be able roll in stickier conditions...

 

[Flat 10]

Mine are good for seedbeds but can flick clods up when rolling after drilling and it encourages the crows I thought all breakers were bigger diameter than the roll rings and loose on the shaft? I think others are confusing them with “snowflake”rings as fitted to vaderstad and some other makes which I have never used which are essentially “bumpy” rings and tight on the shaft. A sort of halfway house

 

[Arthur Living]

Thanks for replies. I can see them being of benefit on the heavier patches but my main concern is they'd do too much on light land and make the top go sad.

How does it work with emerged crops, can they damage them?

 

[Barleymow]

Rolled wheat last year in March with breakers did no harm

 

[David.]

You can probably make out from the above pic that the rings (which actually run on the centre boss of the plain ring rather than the axle), are very similar rolling circumference to the plain ring.
The upside is that I never give a second thought to crop damage when rolling in spring, because there ought to be less tearing action when everything turns at the same speed...
I don't think rolling will ever be as pretty with breakers, but you don't want a sealed top that runs together in the wet anyway.