crawler ploughs

[Fowler VF]

I have been ploughing with crawlers for years, mostly big trailer ploughs and have always set up with the crawler up on the land. Just recently bought a little 3 trailer furrow plough that will be easier to move around. Spent most of yesterday trying to set it up and automatically hitched and set up to be up on the land. But it just didn't work, with a little 3 furrow it was so far off set to one side that it really didn't want to pull right. Hake bar right over, drawbar right over and the diagonal bar trying to fight it all. I always like to have the tractor drawbar swinging, else every slight touch of the steering moves the plough, but no matter what I did I couldn't get it to run. 14" plates on a County, 10" furrow Ransomes, so if you imagine leaving driving 12" off the furrow wall, the middle furrow is almost behind the right hand track, which puts the drawbar miles off the plough centre line. In desperation I then started all over again and actually tried the crawler track in the furrow. It actually didn't pinch the furrow much at all and in the remaining available time I did manage to begin to get it all to pull more sensibly. I don't ever see crawlers running in the furrow like this, so am I barking up the wrong tree or is this the only way I am going to get this little plough to run?

 

[arcobob]

I have been ploughing with crawlers for years, mostly big trailer ploughs and have always set up with the crawler up on the land. Just recently bought a little 3 trailer furrow plough that will be easier to move around. Spent most of yesterday trying to set it up and automatically hitched and set up to be up on the land. But it just didn't work, with a little 3 furrow it was so far off set to one side that it really didn't want to pull right. Hake bar right over, drawbar right over and the diagonal bar trying to fight it all. I always like to have the tractor drawbar swinging, else every slight touch of the steering moves the plough, but no matter what I did I couldn't get it to run. 14" plates on a County, 10" furrow Ransomes, so if you imagine leaving driving 12" off the furrow wall, the middle furrow is almost behind the right hand track, which puts the drawbar miles off the plough centre line. In desperation I then started all over again and actually tried the crawler track in the furrow. It actually didn't pinch the furrow much at all and in the remaining available time I did manage to begin to get it all to pull more sensibly. I don't ever see crawlers running in the furrow like this, so am I barking up the wrong tree or is this the only way I am going to get this little plough to run?

I can picture your dilemma and don`t know the answer but I am sure someone will. I know that some match ploughmen run in the furrow, while some are very critical of this. One thing is for certain, you will get bad track and running gear wear if you do run in the furrow.

 

[Fowler VF]

Thanks. You are right, it doesn't feel right with the track in the furrow and it will cause more wear. Frankly for the few hours I will do it wont matter, but it still isnt quite right. I have seen photos of match plough crawlers in the furrow but they are usually little light things like Bristols. Then again most of the on the land match ploughers are also little things like D2's with narrow track width. I confess that I rarely go the big matches or Nationals and so rarely see crawlers ploughing at a match and cant remember how they were set up. Hence the question.

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

Dad has the good Ploughing book from the 40's there's a section in it about crawler Ploughing, will have a look tonight if I remember

 

[Fowler VF]

Dad has the good Ploughing book from the 40's there's a section in it about crawler Ploughing, will have a look tonight if I remember

Have got a copy. A useful book, but the crawler stuff is mainly aimed at bigger ploughs and is all about the on the land ploughing. Which is what I have always done. Just stumped with how to deal with this smaller plough, to hitch it correctly as per the book and my experience means that you are towing it from a point miles beyond the last furrow. I have dealt with the opposite problem when making up my double hitches, with an extended hake bar, but then the second plough hitch point tends to balance out the load and the drawbar is balanced. If you try this on the small plough then the strain on the diagonal is massive. When hitching a big plough I often take off the diagonal bar for a short pull and find the balance point for the drawbar on the hake bar, and then re-fit it. That way you know the diagonal isn't doing too much and that there are no major side thrusts on the plough. What I found with this little plough is that the pull point for having the tractor, plough and drawbar where you want them is so far off the balance point on the hake bar that even the diagonal bar cannot counteract the side thrust well. I can get it to run but the slightest bump or hard patch and the plough is trying to fight off to one side.

 

[Kenham]

When you say you have the hake bar right over it sounds like you are not pulling the plough through its natural line of draught. On a 3 furrow the drawbar of the plough must be just on the outside of the main frame, with the diagonal bar extended and a swinging drawbar on the tractor you should be ok. You will probably have to run with the track right on the furrow wall or just an inch off. It made me cross when I ploughed with a crawler at the national when nearly everyone else was running in the furrow, no different to any other tractor if you do that. The old Ransomes book on how to plough shows how the drawbar should be set.

 

[Fowler VF]

Thanks. I needed a bit of encouragement to have another go! From what you are saying it is do-able on a 3 furrow. Its that natural line of draft that is throwing me, I can see/feel where that is for a 6 furrow, but the three just looks and feels wrong being so far over and actually outside the frame. I am also maybe being too greedy in trying to leave too much space from the furrow wall, just used to bigger crawlers and bigger ploughs. Very nice to have some input from someone who has actually done this. Getting hard to find people who have used crawlers and understand the differences in ploughing. Part of the reason I got the three furrow was to have a go at doing better splits and finishes. With the 6 furrow ploughs I have to do the "alternative" split by pushing the second split out with the front furrow whilst I pull back in with the others, and finishing tends to be a bit of pot luck as no-one ever gives you a big enough plot to lose enough furrows to come right at the end. I will get some photos when I can and then get your views. Many thanks.

 

[Kenham]

What plough are you using and what boards , can you widen the plough out to 12" perhaps. It can be a problem with a wide tractor but as I said at least with 3 furrows you can have the drawbar on the outside of the frame. It might look wrong but the plough will follow the right line . That's the good thing about trailed ploughs they can run almost anywhere behind the tractor I would never be able to do a finish with a mounted plough.

 

[kevindb880]

What's the title of the old ploughing book? would like to get hold of. A copy.
Thanks

 

[Tonym]

Google Good Ploughing by the Amberlady - issuu.com

 

[Howard150]

Japonica press have reprinted this version by EJ Roworth. It's a much later version than the one on issu

 

[kevindb880]

Thanks

 

[renewablejohn]

My dad used to plough acres of heavy clay on the east coast with a 3 furrow plough. Dont know anything about match ploughing but he had it set up so that the middle disc cut the outer track edge. Always on the flat never in the furrow. On lighter land would run 2 x 3's.

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

There's 2 editions of good ploughing before the above version 3 in all ibelive,you need the one from the 40's if you want the trailer plough information

 

[Rusty_Relics]

Hello everyone,
I know this is a old topic but I have found an old copy of the plough book mentioned online for everyone to view.
The reason I found this old topic is I have a Fowler VF, and I have just bought a big old plough to go with it, I think it's an earlier Hexatrac than the one in post one by "Fowler VF"
Here is a link to the booklet >>>

Good Ploughing

Old book on ploughing techniques

issuu.com

Carl Hargreaves

 

[Fowler VF]

The first Hexatrac's were just that, they had top beams like railway lines and lever adjustment. The later ones were the TS69 version, were heavier, had solid beams, a heavier back wheel and screw adjustment. I have two TS69's 12" on YL's and an original Hexatrac 10" on YL's.

 

[Fowler VF]

This is a TS69 Hexatrac. Behind my County. The VF actually pulls it better! More weight, better distribution and no loss of drive when steering.

 

[Fowler VF]

The back plough of this set up is the original Hexatrac, older than the TS69's. Note the lighter rear wheel and the adjusting handles. That's a 1944 D7 that pulled all 18 furrows!

 

[Rusty_Relics]

The back plough of this set up is the original Hexatrac, older than the TS69's. Note the lighter rear wheel and the adjusting handles. That's a 1944 D7 that pulled all 18 furrows!

Hello again,

Yes my plough is just like the rear one from your triple set up. I to, have a couple of County Crawlers one is a 6 cylinder 590E engine.
Great pictures of your ploughing set up.
Do you happen to know what production years Ransomes made them earlier Hexatrac's ?

Thanks
Carl Hargreaves

 

[Fowler VF]

Sorry, nothing definitive. I think the early ones were available pre-war? They are painted pale blue whereas the TS69's are dark blue. Cant remember the dates for Nacton and Orwell colours!
One of my TS69's could be as late as early 60's; vendor said it was one of a pair that were about the last ones made. T

he comment of it being one of a pair is what set me off down the multiple hitches route; which is an interesting bit of engineering in its own right to get the draft right. They do pull reasonably well together, adding a third one (and it being 10" furrows not 12") didn't help the quality! What is interesting is that the headland doesn't need to be as big as you might think. I'm turning the crawler nearly in the hedge and at right angles to the ploughing whilst the last plough is still in the furrow and still stays (reasonably) straight; a bit like a train. Always turning left of course; those furrow wheels will bend or snap the arm very easily if you turn sharp the other way! Needs a figure of 8 to get back in again.