Grass subsoiler

[Keep_flying]

Been looking at getting a grassland subsoiler in and wanted to get folks thoughts.
From what I've seen the Erth looks to give the best results but God the price, the browns unit looks pretty much the same at a vastly better price.
We're on really heavy clay and hp is limited and I've noticed widely varying claims from manufacturers about what hp needed to pull their machines.

 

[capfits]

The price yeah they seem expensive until you think that they cost about 2 acres around here and the lift in productivity is well beyond buying 2 acres albeit with time fuel etc.

 

[green giant]

It’s not really the hp, more the tractor weight. You need the weight for traction, otherwise you just spin the tyres ripping up the grass.

 

[john432]

Nothing moves the ground like a Flatlift, they do take some pulling, need the discs in front of the legs, and the packer roller. There is a knack in avoiding a mess coming out of the ground. Stop, and lift as one reverses,

 

[john432]

 

[buakaw cvx]

the browns are pretty crap, the legs make slabs if they are all in a line on the same bar

 

[Ffermer Bach]

the browns are pretty crap, the legs make slabs if they are all in a line on the same bar

But it is a couple of thousand pounds cheaper~ at least!

 

[le bon paysan]

What tractor do you have to go on the front. I've got a 110hp 6 cylinder ,5.8t on the front of mine and that sometimes won't pull it if dry,, but also seen a TL100 NH pul it in perfect conditions. It's an Earth by the way.
Do you have stones because if not there is a non hydraulic model for less money I think.

 

[Keep_flying]

Very similar, we have a McCormick MTX 6 cylinder 115hp nearly 6 ton. No we don't have a problem with stones but it has been down to grass for 20 years and has that lovely concrete texture 5 minutes after it dries up.

 

[Keep_flying]

the browns are pretty crap, the legs make slabs if they are all in a line on the same bar

I've seen videos of the Erth machine working, looks impressive but those legs are all on the same bar as well. I presume a lot is down to the shape of the points. Have you had any other machines on the same land?

 

[john432]

Just my experience and observations, people seem to think that if a grassland subsoiler is easy to pull and doesnt make a mess or leave the field uneven ,then it must be good. Unless its got widish wings either side of the points, then its not going to do much shattering. If there's plenty of debth of soil/ subsoil and not too stoney, get a second hand flatlift , plenty about, but if one subsoils through the the underlying shale , then it leaves a very uneven field. The machinery manufacturers are cashing in on the grasland subsoiler market, but the best machine for actually subsoiling and shattering the ground has been around for 20 plus years.

 

[Nh6080]

Can anyone tell me which would be a better buy, the sumo subsoiler or Erth panbuster . Both are big money for what they do, they don’t seem a machine to pay itself of very quickly. I heard sumo is harder pulled but that doesn’t bother me as I have 200hp+

 

[buakaw cvx]

sumo

 

[Mickeymatbro]

Can anyone tell me which would be a better buy, the sumo subsoiler or Erth panbuster . Both are big money for what they do, they don’t seem a machine to pay itself of very quickly. I heard sumo is harder pulled but that doesn’t bother me as I have 200hp+

Sumo I have , seen it working side by side with erth in perfect conditions ( dry so it shatters) erth doesn't like it as it was lifting up massive slabs because legs are all in a line , sumo staggered , sumo is harder to pull and a lot heavier! But I have had mine 10 years and frame as good as new

 

[Nh6080]

Ok thanks was thinking of buying one, no farmers get there ground done around my way no one has one so might be able to talk them into doing it. You can definitely see the benefits after doing it though can you? And would you lift many stones with them like a mole ploughing? And running costs to them as well. Thank you.

 

[Mickeymatbro]

Ok thanks was thinking of buying one, no farmers get there ground done around my way no one has one so might be able to talk them into doing it. You can definitely see the benefits after doing it though can you? And would you lift many stones with them like a mole ploughing? And running costs to them as well. Thank you.

Yeh big difference in the land after, fields will be a lot drier and getting air into the soil will increase growth if fields are suffering from compaction,some stones will come up so will get pushed down with roller , so suggest rolling in the spring if you're Subsoiling in the autumn
Cost to run are variable on how dry ground is , have had some points lasting 12 acres and some last 30/35 acres , if there not wearing much the ground is not dry enough and you're wasting you're time and fuel !

 

[le bon paysan]

Pictures from France page 14 post 266 to see a difference in the grass

 

[Grassman247]

We like the job it does, have to say the driver really does make the difference

 

[Nh6080]

And can you subsoil in spring. You want to be getting good price per acre if they wear that quick, is a point around £30 or something. Is it hard on fuel

 

[Mickeymatbro]

And can you subsoil in spring. You want to be getting good price per acre if they wear that quick, is a point around £30 or something. Is it hard on fuel

You can but I wouldn't do it unless fields completely fecked , it knocks the growth for few weeks as you're disturbing grass roots , last thing you want to do in the spring is slow it down !
I have done it in the passed , but then I will only go when ground conditions are right, some muppets around here going and legs are cutting through like knife through butter smearing the soil , what a waste of time and money