Stabiliser bracket / check chain

[spindle]

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for a floating stabiliser arm one that when the plough is in work will allow float and when the plough is lifted will lock the plough in the middle of the tractor and release once the plough is in work have a few ideas that I would like to try out on the 3000 as I don't like the chains that come from the middle of the tractor any ideas would-be appreciated

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

well as you may know i mostly plough in the trailed, but when out with hydraulic i dont have a problem with the above, as its all to do with the geometry of your hitching points on the tractor, if you get that right then there is no need for anything,

but i think @arcobob made a self locking stabilizer, he add some pictures for you

 

[Mydexta]

An adjustable stabiliser, as made by cruickshanks of Denny, or the harkness smiddy near Dumfries is the thing to have, but hard to find.

They use a ratchet system to lengthen or shorten the stabiliser, if you place a bit of rubber pipe over the handle, the stabiliser stays in float, remove pipe and stabiliser is locked

 

[spindle]

well as you may know i mostly plough in the trailed, but when out with hydraulic i dont have a problem with the above, as its all to do with the geometry of your hitching points on the tractor, if you get that right then there is no need for anything,

but i think @arcobob made a self locking stabilizer, he add some pictures for you

I did seem to remember Bob in a post talking about it but looked back through some old threads and couldn't find it

 

[spindle]

An adjustable stabiliser, as made by cruickshanks of Denny, or the harkness smiddy near Dumfries is the thing to have, but hard to find.

They use a ratchet system to lengthen or shorten the stabiliser, if you place a bit of rubber pipe over the handle, the stabiliser stays in float, remove pipe and stabiliser is locked

I was given a ratcheting system by a Friend and was wondering if I could incorporate it, but like you say it has to float, Pennine is right in saying you don't need them but would like something that when the plough s raised it locks it into the centre untill lowered and then releases under spring pressure when in work, it would just help to keep the ends Square when your right wheel drops into the furrow

 

[Tonym]

I was going to manufacture a stabiliser to do this but ended up buying a Sparex aotomatic stabiliser with a float position. They come in different lengths to suit different tractors so I chose one to fit my 434. It adjustable so if you are on a slope you can alter it to drop the plough where you want it.
It locks when you lift the plough and releases when you drop it. It works very well the only problem being the price.

 

[arcobob]

I was given a ratcheting system by a Friend and was wondering if I could incorporate it, but like you say it has to float, Pennine is right in saying you don't need them but would like something that when the plough s raised it locks it into the centre untill lowered and then releases under spring pressure when in work, it would just help to keep the ends Square when your right wheel drops into the furrow

I made a stabiliser similar to the Sparex one and it worked quite well but abandoned it in favour of a Harkness Hill Hitch which permits you to drop the plough exactly where you want, not where it wants. This is particularly useful when you have four furrows left, ploughing the single off or for the finish but I do use it at every end. John says you should not need such a thing but few mounted ploughmen would agree.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I am not the best at explaining things, but I will try if you can follow me,
the too link needs to be offset to ploughed land by 2.5" on a ts59 while in work, this is at the plough end, this means that the top link is not running straight, and it should not run straight, the bottom link arms will run equal, as they are under positive force, that is unless the landslide and cross shaft are steering the plough, once lifted at end, the lower links go into a negative force, and top link will be a positive force, and will pull straight, this means that the plough will move towards land,
when returning to work at the end, the plough is held over to land until top link returns to negative force, then lower links go to positive force and pull straight again,
the kit I sell has this built into it, but it is also important that the height of the top link pin in relation to the cross shaft, get this wrong and it won't work as it should

 

[arcobob]

I think I understand what you are saying John but in any given set of circumstances the forces you describe are insufficient to overcome gravity. With the tractor standing on level ground these forces will centralise the plough but on a side slope other forces take over. These sideways pulls are equal and opposite each side of the plot. When the tractor wheel drops into the furrow the same applies but these gravitational forces are often insufficient to cause a consistent sideways movement. Sometimes if you enter the furrow very carefully the the plough will maintain position but on the next end the plough may move right very slightly. This inconsistency is not helpful and while it can usually be corrected on the next bout why not maintain consistency in the first place ?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I think I understand what you are saying John but in any given set of circumstances the forces you describe are insufficient to overcome gravity. With the tractor standing on level ground these forces will centralise the plough but on a side slope other forces take over. These sideways pulls are equal and opposite each side of the plot. When the tractor wheel drops into the furrow the same applies but these gravitational forces are often insufficient to cause a consistent sideways movement. Sometimes if you enter the furrow very carefully the the plough will maintain position but on the next end the plough may move right very slightly. This inconsistency is not helpful and while it can usually be corrected on the next bout why not maintain consistency in the first place ?

yes I see what you are saying Bob and do agree with most of it, and will say my idea does work, and we have steeper land and hills here in Cumbria, something you men from Norfolk will see little of, it does hold it in place, it's up to the driver to get the tractor in the right place, it's all to do with geometry, and positive and negative forces

nothing wrong with your idea, just means there is another handle while ploughing

 

[spindle]

I made a stabiliser similar to the Sparex one and it worked quite well but abandoned it in favour of a Harkness Hill Hitch which permits you to drop the plough exactly where you want, not where it wants. This is particularly useful when you have four furrows left, ploughing the single off or for the finish but I do use it at every end. John says you should not need such a thing but few mounted ploughmen would agree.View attachment 574162 View attachment 574164

I take it Bob the handle will lock so that the system will float ? It looks a good idea !

 

[spindle]

I was going to manufacture a stabiliser to do this but ended up buying a Sparex aotomatic stabiliser with a float position. They come in different lengths to suit different tractors so I chose one to fit my 434. It adjustable so if you are on a slope you can alter it to drop the plough where you want it.
It locks when you lift the plough and releases when you drop it. It works very well the only problem being the price.

Dare I ask how much Tony ?

 

[Tonym]

Have had it 2 or 3 years now but the one I have is now around £300 + vat on the Malpas online website.

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

The sparex stabiliser is as you get on modern tractors, what would be really useful (as Arcobob's) is to have a method of positioning the plough laterally where you want it, which is not always in the same place. Hence the reason on the euro/world style they have a hydraulic stabiliser. The downside is that its yet another lever to adjust... I tend to get off and just shove the plough across, no big deal really, keeps you fit!!

 

[arcobob]

I take it Bob the handle will lock so that the system will float ? It looks a good idea !

The handle locks . Raise the lever and press in the the button on the end and the lever is on float . When you come to the end release the lever, the button is released and it locks in the selected position until you repeat the process.

 

[spindle]

The handle locks . Raise the lever and press in the the button on the end and the lever is on float . When you come to the end release the lever, the button is released and it locks in the selected position until you repeat the process.

Just been looking today at how I can adapt one to fit on a 3000 Bob it is doable just too busy at the moment don't know if I am punch bored or rivetted

 

[arcobob]

Just been looking today at how I can adapt one to fit on a 3000 Bob it is doable just too busy at the moment don't know if I am punch bored or rivetted

Space is the problem. I moved the mudguard out about three inches and am inclined to do the same on the other side, but then I don't have a cab and only use 10" tyres.