How To: Adjust Your Moldboard Plow Hitch

[@Lackieestatesfarm]

You can read these theories as many times as you like, but they don’t make sense until you see them put to test out in the field like this. Very informative

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

That’s what I was going for. Thanks!

[@lucgagnon5241]

As a soil technician, plowing may be the most important job to prepare a field for the next crop. I like the way you're are doing it. Using an old plow, taking time to do it properly and getting the best possible results. Plowing needs to be done when soil is ready for it too. No rush, no plowing when raining and most of all, plowing in a way to make next step the easier possible. When farmers are plowing in bad conditions, it's because 1 : they badly manage their time or 2 : because weather is terrible. Most of the time, number 1 IS number 1.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yes! Good quality of work decreases the effort needed for subsequent cultivations and decreases future weed pressure.

[@plowedunderproductions4301]

John Very nice job it is difficult to find someone who has understanding of physics and can communicate. The art of plowing is almost lost. Thanks for helping keep the art alive. Something I try to get inexperienced people to understand is that if everything is right the bottoms will be level and the landslide will be plum. Then the goal will be pick the entire field up and flipping it over. This sometimes helps with a basic understanding.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Thank you. Hopefully I can help with the next step which is how do you get the plow to run level and steady.

[@Recommended_by_Fred]

I have read books and pamphlets about adjusting plows. I’m going to try some of your tips to see if I can get my plow to follow correctly.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Hopefully it helps.

[@farmallgray]

I am really enjoying your videos. I'd like to see a video on how these principals can be applied and adjusted on a fully mounted plow. In my case, I'm specifically working with cat 0 3 point hitch and sleeve hitch on garden tractors. I've been doing it for about 20 years and I'm always trying to refine my setup. Thanks.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yes, that is on the to-do list. I’d like to do a video on three point mounted plows and a video that focuses on garden tractor plows. Thanks for the comment!

[@crazycat1345]

Thanks for the video. You should do a video on plowing side hills, all the videos I have seen are on flat bottom ground which is the easiest to do. Side hills however are a different animal, maybe this is why all plow competitions are on level ground.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yep, agree side hills are a challenge.

[@colemathews137]

Glad I found this video, especially since I'm using the same tractor/plow

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

👍 you’ll notice I made plates to lower the hitch on the plow even further from factory. Alternatively you could raise the tractor hitch with some creativity. I think Moline screwed up on this one.

[@joshsundiwa]

Well explained thanks for sharing

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Thank you!

[@westrotter7847]

That's a moline 2 bottom drag plow with rope trip.looks like its perfectly adjusted.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yes, a Minneapolis Moline model AF. Thanks!

[@stevegoucher6445]

Diagrams were nice to see alignment. Would have been nice to see you actually show what you adjusted on the plow itself to fix the problems. Even if you just pointed out what adjustment you made.on the draw bar or the levers it would have been very helpful in understanding what need to be adjusted

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Thanks for the feedback. I can show that in another video I have planned.

[@joescheller6680]

Recal as a small boy plowing with a H and in sone cases the furrow wheel on the tractor would be set in to facilitate the proper pull line where tractor would auto matic go straight ahead

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yep, I do that with our M with a wide front; when it’s all set correctly you don’t need to steer.

[@marcussamson7640]

I have a oliver plow master 100 that looks like its going off to left field all the time it doesn't affect the tractor but doesn't like to go into the ground all new wear parts point,shins,landslides. any idea witch way to move the hitch

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Those Oliver's have a tricky hitch with not much range of motion vertically; you have to carefully watch that you are not hitting the travel stops of the hitch which could cause strange behavior like you are seeing. Lower the plow hitch as low as it will go and then lower the tractor hitch until the thing goes in the ground. As explained in the video, if the front acts like it wants to go in the ground but the back of the plow is bobbing up and down, then you went too far lowering the tractor hitch. Also, I'm not a fan of throw-away lays on little two bottom plows; I think they need a good sharp blacksmith share to suck them into the ground. So, you may always struggle, especially in hard ground, with your Oliver. Check out my plow share video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGLMppynr7ZneLM PS: maybe take a critical look at your new shares: they might have a blunt cutting edge from new. A little grinding might make a world of difference.

[@jeffcraft3980]

Is an Oliver 4240 a good plow to invest time and effort in. Do they really have the lightest draft? The hitch is infinetly adjustable versus finite hole spacings.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

I know people who have had success with a 4240. A friend with a 4240 would like to fabricate hitch plates to bolt on a regular hitch from an IH or JD plow, because the hitch on the 4240 is frustrating. It’s a hassle to make a horizontal adjustment and the vertical travel is limited by physical stops which can get you in trouble. A 1941 research article on moldboard plow draft found the short 225/625 stubble bottom from Oliver had the lightest draft. It is short and turns the ground quickly so the soil is on the board creating friction force less than other bottoms. THAT is how Oliver got the reputation for light draft. However, the 225/625 bottom does an ugly job of plowing in about every condition. It shines when the ground is mellow and pulverizes easily. The only redeeming quality is it scours when other bottoms won’t, because it is so short and abrupt.

[@jeffcraft3980]

Wow, I really appreciate that. What trailing plows would you recommend for me then? I am a retired mechanical engineer and turbo neophyte into John Deere D's for plow days. I have a 1928 on steel I think I need a 3-14 for, and a 1950 I think I need a 3-16 for. I have a machine/fab shop left over from my entrepreneurial career and can manage a little bit of what you are doing. My 4240 has been a frustrating wild handful so far me knowing nothing. Maybe less than that. Thanks again.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

I don’t think you could go wrong with a John Deere 55ABH. A 5C would be the correct vintage for your 1928. IH, MM, or Case would be good also. However, as in the case of the 5C, if you are particular and want to do a good job, I would steer clear of a two bottom with an “add on” third bottom which is not a full length beam. They are almost always not straight. So, a 55ABH “full frame” three bottom with NGP or EP bottoms would do a nice job.

[@johndeereequipment]

so I attempted to use my John Deere 820 and John Deere 777h 5-14 plow today and the tractor wanted to pull to the right real hard and the front bottoms wouldn't go in the ground, it was real hard ground which didn't help but what do you suggest changing first? the hitch on the plow is 28.5" from the furrow wall, the book says the center of draft for that plow is 38.5" the drawbar is centered which puts it at 24.5" from inside of the tractor tire. the hitch on the plow is in the lowest setting and the hammer strap on the tractor is on top of the drawbar vs underneath it

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Well the tractor pulling to the right means the tractor hitch is too far right; the plow force is trying to rotate the tractor. The tractor hitch needs to end up somewhere between that 38.5 and 24.5. The front of the plow not sucking down is interesting. Could be dull shares or the tractor hitch is too high.

[@johndeereequipment]

@@everythingmoldboardplows ok thank you I will try swinging the drawbar on the tractor and see if that helps. is it likely that I will have to move the hitch on the plow too or just try a few different spots on the tractor first? I was going to try putting the hammer strap on the bottom of the drawbar but couldn't get the bolts loose at the time.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

@@johndeereequipment It’s a chicken and egg game to get the line of draft correct at the same time as getting the front bottom to cut the right width. Once you start narrowing it down and the front bottom cuts the correct width, then yes, you usually move the tractor and plow drawbar together to hone in that line of draft.

[@packingfacility1886]

Where can a fellow find good cutting edges when his are shot?

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

You can find throw away shares but blacksmith shares are harder to find. First step is to learn what you are working with: start with a part number from the share and the moldboard. I’m working on a plow share video that I should finish soon.

[@packingfacility1886]

@@everythingmoldboardplows I got the part no.It's an IH number. I haven't found any place yet that can help me.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

What is the number?

[@thomasfogerty3515]

Very good video. However you missed a huge point. And that is the Colters if the Colter are not straight than the cut won't be right. You should know that is major problem misaligned Colter.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Coulter adjustment is coming in another video 🙂

[@dianabonnett7343]

How do you sharpen your shares

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

I’m working on another video to explain that.

[@no_handle_required]

Ron Howard doppelgänger

[@joescheller6680]

Back in the day ww had a blacksmith sharpen our lays in a forge with heat and a hammer. He would forn a flat point on the front of the lay. Now they just use flat lays not as effective in keeping plow in the ground.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Agree. How To: Identify, Repair, and Rebuild Plow Shares kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGLMppynr7ZneLM

[@brustdiesel]

Is that an old Minnie Mo?

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yes, a 1951 Minneapolis Moline ZA, a ZAU more specifically; the U designating the narrow front configuration.

[@westrotter7847]

Drag plow.

[@everythingmoldboardplows]

Yes, a drag plow or trailer plow!