Tiling with a Soil-Max Stealth ZD plow and Steiger Panther

Installing drainage tile. The mains were put in with a wheel ditcher several years ago. I quit using the power feeder because the Honda power unit doesn't have much hydraulic flow to spare, and the stringer stretches the tile more than the plow anyway. The plow does a great job holding grade though.
Lissie - Don't You Give Up On Me

[@dirtcheapexcavating]

I'm looking at purchasing a similar setup. Why did you have to chain up the back backhoe to the plow or tractor? Was the tractor slipping or lacking enough power to pull the plow through? I'll most likely be installing it myself, so I want to make sure I have enough tractor.

[@deereboy8400]

The steiger weighs about 35,000 lbs and has enough traction to go 44-48" deep in average conditions. I think the run in this video maxed out around 52" deep, so i needed more traction. Engine power is not usually a factor unless the ground is bone dry at depth, in which case i pre-rip the line before installing the tile. A rule of thumb everyone throws around is that you need 10,000 lbs of tractor per foot of depth for 4" tile.

[@FRENCHDRAINMAN]

This is amazing footage. Was it don't professionally? I'm a Baughman Tile Co distributor can I get your permission to use this footage? Absolutely Amazing footage brother great job.

[@deereboy8400]

Thanks, not professional, filmed it myself. I like your vids too, so go ahead and use some footage if you link back to my vid. We're installing the 8 slot all virgin baughman. Tap teeing into dual 10" baughman mains that were installed by a wheel ditcher.

[@danne77sthlm]

I have what might seem as a stupid question, but how do you do this if you hit solid rock in that is in your way for the tiling plow? I mean, here in Sweden where I live, this would be almost impossible, solid rock every here and there, sometimes you cant go a meter without hitting solid rock or gigantic stones! :/ Merry christmas to you all!

[@deereboy8400]

This is in Indiana., 39* latitude. The glaciers brought us a bunch Canada's dirt. I've never seen bedrock in our area. But the glaciers also deposited lots of rocks. The plow can usually pull them out of the ground without trouble. But if the plow skips over the top of a rock I have to go back with the backhoe and dig it up to get the tile back on grade. Most rocks are 20kg or smaller. Rare to find one larger than 500kg.

[@danne77sthlm]

@@deereboy8400 Aha, this is why then they almost always digs with excavators here where I live then, thanks for the great answer :)

[@dougstierwalt1015]

Is this a PTA Allison tractor? Looking at getting one to pull my golddigger.

[@deereboy8400]

I wish. 20 speed ST310 cummins 855. Minimum speed at idle, no load, is 1.0 mph. With the plow in the ground i can let it growl at 0.8 mph, but usually run 1.2 mph. Starting a run is hard on the clutch. What have you been pulling yours with?

[@dougstierwalt1015]

deereboy8400 I have been pulling it with a challenger 645D wheel tractor with a CVT and it’s great just looking to get a cheaper older tractor that I can work on myself that will still do the job. I just bought a PTA 325 so I guess I’ll find out ! Hydraulic pressure is the only issue I see. I see you have a hydraulic power unit.

[@deereboy8400]

Yes, hydraulic pressure on the Steiger is the reason for the power unit. Didn't want to take a chance on having the plow nose dive. The pitch speed from the power unit seems a bit slow though. Side note, we did boost the hyd pressure on the steiger a little bit with a kit from bigtractorparts.com/

[@dougstierwalt1015]

Have you checked your pressure and flow on the Steiger? I see the backhoe hooked up, did you need a pull very often? Its frustrating that there is not a easy way to make these tractors closed center 40gpm! I'm anxious to get my PTA home and try it out.

[@deereboy8400]

No, but it wouldn't lift the wings of our deere 726 mulch finisher before increasing the pressure. The guy at big tractor parts said the cam drive on cummins motors can only handle so much horsepower when it comes to upgrading hyd pumps. The Steiger needs help when i go deeper than 50" in decently dry ground like this video. If there's mud on the tires, I'm lucky to go 42" before needing help. We added 4000lbs to the front and 1400lbs to the rear. The tires are down to about 20% tread.

[@mustlovedogs272]

How much per foot do you charge for a job like that not counting the cost of the pipe?

[@deereboy8400]

I dont know what the rate is these days, we haven't done any for-hire work. It used to be around 50 cents I think.

[@acornell82]

Whats he doing at 5:34? Looks like he cuts it in two then puts a coupler on and hooks back together?

[@deereboy8400]

That roll of tile spent the winter outside. I saw a mousehole in it...hope that was the only one...

[@acornell82]

What do you guys do to cap the end of the tile at the end of a run?

[@АхмедАмраев]

Hello). How much does this machine (Soil-Max Stealth ZD) costs? I tried to find out the price in Russia, but manufacturer does not have dealer in my country(. I'm living in the very wet region of Russia and we have a big problems with water on the fields. Thank you very much.

[@deereboy8400]

www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/list/?manu=SOIL+MAX&mdltxt=GOLD+DIGGER+STEALTH+ZD

[@АхмедАмраев]

Thanks. But it sold I think. No any information(

[@jono7597]

You can do some searches online, about home built tile plows if you don’t have a dealer. There have been a few talked about on newagtalk.

[@АхмедАмраев]

Thanks. But it sold I think. No any information(

[@RJ1999x]

Real Steigers are lime green 👍

[@prakaskaga.]

Good

[@willreed1411]

Where are you pulling from on the backhoe?

[@deereboy8400]

A tiedown hole at the base of an outrigger. Less than ideal, but good enough sometimes.

[@joaocosta1980]

Why the pipe have not a geotextil cover?

[@deereboy8400]

The geotextile "sock" is not needed in our silty clay mineral soils. The tile will collapse or disentegrate before the perforations plug.

[@cree5433]

Are you running the plow from the power pack or the tractor?

[@deereboy8400]

From the power unit. The old Steiger is open center and only good for 2200 psi. The plow needs more pressure than that. Let me warn you, the Honda power unit that Soil-Max supplied with the plow does not provide enough FLOW to handle the power feeder AND grade control. That is why I'm not using the power feeder in this video. I gave up on the power feeder because I don't want to sacrifice pitch speed.

[@cree5433]

deereboy8400 we run the exact same set up behind a dozer in wet or frozen conditions. Did your feeder wheel work for a few minutes and then when the plow pitches the feeder runs away full speed and the plow pitch is super slow?

[@deereboy8400]

No the feeder speed stays constant like it should, but pitch speed is slower when using it. I can't think of a reason why your pitch valve would let the feeder run away. After 120 hours, the motor started smoking. I thought it was toast, but the air filter was just clogged with dust. Kind of hard to believe since it always seems to be muddy when we tile.

[@cree5433]

deereboy8400 we got it to work with some head scratching and a minor addition the pitch speed is good and the feeder wheel works good. You are correct though the way it comes from soil max it will not work the way they say it will.