Plowing thick sod

If you make these changes mark where it was to start. These are somethings I would try.

Just recalling what remember reading and a few ideas I got from members here. SO here are a few ideas. Next question is how worn are your points on your shares.

Not sure but make sure not over beamed, turn the beam crank as to make it shorter needs a few turns to make one inch (four bottoms where about 5-7 turns to one inch).  This would bring the points down and the make the back of the moldboards higher, which should make it turn over at a higher angle. Plow will enter faster so watch the depth. Makes the plow nose in too hard if you go too much. Maybe 5 turns see if it helps.

 Next I would Try Adjusting the Links. First check to that the L.H. link is at around 15 1/2 inch and the R.H. link about 14 inches (furrow side). Make these changes only about 5 total turns and try, so if you turn one side 3 and one side 2 try it, then make more changes. This will change the pitch of the plow your trying to pitch it to the right (furrow side)  just a little, that in turn should make it throw the furrow more.

If you make these changes mark where it was to start.

Now after a pass if it works try to reset the plows, now that you have a tire furrow.

I have ask allot of people over the years and they say AC plows are all good plows.
So I think you should be able to set them.

Last if still not plowing the shares need replace, or need 12" on 14" , or 14" on 16"

I only have manuals here for the 70 - 80 series plow, they were in the truck.  I'll try to look at the 50-60 series later today see if I can come up with anything else to try.

As they told me they can be set don't give up.

I ended up plowing with full duals on a d19 and doing a good job of it. Some of it was a hill of 20-25 % yes that is 25' of rise in 100' of travel on a rolling hill, yes throwing it up hill.

Be Safe !! 

As I suspected your biggest problem is the rear land side. It takes a long land side to hold the rear of the plow from pushing away from the turning sod. When removing the third bottom from a three bottom plow it is very important that you switch the center bottom with the one you take off to keep the long land side and its hardware. Allis was not just trying to sell steel when they designed the plow with this very long land side.

Dick L wrote: As I suspected your biggest problem is the rear land side. It takes a long land side to hold the rear of the plow from pushing away from the turning sod. When removing the third bottom from a three bottom plow it is very important that you switch the center bottom with the one you take off to keep the long land side and its hardware. Allis was not just trying to sell steel when they designed the plow with this very long land side.

weld or bolt some old leaf springs to the plow. same thing happend to me wth a vac case 2btm

MBWisc  I plant whatever.   You have to disk it and disk , did I say disk it.  Any way we plant right into the ground that way, have to feed it good, also doesn't hurt to lime. Plant right into a good seed bed. 

Edited by Teddy (punchie) - 04 Jun 2011 at 2:58pm

Even John Deere knew that the rear most bottoms had to have a long land side to roll the furrow over. On this old plow the tail wheel also acts as an extention of the land side. It will be hard to plow corn stocks or bean stubbles without a long rear land side and do a good job of rolling the furrow over. The pressure of the dirt pushing on the mold board will push the back of the plow away from its job of turning dirt over.

One thing my Allis 2 bottom simply cannot do is turn corn stubble. It will plug in the first 20'. Just got the Oliver so haven't tried it there yet.

wkpoor wrote: One thing my Allis 2 bottom simply cannot do is turn corn stubble. It will plug in the first 20'. Just got the Oliver so haven't tried it there yet.

I always run over the stocks with a disc set light or used a rotary cutter to shred them up.  Hard to plow heavy corn stocks down without plugging some if they are left as they were came thru the picker/sheller head. Disc to deep and the colters will push some of the corn stocks down in the loose dirt and still plug up.

Something that may help a little is to set the coulters about one half to three quarters of an inch to the left of the shin and where they can cut as deep as you can go without plugging them. This will help break the furrow slice loose a bit better and will maybe help it to start the roll better. Often times in old sod the best you can do is to stand the furrow slice on edge. By the time you get done you may not have much hair  or patience left, but will be able to say "I did it!" Next year it will plow much better!

Most plow books call for the coulter a half inch to the left of the shin.

Gerald J.

We spent a bunch of time one day playing with coulter adjustments and every conceivable plow adjustment and then gave up on corn stalks. I should have tried discing them first. However the fodder was so thick I doubt it would have made a difference. Only guy who did any good was a Farmall Cub single bottom. Even the Allis B with one bottom was plugging.


Edited by wkpoor - 05 Jun 2011 at 10:40am

modern corn is the reason for high clearance plows

Actually in some areas farmers do plow to dry out swamps and warm up cold ground faster. There are new plows still being made. And even no tillers occasionally plow the edge of a field to kill off weeds and encroaching forest. Also quite likely standard prepartion for growing root crops like beets and potatoes, along with parsnips and turnips and truck garden crops rotating tomatoes with sweet corn.

Gerald J.

Have you watch the price of plows. 8-10 years ago scrap price.  2-3 bottoms where worth
more then 4-5 6, etc bottoms.  I seen a number of 5 -6 bottoms that looked good go for scrap, or cut by people I known for scrap. This spring I seen a few 5-6 bottoms sell in good shape for in the  2000 - 4000 range.

I like turning the soil nothing better then plowing the right way and mixing up the soil if you do it right like a huge composting pile after awhile.  Not that every place should be plow and left open. One's using covering crops, plowing green crop, stovers (sp) are a couple of good reasons.  I seen a number of fields in my area that are no tilled and they are a mess do to wash.  I try to plow up hill and make like little dams to catch the run off, I have never had a field wash with a huge ditch do to normal run off.  In fact I check my fields for any wash I don't like to see it.