Will 6-speed Craftsman GT pull moldboard plow?

Jay Ray,

Your tractor should have no problem pulling the plow. as for the Plowing, if it's a moldboard plow, you dont need weight. The angle of the plow will make it pull into the ground, and level off. ( with a 3 point, you can adjust the top link to increase or decrease the plows digging ability), I'm not familiar with sleeve hitch plows, but I'm gonna guess that there's an adjustment up top, to set the plow correctly.


this video was a big help to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTxr9j-0geI

Jay Ray,
You should be OK with the chains. I aint no expert, I just broke ground for the first time this spring myself. I used a 68 Suburban 12 with 8 inch moldboard. Kill all the grass in the area first. Then go slow and be patient. Getting the plow setup correctly is the hardest part so take you time and expeirement until you get it right.

The only thing that will make you pull your hair out is tree roots. These little tractors dont have enough to break through the big ones. So back up, Raise the plow a little and just go over it.

D-Dogg,

I'll bet the turfs were the problem. You really need AG tires to pull, since the turfs aren't made to dig in.

Chains are a good second option, but the tires make the biggest difference.

Dave

Stripmine, after I switched to my Tru-Powers and loaded them with liquid and the 50lb wheel weight, I had no issues. This fall I might try to plow without the weights just to see.

I do think jay ray will need either Ags or chains and some extra weight.

I think a lot of people miss the point on HP. If your wheels spin, you have plenty of HP, just not enough traction.

JGANDEE said:

I plowed 3 gardens this spring with a craftsman and mold board. chains are the key, wheel weights would be nice but not a requirement. here are some pics.
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=78887

Click to expand...

That's pretty country you have there. Your Craftsman did a nice job with the Brinly. It can be done for sure.

yes it can. my mid '90's model Craftsman GT 6 speed with a 12.5HP briggs pulled a 12" brinly plow no problem. yes, i would occassionally hang up on the extra hard concrete, i mean clay, we have here but even so i would just spin the loaded ags when i did. if it would not bog down the 12.5, then the 26 should do fine.

if the chains do not give you the proper traction, then maybe just till it this year and plow it come fall. 3000 sq ft is only a 30x100 bed. not a breeze, but not a killer either with the tiller.

Big horse power isn't the key to plowing....traction and having the plow set right is. You need to have wheel weight(s), fluid in your ag tires or both if want to plow where I live. All of the soil in the links looks like it is a sandy type soil. This is the type of soil I have:

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to go to a plow day that has sandy soil:

This tractor is a 10 horse power IH Cub Cadet pulling a 10 inch wide Brinly plow. The tires have fluid in them. Tractor has only 5 hours on it sice it was restored. Notice how the soil breaks up when turned over. I have 3 graden tractors set up for moldboard plowing. They weigh 750 to 1100 pounds without a driver on them.

I would think twice if your garden tractor has an aluminum rear housing and belt between the motor and trans. I've followed too many garden tractors plowing that have belt drive and smelled belts smoking.

Ted in the youtube link is a joke. He doesn't know how to set a plow. When the plow is set right the tail of the plow should look like this:


The tail should be ridding on the bottom and the against the side of the furrow wall. The top link does not set the plow depth if done right. The plow in the youtube needs a coulter to make a decent furrow wall. That tractor should be able to pull a 3 bottom plow in that soil.

D-Dogg said:

When I lived down there Jay_Ray, digging was easy as the fire ants did a real good job of keeping the soil aerated.
:sidelaugh

Click to expand...

Yup. Step on something soft, jump away quick and then find out what it is, expecially in tall grass. Fire ant nest more often than not. Saw a guy who didn't jump away a couple months ago and he was dancing like somebody was shooting at his feet.:sidelaugh

Gave him some Dr. Tichnor's to help cool the stings.