Going ploughing

[easy.start]

My thoughts exactly, I too prefer the blue & white/grey colour scheme than the blue & orange
The tractor is 1955 but was fitted with a Power Major front end and wheels so perhaps it doesn't matter as it's a 'hybrid anyway

[AdrianNPMajor]

Popped over to the nine-acre field that was ploughed in August.
No sign of the concrete and dust that the old girl had to contend with in the summer.
Best, Adrian.

[mathias1]

Adrian,

Does your cross shaft of your plough rotate freely? Or is there a way to lock it?
Mine falls down in the direction of the tractor, which is a problem when transporting it :s

[blackbob]

Why is it a problem? Or can the tractor maybe not lift the plough high enough? (if so, you'l have to shorten the lift rods)

[AdrianNPMajor]

The cross shaft pivots through an arc of, at a guess, 30 degrees so as to enable the relatching of the trip mechanism. The bracket at the centre of the cross shaft rocks back and forth to allow this movement. I have been told (I'm no expert) that this bracket can become worn over time, causing the relatching mechanism to malfunction.
If I understand your question correctly, I don't think the above is the cause of the problem you are encountering.
Bob's comment is probably the area you should be looking in.
Don't know if you saw my video below. It shows what happens when lifting and lowering the plough.
Best, Adrian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsyl0IUvnJ4

[mathias1]

My liftarms are now 60cm, that's the minimum lenght. I noticed on the vid that the crossshaft has an angle of almost 90° with the liftarms. Mine is much less. It rotates to the front and is resting on a piece of iron welded on the inside of the liftarm. The piece of iron is near the balls and was used to hold the arms together with a chain. I will try to take some pictures of the plough mechanism.

Tha n ks

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hello Mathias
I'm afraid that I am going to have use one of my favourite emoticons!



Yes, a photo would help a lot.
The cross shaft central bracket rocks forwards and backwards. The spring-loaded rod attached to the top of the bracket pivots on a pin and at the other end pulls the latch mechanism into place when the cross shaft is rotated anticlockwise as the tractor moves forward. In the video I am switching the camera to my left hand as I push on the tyre lugs with my right hand to ease the tractor forwards.
None of the above could really explain what you are experiencing.
Photo would be very useful.
Best, Adrian.
ps My favourite emoticon is but there's no reason to use it in this post. [Hang on a minute, I just did! ]

[blackbob]

Yes some photos would be a great help, please, as we're a bit confused..

Things to note on Adrian's video:
- yes, at the very beginning, with the plough on the ground, the vertical brackets (with the 2 spare holes in) happen to be vertical. At this point the tractor could move backwards or forwards maybe 10cm relative to the plough, as the cross-shaft can pivot freely

- once he lifts the plough, all slack is taken up, and there is tension on the turnover rod at the back of the headstock

- after turning the plough over, the frame of the plough will be nearer the ground (athough it's difficult to see), and the brackets I mentioned above, are more angled (with their top ends towards the tractor)

- he drops the plough to the ground again, moves the tractor (but not the plough) forward, the catch at the front lifts up and hooks on to the arm, then the cross-shaft will stop rotating and the tractor will start to pull the plough.

We've watched it all happen thousands of times but it's still difficult to explain in words - I hope what I've written makes some sense!

[AdrianNPMajor]

Bob, If Mathias wouldn't mind me hijacking his thread, have you ever seen the three-point-linkage pins on this Ransomes plough mounted in the middle or top holes?
My friend has a Ransomes manual that states that the pins should be moved to the upper hole when heavy conditions are encountered, with the top link moved to lowest hole on the top yoke.
I was going to try this out, but I couldn't shift the pins, having no oxy/propane to hand.
Ever come across this?
Best, Adrian.

[blackbob]

Adrian I've never tried moving those pins - I always needed as much height as I could get, with a Leyland 344 and International 475; and even after much adjustment I couldn't get the Major to lift it high enough at all. (I don't think it was lifting to full height, I guess the old pump is tired. I have another tractor/plough so I didn't spend much time on it).
That looked like pretty tough stuff you were ploughing in your videos, and dry, and you were managing fine; I did some clay using the Leyland, to get the plough cleaned up, and it coped well even with bald tyres.

Mathias, I have the idea there is something broken or missing about the turnover mechanism of your plough - does the back of the headstock look exactly like this? Is the thin, adjustable-length rod, connected at both ends?


...and the front like this?

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hello Bob
Yes, it did manage okay, but in tramlines the plough had a tendancy to rise up out of the ground, meaning I had to stop, back up and go in again.
I was wondering if moving the pins up and the top link down would have changed the leverage so as to keep the plough in the ground under such conditions. Just guessing here.
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

If you wind in your top link a bit Adrian that should keep the points in the ground a bit better shouldn't it?? or do the contest boys keep those dirty great weights on the back of their ploughs because you can't keep them in on the linkage geometry alone ???

[Brian]

Top Hole = Heavy Draft,
Middle Hole = Medium Draft,
Bottom Hole = Light Draft.

If you use the Top Hole then drop the front wheel into the furrow before operating the turnover to avoid the plough bodies striking the ground.

You may also want to put the tractor end of the top link in the lower position and move the plough end lower.

[mathias1]

finally got some time to post.

first, my manual says the lowest position is for heavy land, highest is for light conditions.

The connection rod has been welded at some time. I did shorten it a bit, so it's now possible to "load" the plough to have a complete turn. In this "loading" position is also gets higher.

For transport on the road the manual says also:

On completion of ploughing and prior to transporting over any appreciable distance, lift the plough at the headland and rotate the bodies. This will ensure that the reversing mechanism is in the "unloaded" position thereby eliminating any possible strain. Failure to do this may cause unnecessary breakages.

This is probably how the previous owner did break the connection rod.
Anyway I would feel safer if I can get it higher on the road to manage traffic hills...

Still have some job to do:
move the rear leg to the front and the front one to the rear, as it's now in 16 in mode.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Here's the photo (sorry for the quality) showing pin/top link settings for hard and soft conditions.
Really wish I had been able to move those pins.
Best, Adrian.

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[oehrick]

Is this the same for non sensing top link tractors ? I always thought it was a compromise between total available draught on the bottom links and the forward force into the top link to push the tractor forward and down, not having used a power / super or other 'intelligent' hydraulics I've never had much of an idea of the compromise this results in where top link forward pressure results in the bottom links being lifted.

As usual, fascinating stuff

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hello Rick
I must predicate all of my comments with the warning that I have an incomplete body of knowledge on this subject. That's doublespeak for not knowing what I'm talking about!
My guess is that the repositioning of the top link and the lower link pins changes the leverage of the plough being pulled into the ground whilst maintaining draft input through the top link.
More knowledgeable people will hopefully provide a more informed explanation.
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

Ditto here Adrian,

The reason I asked is that, as I see it, the fundamental difference with the active link tractors is the loss of need for the depth wheel. so perhaps the old 'pitch the shares forward to get under the sod' adjustment of the earlier types adversely affects the action or function of the fully mounted plough on the brain controlled top link.

As you say, ask and in due course we shall learn, I love this forum

[AdrianNPMajor]

Rick, I'm surprised by the sensitivity of the Super's draft control mechanism, given that it comprises a system of springs and levers actuating the hydraulics. Brian and his colleagues ushered in a revolutionary transformation when they delivered 50+ HP tractors with such sophisticated ploughing capabilities to the farm.
I keep saying that I'm a learner, because I am, but I've done enough now to know that a tractor with depth control hydraulics changes the game. As the tractor moves along, if one reaches back and places a hand on one of the lift arms, one feels the hydraulics repeatedly lifting then lowering the plough according to the conditions encountered. A depth wheel plough set-up, whilst impressive for its stage of the evolution of ploughing, is not a technology that could compete with this.
Best, Adrian.

[oehrick]

I know forums where this would be the same as throwing a match into a room full of petrol vapour BUT IMHO a properly engineered mechanical analogue system will always beat a digital system

(If you don't hear from me again you'll know 'THEY' got me Adrian)

[AdrianNPMajor]

A few more images of last year.
Best, Adrian.

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[easy.start]

My first ploughing match with the 'new' orange wheels I decided not to go for the incorrect white wheels (mentioned above somewhere).



Finishing up the ploughing...... This photo doesn't show the incline of the field or the fact that it had been plastered with slurry ready for the maize. This made getting traction a problem towards the top, and got my lovely orange wheels mucky

[AdrianNPMajor]

Preparing to move the pins for hard conditions.
Best, Adrian.

[Brian]

That is a proper field to have for a ploughing match. None of this dead level, no trash and gardening with a spade to make it look perfect.

You may want to check your wheel settings/furrow width but all in all a good first attempt in difficult conditions.

I have spent last weekend teaching Ann to plough with Dotty and the Ransomes Robin I painted up for the East of England Vintage Tractor Show last April. Now I have lost the ploughing job and been relegated to loading and spreading muck whilst she does all the ploughing. She actually did very well in difficult conditions and Dotty and the plough performed perfectly. I kick myself when I think I had that Robin laying in the nettles since I brought it home.

[easy.start]

Thank you Brian I did attempt to set everything up in the yard and all seemed OK. Towards the top of the field where the photo was taken I had to lift the plough as I'd exhausted the Major's ability to claw its way up.
63 year old hydraulics aren't as sensitive as the 2016 T7 hence the grass visible And the sward height was 7 cm, not that I had my rising plate meter with me!
Some of the other competitors didn't even attempt to plough due to the 'conditions' so I got an awful lot of tutoring and contradictory advice, so I ploughed my own furrow with a smile on my face