Plough for FSM/PM?

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RH
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Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by RH »

Evening Gents,

Long ago and far away I used to plough using a Fordson Major, (1954) and a PM3 plough with Epic bodies.
Now here in Western Canada I have a FSM in good running order, and a PM I am working on.
I Really would like to do some ploughing again with these tractors, and certainly have the land for it.
So, What ploughs are available over here that can do a decent job?
I have a 5-furrow oliver that does a very nice job, but it uses hydraulics to lift, (trailed plough) and is a bit much for a FSM I think!
Would prefer a 3-point plough.
Ironically, I did once see a Ransomes 3-point plough advertised for sale, but this was before I had a Fordson major again.
Something to bear in mind, is that the Fordsons over here have wider 30" tyres, not the old 12-36" so that rules out 10" furrows pretty well.

I look at the Ransomes ploughs still available back home, and want one so badly I can taste it!

Any help most appreciated!
Richard.

Brian
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by Brian »

I do not know of many 3 point ploughs that would allow you to plough in the furrow with those large tyres apart from a Ransomes TSR107 which is a high clearance, two furrow reversible which takes a 14" as standard.

The Oliver sounds an ideal plough for ploughing "on land" and will help you improve your driving skills :run:

Seriously though, fully weighted and ploughing on land that would be an awesome combination.
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RH
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by RH »

Yes, run away after that comment!

I used to plough with a JD 4010 or a JD 3130 with the Oliver, but even with them, it was the tail wagging the dog on our heavy land!
Setting up was the hardest, as it would pull the tractor enough to put a bend in the rig!
Now I put it on a Landini 105 and the problem is cured. Nice perky Perkins in that one.

I do have a smaller Oliver, but with short digger mouldboards, & 4 -furrow. I should look at it & see if it would take the longer semi-digger type.

You Could send me a Ransomes for Christmas if you like, I'm sure if you did that I could scrounge up some wheels and tyres to put it on 12 -36"!

BearCreek Majors
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by BearCreek Majors »

The Oliver/White plows were known in this area as one of the best, if you look closely at a lot of the bigger Ford plows you will notice they look identical.... because Ford was getting them from Oliver/White.
I have good luck with the Kverneland plows, not sure of the availability up by you though.

Pat

RH
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by RH »

Pat,

I don't know of any distributer for Kverneland ploughs up this way, but have always admired them at ploughing matches.
Nice to know that about Oliver /White ploughs! Did not know they made them for Ford. They do do a nice job, but would like one where I could alter the width when working.

Brian,
I may have mislead you re. the tire size;
re-reading what I wrote it sounds like the tyres are 30" wide! What I meant was wider tyres, on 30" rims. (Actually 16.9 -30")

Brian
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by Brian »

I had realised that Richard, I have been out to set many ploughs that were leaving a "drainage ditch" between each bout of furrows, all due to a 14"-16" tyre running in the furrow. Some of the later ploughs will adjust to cut over 16" but not in the days of the Super. Most of the ones we sold were on 12.4/11-36.
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58vintage
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by 58vintage »

Call me a nutter, but could you not use the frame spacers on a ts59 to open her up to 14 inches? In sure I read that in my ransomes FR mounted ploughs manual. So surely you could do the same with a PM plough which wasn't much more than an early TS59.
Last edited by 58vintage on Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

58vintage
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by 58vintage »

Call me a nutter, but could you not use the frame spacers on a ts59 to open her up to 14 inches? In sure I read that in my ransomes FR mounted ploughs manual.

Brian
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by Brian »

No, you cannot use spacers on the PM plough as the beams go right to the frogs. TS59 spacers went where the leg joined the frame or you moved the legs to the other sides of the frame.
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58vintage
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by 58vintage »

Ahh ok.

Was the frame of the PM3 B physically bigger than the PM3 A to get the wider furrow widths?

Brian
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by Brian »

Image

There is not a lot you can do to widen the furrow width. I have seen a 4 furrow version and a number of 3 furrow ones but the width of cut was always the same at 12".

The next model was the EPJ which did have more adjustment but was only built for a short time. They sell for a lot of money, I have seen one go for around £1200.00.
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Re: Plough for FSM/PM?

Post by SkidRoe »

We used to pull a 3-16" Kverneland with our SM, back in the day, with 16.9-30 tires. Worked fine, and is somewhat period with the tractor.

Since that time, we have got into match plowing in a big way. You have to have narrow tires for that. Our E27N is set up on 11.2-36's for vintage mounted, and for the modern class, we have adapted a set of 12.4-36's on the rear of our 4610 4x4, in place of the stock 16.9-30's. I think that they came off of a modern large CIH, where they were the front wheels. They work well with the 11.2-24's on the front.

We are currently gathering the parts to set up our recently acquired Power Major for match plowing, also currently on 16.9-30's. The local tractor wrecker just happened to have a NPM with 12.4-38's ripe for the picking. Yes, I know, the FPM would have had 36" rims originally, but beggars can't be choosers.

Bottom line is what kind of plowing do you want to do? If it is just recreational and you don't care as much about the quality, go for something with at least a 14" bottom. But if you want to get serious, plowing 10-11" furrows, you will need a set of narrower rear tires on adjustable rims.

HTH - SR
Fordsons: 22 F, 36 N, 50 E27N, 60 FPM Past: 60 Dexta, 61 SM
Fords: 78 6700 Turbo, 81 TW30, 89 4610 4x4 w/ Frey ldr, 96 7740 SLE 4x4 Past: 72 4000 w/ Allied 660 ldr, 75 5200, 76 9600
Others: MH 30 & 44, Oliver Super 55, Bobcat 440b & 773

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