Trip plow works great!

[Mahoman]

Got my trip plow working like new today! I made linkage and a new handle for the lift tire lever, put two new tires on it and powder coated one of the wheels. She cuts a furrow like brand new in FOURTH gear behind my H, I wonder if it has fire crater pistons in it? I can’t believe that I didn’t even break one bolt. I wonder what the iron blend is that IH used. I’ll add pictures if it’ll let me.

~Hayden

[Mahoman]

Here they are

[MiCarl]

Glad you're happy, it's hard to beat the job a trip plow will do.

I think though that plow should do better than your fourth picture shows. It should be able to roll the soil over so very little to none of the grass should be visible. I suspect you need to make some adjustments. It appears you're plowing pretty shallow, the furrow depth should be about half the width. That might make 4th gear unachievable.

Here's a picture taken from my Cub at a plow day. The furrow ahead of my tractor was done by an H with a 2-14 trip plow.

The soil there is sandy loam so yours probably won't lay down that flat, but you should be able to turn the grass under just about as well.

[Eugene]

Not sure what your 4th picture shows. Appears you are just randomly plowing, no adjacent furrows.

H, 2nd gear should be about right, sometimes 1st. 3rd and 4th are typically way to fast and most of the time the H sized tractors could not pull the plows.

Glad the plow works. I have a 2 bottom trip plow. Just need to show the son how to plow. So far he has busted up, destroyed, two plows trying to turn corners with the plow in the ground.

[Mahoman]

It was my test area and I ran outta room, I have clay and that was a hayfield with tall grass but I think I’ll widen the rear tires I think it’s too close the the next row

[ajhbike]

Good for you...it takes a while and some experimenting. Am wondering why the trip rope goes up to the left adjustment handle rather than straight to the trip...and I am hoping the rope isn't that strong and/or it isn't tied tight to the tractor.

[MiCarl]

It was my test area and I ran outta room, I have clay and that was a hayfield with tall grass but I think I’ll widen the rear tires I think it’s too close the the next row

You don't need to widen the tires. You can shift the plow left and right by changing how the plow's hitch attaches to that crosswise bar with all the holes in it. You want to adjust the plow so the right lower corner of the right share lines up with the inside sidewall of the right tractor tire. Then when you drive with the right tire in the previous furrow the plow cuts the next furrow right against it.

Don't be tempted to cheat by moving the clevis along the draw bar. That pull from the plow will try to steer the tractor and you'll end up fighting it. For that matter, I wonder if it might be better not to use the swinging draw bar with the plow. Someone who knows more about that might weigh in.

[Mahoman]

It was my test area and I ran outta room, I have clay and that was a hayfield with tall grass but I think I’ll widen the rear tires I think it’s too close the the next row

You don't need to widen the tires. You can shift the plow left and right by changing how the plow's hitch attaches to that crosswise bar with all the holes in it. You want to adjust the plow so the right lower corner of the right share lines up with the inside sidewall of the right tractor tire. Then when you drive with the right tire in the previous furrow the plow cuts the next furrow right against it.

Don't be tempted to cheat by moving the clevis along the draw bar. That pull from the plow will try to steer the tractor and you'll end up fighting it. For that matter, I wonder if it might be better not to use the swinging draw bar with the plow. Someone who knows more about that might weigh in.

Ok thanks for the advice, I can’t use the normal drawbar because it’s too thick for the shackle, I would have to grind the shackle a lot to get it on

[Mahoman]

Good for you...it takes a while and some experimenting. Am wondering why the trip rope goes up to the left adjustment handle rather than straight to the trip...and I am hoping the rope isn't that strong and/or it isn't tied tight to the tractor.

I had it up the handle because it find it easier to find without looking backwards, as for the string I have broken it by hand so it’s no issue, I’m going to make a hook and get some better rope. I have torn up behind the apple tree in the picture and to the right of where that picture was taken, all practice and making adjustments I’m dialing it in. But I’ve almost ran out of room.

[Mahoman]

Whoops there isn’t the apple tree in the picture but just to the right of the edge is an apple tree and a fair bit of land behind it I reckon I plowed up a 1/3 acre

[MiCarl]

It was my test area and I ran outta room, I have clay and that was a hayfield with tall grass but I think I’ll widen the rear tires I think it’s too close the the next row

You don't need to widen the tires. You can shift the plow left and right by changing how the plow's hitch attaches to that crosswise bar with all the holes in it. You want to adjust the plow so the right lower corner of the right share lines up with the inside sidewall of the right tractor tire. Then when you drive with the right tire in the previous furrow the plow cuts the next furrow right against it.

Don't be tempted to cheat by moving the clevis along the draw bar. That pull from the plow will try to steer the tractor and you'll end up fighting it. For that matter, I wonder if it might be better not to use the swinging draw bar with the plow. Someone who knows more about that might weigh in.

Ok thanks for the advice, I can’t use the normal drawbar because it’s too thick for the shackle, I would have to grind the shackle a lot to get it on

They do make clevises (or is it clevi?) that are wide enough for the H drawbar, I have one. I don't know that the swinging drawbar is a problem though.....

[ajhbike]

Sounds logical. Have fun fine tuning. Eventhough I wasn't dialed in the first time I used my old JD plows, it was a blast.

[Mahoman]

They do make clevises (or is it clevi?) that are wide enough for the H drawbar, I have one. I don't know that the swinging drawbar is a problem though.....

My swinging drawbar has two bolts either side of it that keep it from moving more than an inch

[Mahoman]

Sounds logical. Have fun fine tuning. Eventhough I wasn't dialed in the first time I used my old JD plows, it was a blast.

Yeah I just need to find some more room or wait for the plowed up area to regrow again

[ShakerPrairie]

Hayden from what I can see in your pictures you need to adjust the coulters.
If you look around the internet long enough you will find a good bit of info on setting up a plow.

Here are two old publications that are online:
Farmers Bulletin No. 1690. Plowing With Moldboard Plows.
This is a USDA publication.

Tractor Plowing At It's Best.
This was from IH.

BTW that's a good looking plow.
Have fun.