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M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch?

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eshoreboy

04-18-2007 17:34:24

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Just wondering if an M could handle a 3 bottom 16 inch plows fine. I dont want to mess any thnig up.
Thanks

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john d

04-20-2007 06:25:05

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

Depends on soil, on plow condition, and the condition of your M.

Here in central Indiana, a stock M will handle 3-14 in 2nd and 3rd gears. One that's been tinkered with a little bit and has the overbore/high-compression pistons will put out roughly 50hp, and play with a 3-14 plow. We plowed for several years with an M and a 4-14 Moline plow. I have a 3-16 plow now and the M pulls it in 3rd easily in most places.

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Naw

04-20-2007 03:07:19

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

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georgeky

04-19-2007 11:17:33

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

eshoreboy, as is plain to see there are a lot of opinions. They are all right for the most part. Different types of soil will dictate how many and how big a plow can be pulled by any tractor. I have a 3x14 number 8 little genius plow that I pull with my Ms. Early in the year it will handle them in 2nd and 3rd gear almost anywhere. Later in the season as grass and or cover crop begins to strecth its roots and ground becomes drier and tougher the plow becomes harder to pull. I have seen ground here in central Ky that gets so tough an M will barely handle 2x14s. I once seen a 2510 JD pulling 5x16s in bean stubble in southeast Nebraska along the Little Blue River, and doing a good job. The 2510 here in Ky will barely pull 3x14s early in the season, I have plowed with one. So I think unless you have a lot of ground to plow the 2x16 will be a better choice for you.

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ed1

04-19-2007 10:01:10

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

In a word "NO" I think the formula is a little over 1 drawbar hp per inch of plow for the smaller plows and greater for the bigger ones.

2 x 16" is about perfect. 3 X 12" will also work and the 3 x 16" will work in light soil or if you dont put the plow all the way down.

I guess with enough weight and in first gear.

You'll be putting a lot of strain on the M that it wasn't designed for.

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dej(jed)

04-19-2007 09:37:22

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

Here in western, Pa an M can't handle a 3 x 16 plow set at 8 inches in sod, especially pulling an IH plow. They mighht handle an oliver or a deere plow though in 1 st gear.

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John M

04-18-2007 18:25:25

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

All 3 of my Ms will do it.Ones just got the overbore flat tops, one has the "poptop" pistons with 4" bore, but the one that pulls the best is my Dads M with 3 7/8" bore. Why I dont know, but it does pull the 3 bottom the best, or at least it did until I restored and retired it.

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Don L C

04-18-2007 18:02:02

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

Depends on the type of soil.....the Farmall M was built to pull 3 - 14" plow...2nd.and 3rd. gear,8" deep.....

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IH Kid

04-18-2007 18:08:45

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Don L C, 04-18-2007 18:02:02

You are correct about the type of soil you plow. Where i plow its clay. The M that I own can pull 3-16" but the motor is bored out 125 over and has m&w pistons. ALso you might also have to adjust your rims out farther depending on how far they are in, so the tires will work properly in the furrow.

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IH Kid

04-18-2007 17:57:40

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

Since you said the M is in good condition you should be able to pull the plow in 3rd gear. Do you have a plow chief? My e-mail is tractorboy46350@comcast.net we can talk more bout tractors that way.

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eshoreboy

04-18-2007 17:42:06

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

the M is in good shape and its got some compression, the plows are IH

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IH Kid

04-18-2007 17:38:24

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to eshoreboy, 04-18-2007 17:34:24

That M should be able to pull 3 16's without a problem. Is the M in good condition? Also what brand of plow are you using?

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tom43

04-18-2007 19:59:33

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to IH Kid, 04-18-2007 17:38:24

Unless you have mellow sandy, soil a two bottom plow is all an M will handle.

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Hugh MacKay

04-19-2007 02:37:27

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to tom43, 04-18-2007 19:59:33

tom; You best give your M a tune up. An M will pull 3x16 in just about any conditions, as long as it's properly weighted for traction. Now, you may have to plow some soils in 2nd gear, however an M plowing with 3x16 in 2nd gear will plow more acres per day than an M pulling 2x16 in 3rd gear.

There is nothing wrong with plowing in 2nd gear, it will reduce your cost of wear parts per acre, by about 40%. I plowed for years in sandy loam with Farmall 300 pulling 3x16, 8"deep, then later a 656 pulling 5x16 same depth. I'm plowing heavy clay these days with 2x12 behind a Farmall 140.

I fully realize some of you folks like to plow up in 3rd or 4th gear. I guess that is acceptable if making money is not the objective of farming. Personally I like to make money.

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Don LC

04-19-2007 20:49:46

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Hugh MacKay, 04-19-2007 02:37:27

Tom --- there is something wrong with your M .....mine is pulling 3-14s in 2 and 3rd gear..... my H will pull 2-14's in 2-3rd gear.....

adjust the valves and give your M a good careful tuneup..... check the adjustment on your 3 bottom plow....

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Hugh MacKay

04-20-2007 03:03:21

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Don LC, 04-19-2007 20:49:46

Don: If you read the rest of the thread, seems like a lot of folks can't pull 3 bottoms with their M. Most places I've encountered with ground that hard, the plow wouldn't even go in the ground, even with new points.

My opinion, there must be a lot of poor running Ms and just as poorly adjusted plows. A poorly adjusted plow can take a tractor down quite quickly. I've seen some mean clays in my day, but nothing that would take an M to 2 bottoms. These guys are either trying to plow in 4th, or plowing up the county roads.

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billonthefarm

04-20-2007 05:42:17

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Hugh MacKay, 04-20-2007 03:03:21

Well Hugh, those places do exist. In my area there is alot of gumbo. In the fall a 720 or 730 diesel will have a decent load pulling 3-14 8 inches deep in second gear. I have seen the super M's with 3-14 have to run in low and then struggle. When we used to moldboard everything a 1066 and a 5-16 plow was a good match in low 3rd sometimes in t/a. And I will tell you something else, if you have conditions like this you will know how to set a plow and properly weight and tune your tractor or it just will not work. Back when IH was getting ready to introduce the auto reset plows they brought one up from the Canton plant into our area to try it out. Just going across the field the draft would overcome the springs and the bottoms would reset. They were quite suprised. Ground like this will humble the best of tractor and plowman! bill

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Hugh MacKay

04-23-2007 16:56:30

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to billonthefarm, 04-20-2007 05:42:17

Bill: If it's that hard to plow, give it back to the indians and the buffalo.

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Glenn FitzGerald

04-19-2007 05:12:28

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Hugh MacKay, 04-19-2007 02:37:27

Bring your tuned up M to Green Bay, WI. I'd like to see it pull 3-16's! That M'll fill its pants! I've lived in this area all my life (nearly 50 years) and never seen a 3 bottom plow behind an M.

Glenn

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chadd

04-19-2007 09:42:17

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 04-19-2007 05:12:28

Yeah, My grandfather bought two M's and a W6 to pull a 3-16 and two 3-14's (one of the 14's pulled easier than the other). The W6 was relegated to the easiest pulling 3-14, the M that pulled the harder pulling 3-14 got oversized pistons the next year, and the M pulling the 3-16 got oversized and domed M&W's. There is no way a stock 656 would pull a 5-16's in SE Wisconsin. The farmer down the road from us pulls a 5-16's with his 2096 that has been turned up and our 966 gets used on a 3-16's (it could pull 4, but a three is all we have for now, and it has high speed bottoms on it anyway.)

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BOBM25

04-19-2007 09:05:23

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 04-19-2007 05:12:28

Or bring it to my little area of NW Ohio. That 3-16's will stop her dead in her tracks. If you got a sweet running bored out M, you MIGHT get by with a 3-14 in 2nd gear. We run a 3-12 behind our M with a new engine (M&W pistons) and a I got a 3-14 fast hitch for the SMDTA. 'Round here most everybody has a 125-150 hp 2wd tractor like a 1086 IH or a 4440 Deere and a 5-16 semi mounted plow to go with it. Someguys go faster than others, but everybody knows that's just how it works. You fellers a couple states over to west just remember us when you hook the same plow to your 560.

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JayWalt

04-19-2007 13:33:33

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to BOBM25, 04-19-2007 09:05:23

hey bob, where u at in NW ohio?
I'm in fostoria, and this ground is really tough!!

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BOBM25

04-20-2007 08:59:07

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to JayWalt, 04-19-2007 13:33:33

Ottawa, its not real, real bad here, but western Putnam county is ugly!

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dhermesc

04-19-2007 05:21:56

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 04-19-2007 05:12:28

I would have to agree. In NE Kansas the soil and hills will give an M pulling a 3-16 more then it can handle.

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IndianaRed

04-19-2007 06:15:51

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to dhermesc, 04-19-2007 05:21:56

I don"t know. My Grandad has been farming in the Kansas Flint Hills, Chase county, all his life. He pulled 2 16"s with his H, and 3 16"s with his M. I"m not a farmer, just want to be, but was bitten by the Red bug about two years ago and have been talking to him about it a lot. They"ve got a 706 and an 826 they use daily, but the M, SH, and H still get worked occaisonlly. I thought the M was marketed as a 3 bottom?

Funny side story. He went to buy that Super H about 30 years ago from a guy for I don"t know how much. But there was an M sitting there and the guy wanted to get rid of it, told Grandad he could take it with the SH just to get it out of there. That M has never needed anything, and starts right up and runs great still. Uncled baled 2 cuttings with it last summer when the 826 went down. Best damned tractors ever made.

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dhermesc

04-19-2007 07:20:37

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to IndianaRed, 04-19-2007 06:15:51

Chase County is a long ways from NE Kansas. Down there of the hills are grass and soil is sandy in the bottems. Go to Nemaha County or Atchison County, a majority is silty clay loam mixtures. Hillsides with 3-6 terraces are not uncommon. Pulling a 3-16 plow with most of your weight on one rear tire will were your brakes out in a day.

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IndianaRed

04-19-2007 07:33:47

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to dhermesc, 04-19-2007 07:20:37

Well, like I said, I'm no farmer. I thought they have pretty heavy soil there, but don't know how much of what. Can see what you mean about side hill plowing though. But wasn't the M supposed to be, and marketed as, a 3 bottom? Thought that's what I had read.

Grandad says they just keep getting more rain down there. Drove through last week, all the way to CO, lots of bad wheat out west, and Grandad's alfalfa doesn't look good either.

Best of luck!

Brian

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dhermesc

04-19-2007 08:38:43

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to IndianaRed, 04-19-2007 07:33:47

Big differance between a 3-14 and a 3-16 plow. Especially when you plow like you mean it.

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IndianaRed

04-19-2007 06:17:38

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Re: M pulling 3 bottom 16 inch? in reply to IndianaRed, 04-19-2007 06:15:51

Still don't know why all my apostrophies look like quotes??? ''"""

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