Back to my Fast hitch plow question.

I have 6 acres to plow up the next weekend. Going to try and plant some alfalfa.

You're going to plant alfalfa on plowed ground?

Never heard of that one; if you are going to plant a nurse crop such as oats, they just don't do well on plowed ground.

Or, perhaps you are going to make a couple of passes with a packer?

My view,

Allan

At any rate, those pieces are available used. You will just have to email or call a bunch of salvage yards or dealers.

The geomentry of that setup is critical. The location of the hole where the front of the cylinder attaches needs to be perfect in three dimensions. If it isn't right, the linkage will go overcenter and lock up.

The diameter of cylinder (2.5") should not be ignored either. It will give you quicker response and prevent stress on the moving parts as well as the rear frame casting. A standard 3.5" cylinder might not even fit.

The bracket is made of 1" x 2" flat bar and has 2 90* and 2 45* bends. There is also a high strength weld. I would not try to fabricate one unless I had an original to copy. Even then I might wind up making several before I got one that was right.

If you don't want to go to the expense of doing it right with IH parts, you should consider using something like a 1" turnbuckle or threaded rod and attach the non-moving end to something solid on the hitch or tractor. The draft control would now be adjustable. As you are only pulling two plows you shouldn't need to change the adjustment.

Were you ever in the military? I have a good story for ex military men. A retired career military man bought a house near my farm. He then bought a Farmall SC and a very worn 2x14 trailer plow. Man did that guy ever make a mess of his back 40. What most novice farmers can't understand is plowing is precission work. The plow is a very complex implement, and must be adjusted exactly. Back to my neighbor, after three years of digging holes he offered me the ground free of charge if I could once again get it smooth. I decided to plow it, he had holes 2 feet deep. As I was leaving that evening he and the missus were sitting on the patio and invited ne in for a beer. I said to the missus," You are familiar with the bible story of the smithy beating plow shares into swords and back to plow shares after the battle." She was quite familiar with the bible story. I said," You know when the smithy beats these swords back into plow shares, I've come to the conclusion it shouldn't be given back to a military man." She laughed heartily, he thought I was only marginally funny.

If you want to do good plowing, you must have precise settings. If you don't do good plowing your soil will get so rough you will need a seat belt in 2nd gear on 400. You may think you have it smooth at planting time, but like potholes in a gravel road the plowing holes will return.

We ran our 400 with our 2pt pinned..... ....Never had a problem. We also don't let our hitch float, and often use the down pressure plowing Alfalfa..... ....Works good for us. As long as you manually control your depth it works pretty good. I still prefer trailer plows though.

Happy plowing!

With some experience you'll really enjoy moldboarding! I know I do!

We had a fast hich plow for 130 back in the 50s but main plowing machine in those days was a No. 8 Little Genius 2x14 on W4, then H and later 300. Later moved to No.60 3x16 and a 4x16 used behind 300 and 560D respectively. My dad was a 100% dyed in the wool trailer plow man. I purchased a second farm from a guy who was just as strong on trailer plows as my dad. To these guys a new 3x16 mounted plow was little more than scrap metal.

In 1975 shortly after buying my new 1066, I really didn't need a plow as I had 5 plows. 2x12 fast hitch for 130, No.8 - 2x14, No.60 - 3x16 and 2 No.60 - 4x16. IH dealer talked me into trying a No. 510 - 5x16 semi-mount. When they delivered it the 1066 was at other farm, I advised him to take it there as he needed a tractor to take plow off trailer. I told him to leave it hitched to 1066 and leave manual in cab of tractor. Both my dad and the neighbor knew it was there, and knew I had 300+ acres to plow that fall and they knew which 300 acres it was. Those two old guys fell in love with the semi-mount plow. Of the 300 acres I got to plow 5 acres one afternoon. They told me they had both plowed for 40 years in cold Nov. weather, and they weren't giving up what may be one of the last kicks at the can, that being plowing in the comfort of a cab. They advised I should have lots of years left to plow with this semi-mount and the cab. I have to agree, until semi- mounts came along with modern lower link sencing hitches, nothing could match those old trailer plows. My opinion has never changed on that one over the years. Two bottom mounted plow on a little tractor, greatest machine around for plowing a garden. Mounted plows larger than that have never changed, still scrap metal.