Hydro or Gear drive for Plowing

DeltaCub · #1 10-11-2016, 09:51 PM

I recently attended my first plow day in western Ohio. I met with Merk and others and had a great deal of fun. Merk was kind enough to show and allow me to plow with his "stock" 149. Starting next spring I want to attend some plow day events. As many of you know, I have a Cub House full of Quietlines and a few Wide frames. My question is what transmission pulls better...gear or hydro? If I use one of my hydros...I will update the dump valves, trunions/linkage and replace the pressure relief spring. Don't worry I will not shim it to increase the the pressure. I have all the necessary hitches, ag tires and weights. If I use a gear drive unit....it will probably be an old 128 that will have an updated clutch and drive line.

olds45512 · #2 10-11-2016, 09:59 PM

i plowed with both and they both did great, i actually like the hydro a bit better since i had more control over ground speed. my 108 was to fast in second gear and i kept having to stop when following slower tractors and first gear was way to slow, the 1211 did great with the plow on it and the hydraulic lift was really nice.

J-Mech · #3 10-11-2016, 10:13 PM

Both will pull a plow. I prefer gear drive, as I like to let out of the clutch and go. You can control ground speed with throttle. With the hydro, there is enough load that you are always fiddling with it.

Beth, if you want to plow with a hydro, there is no need to do all that "replacing". The valves people refer to as "dump" valves are one way check valves for the charge side. They are not pressure relief valves. If they aren't leaking, they likely aren't bad. Charge pump pressure can be checked and shimmed if it isn't correct. Spring replacement is unnecessary. Also, you wouldn't be happy buying that spring. It comes as a kit, and IIRC, it was over $200. You can increase pressure. It's the same pump as the SGT tractors use, and they run higher pressure. Won't gain you anything..... but you could do it.

One advantage of a hydro machine is that many of the ones you have also have hydraulic lift... which is nice.

danfeste · #4 10-11-2016, 10:16 PM

I plow with a 100 and a 782. They both have their pros and cons. 782 hydraulic lift is very nice, also no shifting or clutching. Cons to 782 is holding a even ground speed with changes in the soil hardness, and setting the depth. Pros of the 100 are even consistent ground speed, and setting the depth was easier with the manual lift because you could find the notch on the handle that works best and easily go deeper or shallow with the lift handle setting. Adjustment for depth on the 782 is all done in the brinly adapter because of the built in float. Cons of 100 are lifting plow, shifting, clutching/ braking.

J-Mech · #5 10-11-2016, 10:24 PM

Here. I thought of this after I made my post.

This is me plowing my garden on two different years. One year with my 1811. Another year with my 1050. Obvious differences are that one machine is an 18hp twin cylinder hydro, the other is a worn out Mag 10 single with a gear drive. Same weights, same operator, same soil, same plow, same style tractor.... different tires, different trans and different engines. The 1811 had a set of 6.50 all terrrains from a 71, and the 1050 had 10.50 lugs. Note that the 1811 had no issue with the smaller tires. I like that when I was using the 1050 I had the hands available to hold on because I chiseled the garden that fall and it was beating me to death plowing. Only comparison I'd like to do that I think would be more fair than this one is with like a 124 and a 125. That way the ONLY difference would be that one was gear and one was hydro.

1811:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM-_mnJmUKo

1050:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjoprqwTkrI

J-Mech · #6 10-11-2016, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danfeste

I plow with a 100 and a 782. They both have their pros and cons. 782 hydraulic lift is very nice, also no shifting or clutching. Cons to 782 is holding a even ground speed with changes in the soil hardness, and setting the depth. Pros of the 100 are even consistent ground speed, and setting the depth was easier with the manual lift because you could find the notch on the handle that works best and easily go deeper or shallow with the lift handle setting. Adjustment for depth on the 782 is all done in the brinly adapter because of the built in float. Cons of 100 are lifting plow, shifting, clutching/ braking.

Plow depth should be set by the plow, not the hitch. If the plow goes deeper on it's own, then it is set wrong. In both vids I posted, plow was "floating" as it should, yet maintained an even depth.

DeltaCub · #7 10-11-2016, 10:39 PM

Thanks Jonathan for the YouTube links...Both tractors pulled nicely but as you said the hydraulic lift is very nice to use.

danfeste · #8 10-11-2016, 10:40 PM

In order to get the hydraulic lift dropped down to the exact same spot everytime it needs to be all the way down, and then the plowing depth is adjusted by moving the lift straps up or down, and the position of the adapter in the lower sleeve hitch u bracket. The plow can then float up if it hits something. It can't go any deeper by itself because its already all the way down.

J-Mech · #9 10-11-2016, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaCub

Thanks Jonathan for the YouTube links...Both tractors pulled nicely but as you said the hydraulic lift is very nice to use.

I do agree there!!

The 1050 has a spring assist, so it's not bad. Key is not to stop when you pull the plow out of the ground with either lift. If you stop, with the manual lift, you can't pull it out. With the hydro lift, it gets rough on the adapter.

DeltaCub · #10 10-11-2016, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Plow depth should be set by the plow, not the hitch. If the plow goes deeper on it's own, then it is set wrong. In both vids I posted, plow was "floating" as it should, yet maintained an even depth.

I have a"yuuuuge" learning curve with setting depth via plow adjustments. Should be fun!