Ploughing guidelines with a MG5 and TS42A

[leakyrabbit]

Well it’s been along time coming and has caused many moments of indecision but I have finally decided to take my MG5 and TS42A to a ploughing match. The Anzani is upset over this but you have to try these things.

I have never used a trailer plough, let alone a crawler before and so would welcome any guidelines anyone can give me including any possible settings or things to look out for.

[chris]

In the absence of any other replies, I will offer my very limited knowledge,
First give the Anzani a dose of calpol to quieten it down.
The trailer plough should run roughly horizontal across the plough frame and lengthwise.
The rear little wheel only carries the plough when the plough is raised , depth is determined by the land and furrow wheels and the pitch of the shear point the plough body, probably similar to the walk behinds.
The plough drawbar should be adjusted to be horizontal when in work, ie a straight pull without exerting lift or pressure on the plough. The sideways adjustment is a mystery to me !
The tractor drawbar setting seems controversial, some run a fixed position , some let it swing and some restrict the swing.
The rest is practice practice practice.
No doubt this will raise comments from others, who will have other ideas, fair enough!

[davidbliss]

My grand father had a MG 6 with two furrow Ransomes plough, discs and harrow, he ran on top and not letting a track drop in the furrow if he did often ran the track off, you need right conditions and kind land, fixed swinging drawbars is a no no with crawlers as the plough will steer the tractor it must pull from amidships under the tractor, fixed if you turn left the drawbar goes to the right, not a problem with a light plough but with something heavy it will over time wreck the ploughs frame especially the ploughs drawbar, I like to see all pins and pivots tight, theres nothing more satisfying not having to steer much especially with only brakes as steering pulls down available pulling power unlike steering clutches. we had one of the first 1941 Cat D7 7M agri version open flywheel and clutch first ones ever with hydraulic assisted steering clutches, so easy to use, and the last of the Hexatracks that were strengthened and heavier and on our heavy soil light ploughs use to wander and do all sorts of horrible things to make a mess, but with weight you just pull the lever and go. Utube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DbWxZsRH_Y

[andyfrost]

That D7 is absolutely beautiful , a contractor in our village ran a fleet of Cats , I spent endless hours just watching him grubbing out trees in the 1960s , no track machine comes even close to a purring Cat.

Andy.

[wristpin]

Nothing like the sound of an old Cat lugged down from its 800 rpm rated speed !

[davidbliss]

They got it right with the long working life with the old Cats, they just made them very simple and strong, if you have one apart and throw all parts in a heap theres not that many parts, yes they got worn and loose but kept going, the first time got into the bowls of an International TD 18 thought how nice they were built like a Swiss watch with supper well supported shafts, lovely smooth six cylinder engine, but they took many more hours to do same job and were back in with same failures, Cat D 7s ran double reduction back ends so steering clutches and gears forward of them were lightly stressed.
We haven’t moved forward, friends lawn mower wouldn’t start, got a circuit control board with LEDs so voltage controls and all that goes to work other parts WHY? with a bit of corrosion its dead, when just an ignition, deck and two safety switches that it had anyway that will last and work without the made to fail parts added.

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