Big tractors pulling big ploughs need big wheels, or even tracks, to apply the available power to the ground.
This, however, will often mean the wheels are too big to fit in the freshly ploughed furrow, which can cause compaction of the freshly turned soil, smearing of the furrow bottom and an increase in wheel slip.
Furrow or land – your choice
Pottinger has addressed this problem on its top of the range Servo T6000 semi-mounted reversible ploughs by enabling the latest models to be pulled from the land, eliminating the need for the wheels to run in the furrow.
This model is available in 6- to 9-furrow versions and is designed to run behind tractors of up to 500hp, which are very likely to have broad tyres or even tracks.
It can be set up for either on land or in furrow working, when conditions change, the switch between the two configurations takes just a few steps according to Pottinger.
The plough is fitted with what the company describes as a “hydraulic swing-out on-land beam link” which would normally lie alongside the main beam.
When operated, this pushes the frame of the Servo T6000 outwards so that the plough follows the tractor centrally, enabling it to be used with tractors with an outer width of up to 4m, providing plenty of space for dual wheels and crawler tracks.
Ploughs for GPS
To ensure consistent depth guidance when ploughing with the tractor on the land, an optional depth wheel provides support in front of the first plough share, to keep it at the correct working depth.
This is designed as a space-saving pivot depth wheel within the plough beam. The spool valves are so arranged that no additional connection is necessary on the tractor for the hydraulic adjustment mechanism.
Pottinger notes that driving outside the furrow while ploughing ensures a straight pull line, resulting in a more efficient power transfer from the tractor to the plough and less side pull, reducing wear on the landside.
With the tractor running on the land, satellite guidance systems may also be used as there is no longer the need to keep the wheels tight up against the the landside.
