Ripping with a JD 4430

How big of a ripper should I look for? Single shank? I know nothing about ripping but have some ground that needs it. Where and how should I rip? Anything you guys can tell me about ripping, when and how to do it would be great! Thanks

Definitely not more than 3 shank. 140 hp 4450 and three shank is too much in my ground.

Your tractor will handle a 3 shank V ripper. If you have sloaping ground, follow the contour, so you don't cause a washout gully situation.
If flat ground just go over it all one time , without overlapping. Your objective is to shatter the compacted subsoil, to permit moisture and root migration not bring up, and mix in unfertile sub soil with your topsoil.
Loren, the Acg.

I agree with Johnwayne, 3 will be plenty unless you want to drive in low or 2nd gear.
I have 3 low spots(water holes) on my sandy, hill farm. Normally, you could plant them 5 out of 10 years, lucky to harvest 2 out of 10. I wanted to rip them as deep as I could. Local consignment auction had a OLD!!! 9 shank V-Ripper on it. I left a bid of $300 with the auctioneer, I got it for $280. It was so heavy, it made my 1850 with weights, fluid and front weights squirrelly driveing it home. I cut 2 shanks off each end, making it a 5 shank, then I took 2 off and used 3, one in the middle and one behind each tire. My 1850 has a turbo, never dyno'd it, supposed to be 120 HP. I lowered the lift arms until I could just pick it up high enough to turn. Went across all the water holes just as deep as I could get it in the ground.I stuck a yardstick behind a shank and was running 21" to 23" deep. Went over it 2 times in a crisscross pattern. Couldn't go very fast, once in a while it would hit a hard spot and pick the front on the tractor 4' off the ground. Several times I had to stop and back up to get the front end to come down. We had some good spring rains after that year that would have drowned out the crops, but it has dried right up. Had a crop on it every year since I did it. Need to hit it again next fall. Chris

Some of you guys have some deep soil. Plenty of the ground that I have turned over has had only about 8 inches of top soil.

In my neck of the woods in NWIA I used to pull a 5 shank Deere 910 ripper 10" deep with a 1086 running 150 HP at a shy 5 MPH but in my view it was brutal on the tractor. In the low heavy ground I'd be down to 3 MPH or even less. The 1086 was still a 135 horse tractor and that's what it was built for. I'd think a 4430 would be about the same. Today I pull that same ripper with a stock (I think) 4650 and it's a lot better match. It'll do 5.5-6 mPH in tough black ground at 12" deep and the tractor is stable as a rock. I've only had the front end up twice with only a medium sized rock box for front end weight.

Not saying you shouldn't pull 5 shanks with a 4430 but a ripper like mine is unforgiving and I just don't think a 135 horse tractor is generally built tough enough to take it in the long run. The harder the ground, the deeper that ripper wants to suck in. If the two 11Lx15 gauge wheels aren't pumped up to 45 psi they squish too much and the ripper will suck down more than you want it to. The lighter the ship you have in front of that anchor, the harder time you'll have controlling it. Jim

We run a three shank with a 4620 Deere with duals and it is plenty sometimes to much.We did snap a shank off in an old alfalfa field.Pulled easy after that.

I pull 3 shank with 120 horse fwa. That is to much most of the time. Going 13 inches deep.

130hp at my place; 3shank; I wouldn't want anymore. in good ground it pulls great but in tuff ground; it's a load plus!

I was always told 40-50 hp per shank was a general rule of thumb.

Late response but pretty much agree with the others. Would easily handle a three shank but might be able to pull a four. I run a five shank on 170 hp, 12-13 inches deep and 4-4.5 mph. Can't go any faster and occasionally would be a good idea to drop it a gear and only go 3.5 mph. But the really tough areas are reasonably short so just let it lug and hope nothing breaks.

Don't run too slow either, there probably is a decal on the tractor, our 4440 has it that says something to the effect of sustained heavy pull loads at speeds of less than 3 mph will damage the drivetrain.