Disking 101

T-Nason · Dec 23, 2021

Alright gentlemen,
Please educate me in using a disk. I dug our old 12 John Deere we use to use on the 4020 back in the day. Whats the correct way to use one? I have grass in a few bean stubble fields and Im a bit curious about seeing if it would be the ticket

showcrop · Dec 23, 2021

I don't claim to be an expert as I have used only maybe five different ones, and have probably not pulled one more than twenty days total in my life. A JD 12 appears to be a sort of middle of the range type of disk. While an offset disk will dig into all manner of sod and weeds and brush, a finishing disc doesn't do much cutting, mainly breaking up already broken sod and weeds etc. Yours will probably do best on already broken ground.

Tx Jim · Dec 23, 2021

Can you please post a photo of your JD disk? Normally disk frame needs to be level front to rear in order to keep soil as level as possible.

BarnyardEngineering · Dec 23, 2021

Drive forward.

Seriously, disc harrows are pretty basic, very simple to operate. That's usually the job given to complete rookies at plow days.

If it's a transport disc (wheels an a hydraulic cylinder), you lower it all the way down and go. Drag discs (no wheels) are even simpler, just go.

Only thing with transport discs is going around corners is hard on them. Best to lift the disc when turning on the headlands. Long sweeping curves are not an issue.

T-Nason · Dec 23, 2021

Ive heard some folks say they cause ridges in fields? How would I
avoid that?

Roger Tomfohrde · Dec 23, 2021

Keep the speed down, make sure it is level, and don't make sharp turns with it all the way down are the biggest reasons for ridges

Loosehandle · Dec 23, 2021

Ridged discs seem to inclined to make ridges more especially if the back gangs aren't doing much.

ss55 · Dec 23, 2021

Are you asking if your disk will work to kill grass in stubble fields? It will depend on the type of grass. Some grasses spread through rhizomes roots. Cutting up the rhizome roots and burying them shallow could create many more little grass plants and make your grass problem worse. Running a sweep style field cultivator when the grass is small and the ground is dry might lift the plants out the soil where the sun can dry them out and kill the plants.

L.C. · Dec 23, 2021

To add a little to the comments below: don't back up with the disk in the dirt; they're designed to be pulled, not pushed.

Second point is to be careful how tight you turn with a pull-type disk so that the plow doesn't get into the tires.

The disk does need to be adjusted so that the back gangs pull as much dirt in as the front gangs push out. If the back is too low, it will bed, making a ridge. The front gangs can trench if lower than the front; two passes will make a ridge at the edge. This is adjusted with the top link on a lift-type disk but is also affected by how low the lift arms are set.

If it's not covering well, try a little more speed if the ground is smooth enough to not bounce you too much.

Centerplate · Dec 23, 2021

(quoted from post at 10:27:40 12/23/21) Alright gentlemen,
Please educate me in using a disk. I dug our old 12 John Deere we use to use on the 4020 back in the day. Whats the correct way to use one? I have grass in a few bean stubble fields and Im a bit curious about seeing if it would be the ticket

The front and rear gangs need to be set at the same angle.

fixerupper · Dec 23, 2021

If the disk is all you have available then go for it. Like the other guys said more speed will cause more ridging. A 4020 can pull a 12 foot disk pretty fast unless it is a heavy plowing disk. Some brands of disks will ridge no matter what you do.

If you have a field cultivator with full sweeps on the shanks it will do a better job on the grass and won't ridge like a disk. Pulling a field cultivator in bean stubble in the fall will wear down the sweeps in a hurry and it's possible fall bean stubble won't go through the field cultivator if it is an older low clearance model or if the combine had a good straw chopper or not. A field cultivator will also leave more trash on top to help hold the soil from erosion.

sotxbill · Dec 23, 2021

first pass, the front digs in and the back raises up, so you run a longer top link to level it. Second pass or later, the back will then drop down, so you shorten the top link to pull it back up level. Most discs are not good at breaking... no turning with the disc in the ground. seems to work for me.

VicS · Dec 23, 2021

Opinions are like belly buttons. But here goes JD discs from that time are (junk) not worth your time to mess with. John Deere made a lot of good tools but not a disk. If want to do a decent level job. Find a 7 spacing 370 470 International bearings are available and reasonable. Disks work reasonably well if all blades are as close to 20 as possible. There should be a cultivator shank in the middle. And smaller covering blades on the rear. 5 mph max. Might get by with 6.

SVcummins · Dec 24, 2021

Whist model of disk is it ? A disk does a good job killing grass and weeds and doesnt spread weeds all across the field like a cultivator died

Disking 101

T-Nason

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showcrop

Well-known Member

Tx Jim

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BarnyardEngineering

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T-Nason

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Roger Tomfohrde

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Loosehandle

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ss55

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L.C.

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Centerplate

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fixerupper

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sotxbill

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VicS

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SVcummins

Well-known Member

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