Adjusting a Reversible Plough for an Uneven Seedbed Finish

A plough that leaves the field rough, with ridges, open furrows and uneven strips, is not doing its job well. The finish after ploughing sets the stage for the next operation, and an uneven seedbed costs time in seed drilling. Most finish problems come down to a small set of adjustments rather than a worn machine.

Check depth consistency first

The most common cause of a patchy finish is depth that varies across the pass. If the frame floats, one body cuts deep while the next runs shallow. Set the depth wheel correctly, level the frame, and confirm the plough holds its depth through the whole pass. An even depth across the width is the first requirement for an even finish.

Look at share condition on every body

Blunt or chipped shares turn the slice poorly and leave a rough furrow edge. Walk behind the plough and inspect each body's share. Replace blunt shares in matched sets across the plough, so all bodies penetrate and turn at the same rate. A single blunt body stands out as a rough strip behind the machine.

Adjust the horizontal pitch

If the plough pulls to one side or leaves a slanted furrow, the horizontal pitch of the frame is off. The top link length sets whether the plough sits square to the direction of travel. Adjust it until the plough tracks straight without pulling sideways. A plough that tracks straight turns clean furrows instead of ragged ones.

Set the furrow width overlap

Open furrows between passes mean the plough is not covering the full width of the previous cut. Overlap the tractor tracks in the next run, or adjust the plough's working width so that the outside body covers the last furrow. Correct overlap leaves no unturned strip between passes and closes the surface behind the plough.

Finish with a trial run

After the adjustments, run a short pass and walk the furrow. A cleanly inverted slice, a straight furrow wall and an even surface mean the setup is right. Note the settings that produced the good result, so that returning to this finish next season takes minutes rather than guesswork.

References

BROWN R T, DAVIES M K. Adjustment effects on ploughing finish quality[J]. Biosystems Engineering, 2021, 203: 180-188.

Brown, R. T., and M. K. Davies. "Adjustment Effects on Ploughing Finish Quality." Biosystems Engineering, vol. 203, 2021, pp. 180-188.

Brown, R. T., & Davies, M. K. (2021). Adjustment effects on ploughing finish quality. Biosystems Engineering, 203, 180-188.