Alignment Points when Assembling a Reversible Plough Body

Assembling a plough body looks straightforward: bolt the share, mouldboard and frog to the bracket. But a body assembled out of alignment works against itself, pulling the plough sideways and wearing parts unevenly. Whether a body is being rebuilt after repair or a new bracket is being fitted, a few alignment checks ensure the whole unit cuts true.

Start with the bracket on the beam

The body bracket must sit squarely on the plough beam before any body parts go on. A twisted bracket tilts the whole body, and every later part follows that angle. Check the bracket face is flat against the beam, and that the mounting bolts are torqued evenly. A bracket that sits at a lean gives the plough a permanent pull to one side.

Set the frog and share line

The frog is the base to which the share and mouldboard bolt. Fit the share first and check that its point lines up with the centre line of the body. A share offset to one side makes the plough cut a slanted furrow. Check the joint between share and mouldboard sits in a smooth plane, with no step that soil can catch on.

Confirm the mouldboard angle

The mouldboard is what turns the furrow slice. Its angle relative to the share sets how cleanly the slice inverts. A mouldboard set too steep drags; one set too shallow leaves the slice flat. Compare the assembled body against the other bodies on the plough: they should all sit at the same angle. Mark the position so future refits match.

Check the whole body sits level

Once assembled, sight along the body from the side. The share point, the mouldboard wing and the frog should present the profile the maker intended. Measure the furrow width the body is set to cut, and compare it with the neighbouring body. Bodies that are even with each other turn evenly; a mismatched body stands out in the finish of the field.

Test before full work

After assembly, run a trial furrow and watch the slice turn. Clean inversion, a straight furrow wall and no side pull mean the alignment is correct. If the plough wanders or the furrow edge is ragged, re-open the bracket and re-check the angle. A well-aligned body works quietly, pulls straight and wears evenly through the season.

References

BROWN R T, DAVIES M K. Alignment effects on reversible plough body performance[J]. Biosystems Engineering, 2019, 184: 210-218.

Brown, R. T., and M. K. Davies. "Alignment Effects on Reversible Plough Body Performance." Biosystems Engineering, vol. 184, 2019, pp. 210-218.

Brown, R. T., & Davies, M. K. (2019). Alignment effects on reversible plough body performance. Biosystems Engineering, 184, 210-218.