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ATV disc

Old 10-26-2019, 04:53 PM
  #1  
Spike
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Default ATV disc

I've been looking around lately for an atv disc; I'm wondering what peoples opinions are on the best one?
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Old 10-27-2019, 07:24 AM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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after 20+ yrs of doing ATV food plots and having tried a few dozen ATV designed disc's
I would need to know some info, before maybe suggesting anything!
, like what size ATV do you have?
what type of ground do you have( is it rocky, sandy, been planted/plowed recently, or is it long time left alone, grown in?)
how much land you plan to plant?

tell us some better info, and you will get some better suggestions!
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Old 10-27-2019, 04:22 PM
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Spike
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I can choose between a Polaris 500 or a Kawasaki Mule. Each plot is an acre or smaller and they’ve all been planted in brassicas for 2 years. I never was able to till it before just sprayed and burned it all. I live in central Iowa so the ground is pretty good dirt, I would just like to get it broken up a little.
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Old 10-27-2019, 04:40 PM
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OK what I would recommend in an ATV disc will be one that has slotted disc(larger the disc the better)
you want one that has adjustable cut, you want one that weights at least 300+ lbs, , weight will be your friend,as long as you DON"T go too wide
I would stick with disc that are under 48 inches wide
as after you get wider than that your really taxing your ATV/UTV

sine your planning to do acre sized plots, MY better advice is, SAVE up and BUY an OLDER tractor, and save your atv/utv a LOT of wear and tear,, if you look about , you can find them pretty darn cheap, and even find cheap 8 ft drag behind discs even cheaper, and get 3 times the world done in half the time, and NOT killing your atv!
smaller tractors like the older international model H's, up to about 340's
Fords, 8N's and likes,
these cn a be from the 1950's and up, and there proven to be reliable simple CHEAP things to work on and keep going, way over build tractors from back in the days when the average owner was far from educated and able to work on them, and they were built to LAST< not throw away things like modern era, and more parts available than you can ever need!

a GOOD tractor and disc can be had for about a grand, if you look about!
and be one of the BEST investments you will make in the food plot game!
something to think about
yes an ATV/UTV can do plots, but its VERY hard on them,
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Old 10-27-2019, 04:59 PM
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I've found it difficult to get enough weight on an atv disk to work the ground properly. But this will depend on your dirt.

Do like mrbb said and find an old 8 or 9n. I see them, often with attachments, going for $1,500 all the time.

You can do allot of work with a small tractor and the right implements.

-Jake
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Old 10-28-2019, 06:38 AM
  #6  
Spike
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Thanks guys, I really appreciate the info. I’ll start keeping an eye on Facebook marketplace for a tractor.
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Old 10-28-2019, 03:35 PM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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some times the best place to find a tractor is auctions, older smaller farms and estates going to auction, so family's can close things out
I seen countless tractors go real cheap at a LOT of auctions over the past few yrs< heck I even sold two of mine at them LOL(lostr my a$$ on both, due to rain and poor turn outs)
that or older tractor forums and sites
or even long time farmer CO op's and ag stores(like Agway ans such that deal with farmers all the time)
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Old 10-28-2019, 03:41 PM
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have you ever looked at ZIP Auction, web site, enter your zip code, and what your looking for and how far away fro YOUR zip code, in my area it works very well to find a lot of local auctions and estate closures
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Old 10-28-2019, 05:39 PM
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Spike
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I’ll have to give that a try.
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Old 10-29-2019, 03:52 AM
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A tractor and your own equipment is ideal. However, if you're like me and a tractor just doesn't work, you might consider a few options.

First, get a good chain drag like https://www.ruralking.com/tarter-atv...RoC-zgQAvD_BwE. On a bare plot that's received a good rain in the last 2-3 days, it'll rough up soil well enough for clover and other small seeds. Turn it over to smooth soil and make a decent seed bed. This is all I had for a few years and found it worked ok for clover. It won't be enough for seeds needing deeper planting like grain.

An ATV disc harrow is a huge improvement over chain drag. Four of us went in together and bought this:https://www.ruralking.com/king-kutte...RoC0RwQAvD_BwE. Again, plot should be moist and free of live or dead vegetation. We found the disc alone would only cut 2-3" so we welded a steel tray to frame and added cinder blocks. We now get 3-4" deep. It does put quite a strain on tow vehicle and I wouldn't use anything under 600 cc's to pull.

Lastly, try to find someone who'll come to your plots and disc them with their equipment. I advertised on Craigslist, stating what I needed and the land to be plowed. Found a great guy who charges me $60 an hour and does a good job. Takes him about 2-3 hours but it's money well spent.
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