Trash Wheels Made Out Of Press Wheels

1992 - Volume #16, Issue #6, Page #06

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"They work just as good as commercial trash wheels but cost far less," says Steve Groff, Holtwood, Penn., who welded steel spikes around the perimeter of old press wheels to come up with inexpensive, single wheel "row cleaners" for his 4-row New Idea planter.
The "row cleaners" mount on lengths of angle iron that bolt onto the planter's fertilizer knife mounting bracket. The fertilizer coulter, which is mounted 2 1/ 2 in. to the side of the row, cuts through the trash and the offset "row cleaners" follow behind to sweep debris away.
"They till and clear a 4-in. wide path ahead of each planter opener and self-clean as they work," says Groff. "They do a good job in corn and an almost perfect job in soybeans. The spikes are spaced far enough apart so they don't catch old corn cobs. Only one trash wheel is needed because the fertilizer coulter cuts the trash. All the trash wheel has to do is peel it away.
"I bought the New Idea planter in 1987 equipped with conventional press wheels. I converted them to trash wheels two years ago when I decided to switch to no till and put new cast iron no-till press wheels on back. If I ever want to plant conventionally again I can remove the row cleaners by simply removing one bolt from each angle iron bracket. My only cost was for scrap iron and for bolts to make the spikes. It took about one day to to make four row cleaners."
Groff first took the 1-in. rubber strip off from around each wheel and then drilled holes every 1 1/2 in. around the wheel perimeter, welding 1 3/4-in. long, 5/16-in. dia. bolts into each hole.
He moved the fertilizer coulters for-ward about 2 in. to make room for the row cleaners. The angle iron bracket, which is bent upward slightly at the back, pivots up and down on a single mounting bolt. Nuts welded to the side of the fertilizer knife bracket serve as "stops" to keep the row cleaners from dropping down too low (when the planter is out of the ground) or raising up too high when in operation.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steve Groff, 679 Hilldale Road, Holtwood, Penn. 17532 (ph 717 284-5152).

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Trash wheels made out of press wheels PLANTERS Planters 16-6-6 "They work just as good as commercial trash wheels but cost far less," says Steve Groff, Holtwood, Penn., who welded steel spikes around the perimeter of old press wheels to come up with inexpensive, single wheel "row cleaners" for his 4-row New Idea planter. The "row cleaners" mount on lengths of angle iron that bolt onto the planter's fertilizer knife mounting bracket. The fertilizer coulter, which is mounted 2 1/ 2 in. to the side of the row, cuts through the trash and the offset "row cleaners" follow behind to sweep debris away. "They till and clear a 4-in. wide path ahead of each planter opener and self-clean as they work," says Groff. "They do a good job in corn and an almost perfect job in soybeans. The spikes are spaced far enough apart so they don't catch old corn cobs. Only one trash wheel is needed because the fertilizer coulter cuts the trash. All the trash wheel has to do is peel it away. "I bought the New Idea planter in 1987 equipped with conventional press wheels. I converted them to trash wheels two years ago when I decided to switch to no till and put new cast iron no-till press wheels on back. If I ever want to plant conventionally again I can remove the row cleaners by simply removing one bolt from each angle iron bracket. My only cost was for scrap iron and for bolts to make the spikes. It took about one day to to make four row cleaners." Groff first took the 1-in. rubber strip off from around each wheel and then drilled holes every 1 1/2 in. around the wheel perimeter, welding 1 3/4-in. long, 5/16-in. dia. bolts into each hole. He moved the fertilizer coulters for-ward about 2 in. to make room for the row cleaners. The angle iron bracket, which is bent upward slightly at the back, pivots up and down on a single mounting bolt. Nuts welded to the side of the fertilizer knife bracket serve as "stops" to keep the row cleaners from dropping down too low (when the planter is out of the ground) or raising up too high when in operation. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steve Groff, 679 Hilldale Road, Holtwood, Penn. 17532 (ph 717 284-5152).

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