Rebuilt Tractor For Ridges

Rebuilt tractor for ridges TILLAGE EUIPMENT Ridge-Till 16-4-3 "It lets me run my 16-row planter and cultivator up front for better control on ridges," says Barry Eppley, Wabash, Ind., who gave his Allis-Chalmers 8070 tractor a "nose job" by buying a "Pushmobile" conversion kit from Jerry Bulmahn, of Decatur, Ind. First featured in FARM SHOW six years ago (Vol. 10, No. 3), the conversion kit consists of a bolt-on tool carrier that moves the tractor's front wheels and axles forward 15 ft. A 12 by 12-in. steel toolbar carries the planter or cultivator. Eppley uses a 16-row Buffalo cultivator and a 16-row Orthman toolbar equipped with Case-IH air planter units. "The front tractor wheels directly control the implement, making it much easier to stay on top of ridges," says Eppley. "I had been using 16-row Buffalo planter units mounted on a Kinze toolbar. However, the planter was wearing out and I had problems holding it on top of the ridge. The Orthman toolbar has three 2-in. Rawson fluted coul¡ters mounted at the front of the planter, one on each side of the row and one between and ahead of fin. One coulter is positioned a few inchek ahead of the other. The coulters till a strip 9 in. wide through otherwise undisturbed residue without removing soil. "Another advantage to using the Case-IH row units is that I can use the planter on conventionally tilled ground without any adjustments. Converting the Buffalo planter to work in conventional tillage was a time consuming job." The Pushmobile is easier to keep on ridges because it puts most of the weight on the elongated front axle. "It's very difficult to keep the implement on ridges when weight is at the rear, especially on sloping ground," says Eppley, noting that it also takes less power to push a planter or cultivator than it does to pull it." The Pushmobile tool carrier articulates in front of the radiator. Articulation of the vertical pivoting hinge is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder operated manually from the driver's seat to assist in turning, and to help ride the ridges on slopes. Eppley pulls a 1,000-gal. spray tank behind the tractor. He uses the tank to apply herbicides while planting or cultivating soy-beans. Eppley says the tractor can be converted back to conventional use in only 2 or 3 hours. "Just remove 10 bolts, move the front axle and wheels back to their original posi¡tion, and the tractor is free for other work." The Pushmobile conversion kit sells for $12,000 to $14,000, depending on the model. Fits any tractor except Deere models with radiator fixed to front axle. For more information, contact FARM SHOW Followup, Jerry Bulmahn, Rt. 8, Box 173, Decatur, Ind. 46733 (ph 219 547-4470).

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