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Driftless SW Wisconsin | Going into wheat stubble as you describe with a JD 7100 mounted planter I would go with unit mounted Trashwheels only. Make sure your double disk openers are in good shape = set to come together for about 1.5-2" at the ground entry point. The biggest problem with a 7100 no tilling into wheat stubble is weight and down pressure. Check the closing wheel tailpiece bushings are tight enough you can not move a tailpiece more than 1/4" or so side to side - in the wheat stubble the original will wear quickly I suggest you replace the tailpiece or bushings with any of a number of kits on the market. Think about adding at least one Curvetine per row to get the slot closed in the no till without massive amounts of pressure back there.
On all row units, adding closing wheel spring pressure takes away pressure from the main row unit and increases the total amount of row unit down pressure needed.
If this is a planter you plan on keeping for a few years I would strongly recommend our Dawn model 1751 Powerlink kit. This is a much stronger lower parallel link, current JD style heavier bushings and a 4-spring down pressure kit. This is a very economical setuo at about $120. per row list and really strengthens the row unit. You have to remember this planter is probably well over 30 years old and designed for worked ground. This system will work very nicely in worked ground also - you will just need to use the screw adjustment to raise the Trashwheels a bit and probably reduce the spring down pressure.
Being a light mounted planter there is the issue of total frame weight when the planter is on the ground. You will likely need to add at least 100 lb per row of deadweight to the frame for your wheat ground. I suggest buying a 75-100 gal plastic tank and mounting it to the frame near the center. Then you can fill it with water when in wheat ground and drain it out when you go to worked ground. The springs in our 1751 kit add about 180 lb per row with the links level x 6 or 8 row units even this moderate amount may lighten the frame enough so your meter drive wheels slip at times resulting in erratic population. You need to make sure there is enough frame weight no tilling in wheat stubble no matter whose attachments you put on. jmho.
Good luck,
Jim at Dawn | |
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