[dfarms11]

We purchased a new to us FC 5000 TBH 3450 with NH3 tank behind. Our canola emergence in the tire tracks is not great. I have a few neighbours with the same setup but they don't seem to have any issues with emergence that I can see from the road. I'm assuming its a compaction issue. Has anyone else had to address this and what was the solution? The NH3 tank is a 2000 gal single tank with spaced floatation tires. Only one set of tires overlaps the air cart tires. Or could it be nothing to do with compaction but a problem with seed placement and packing?

 

[SouthernSK]

Do you have shims between the trip and the drill frame to make the shanks that go behind the tractor tires go deeper? They should be at least 3/8 thick.

 

[dfarms11]

I don't know. I'll have to go look. Is that typical to be on all drills?

 

[Duchek]

We used to have the same problem when we were seeding with a 8800 cultivator with knives and packers, along with a 7300 Morris and a 2000 gallon NH3 tank behind that. The canola would simply not come up in all those wheel tracks. In the end we had to modify the wagon that the NH3 tank was on. We made the back axle wider so those tires were not running on the same dirt as the other cart tires. It helped quite a bit but was not perfect.

When we built our wagon for our twin tanks, we got all the wheels spaced out and now all the tires on both carts run in their own separate path. A couple of them do overlap each other just on the sides by a couple inches but it doesn't effect the canola coming up anymore.

 

[Tablemountainman]

I think possibly just to wet to be perfect. i dont think it matters what color drill you are pulling, the soil condition is the issue.

 

[northernfarmer]

shanks need to be shimmed.. we ran a 5000 for years and always had issues with canola.. went to a 5710 and most of the issues disappeared.. I think it was the spring tension on the shanks.. the 5000's were pulling back and the 5710's were holding steady.

had issues with canola in the NH3 cart's tracks this year(too wet). others with the same setup didn't.. So I'm looking at changing packer wheels on the Morris contour to a round or V packer from the flat ones I have..

 

[bussard]

Run a 5000fc for many years, and found the answer to be tow between, and like others have said, that's a tow behind issue more than anything

Canola behind a tow between is always more even

 

[drylandfarmer]

Put in the shims as mentioned. The shanks behind the tractor tracks will not be as deep and I have seen where the seed to soil contact is not as good there.

 

[mustard]

We put shims on our old FC drill and worked great but didn't need them on new FC drill as we have triples on tractor versus dual on old one. I've always thought tow behind had far less compaction issues than tow between

 

[dfarms11]

We put shims on our old FC drill and worked great but didn't need them on new FC drill as we have triples on tractor versus dual on old one. I've always thought tow behind had far less compaction issues than tow between

That pretty much confirms its the tractor and not the carts because the poor emergence is the full width of tractor tire tracks not that of the carts. I havn't had a chance to check the drill yet but I bet it does not have these shims.

 

[SouthernSK]

With shims our canola emerges just as good or sometimes better in heavy residue behind the tractor.

 

[dfarms11]

No I do not have any shims. Looks like I have a job to do. Is it as simple as loosening the 2 nuts and slide it in or do you need a longer bolt as well?

 

[lazyfarmer]

The shim should go between where the shank is bolted on to the trip. Should be able to take just the shank off with one nut and the u bolt. The shims came in different widths should be available at your FC dealer.

 

[SouthernSK]

The shim has to have a 3/4 inch hole drilled in it for the large bolt that holds the shank on. I have a set of 1/2 inch shims that I would sell you. They also put a 1/4 inch plate under the shank and 2 longer side bolts. I am not sure what the bottom plate does. I think the complete kit from the dealer was around $75 per shank which is a lot.

 

[dfarms11]

The shim has to have a 3/4 inch hole drilled in it for the large bolt that holds the shank on. I have a set of 1/2 inch shims that I would sell you. They also put a 1/4 inch plate under the shank and 2 longer side bolts. I am not sure what the bottom plate does. I think the complete kit from the dealer was around $75 per shank which is a lot.

PM me what you want for them and where you are located. It sounds like they could easily be fabricated for less than $75

 

[normmm]

We should have a new set of these for a flexicoil 5000 45' let me know if u interested in the. Came with drill.