What size Offset Disc can I pull with my tractor?

Dec 05, 2023    Posted by Stewart Knight

One question we are often asked is what size offset disc can I pull with my tractor. When it comes to Hp requirements for an offset disc there are a few factors to consider and all these factors play a part in selecting the right offset disc for your cultivation.

• Size of the disc plates
• Weight of the machine
• Speed of travel
• Desired working depth
• Soil conditions (sandy, clay, stony etc)

Size of the disc plates

Disc plate size is an important factor when purchasing a new offset disc, not only will this affect the working depth of your disc, but it also affects the Hp required. Larger disc plates mean more surface area in contact with the soil at any given point so in turn more horsepower. However, go too small with the disc plates in the wrong conditions and they will not roll over obstacles like sticks and rocks etc causing excessive drag and therefore more horsepower.

Weight of the machine

The weight of the Offset Disc is another factor that comes into play with horsepower requirements. For example, a Delmade 1150 Series, 24 plate unit weighs over 6 tons due to its heavy robust frame with 32”x 3/8-disc plates. Whereas a Delmade 650 Series 24 plate is not quite one and a half tons in weight because the machine is designed for different operating conditions and is specified with 24-inch disc plates and a much lighter frame. So, when looking at two 24 plate Offset Discs you can see that the horsepower requirement is going to be significantly affected by the weight. We would recommend 60-80 Hp for a 650 24 plate Offset Disc and 240+ Hp for an 1150 24 plate unit.

Speed of travel

Speed of travel is also important when considering horsepower requirements. For example, a 24 plate 750 Delmade Offset Disc in typical operating conditions will usually require 90-100 Hp when operating at roughly 6 kph however if that operating speed were to increase to say 8-9 kph then the Hp requirement would increase by up to 25% even though the depth or soil conditions are unchanged. This is due to the fact a lot more soil is now passing through the machine which creates drag. 

Working Depth

Working depth has a major impact on horsepower requirement, the deeper the disc plate is in the soil the closer the centre point of the disc plate is to the soil surface. Therefore drag on the tractor is increased as the main cutting point of the disc plate has moved further around towards the front of the disc plate. In turn, the disc plate is now essentially being pushed deeper into the soil as opposed to operating at a shallow depth where the cutting point of the disc plate is lower and further away from the centre of the disc plate. This allows it to roll more freely thus reducing the horsepower requirement.    

Soil conditions 

Hard clay-based soils create more friction and drag on disc plates. Loamy sandy soils that are more free flowing will make the Offset Disc easier to pull.

As a general rule on most Offset Discs roughly 3-4 horsepower per disc plate is appropriate. However, if you are looking at a heavy-duty machine operating in harsh punishing conditions for example ex forestry, stoney or steep conditions this will go up to roughly 10 horsepower per disc plate.

Hopefully, this has given you an overview of the principal factors you need to consider when looking at what size Offset Disc your tractor can pull. Any queries simply reach out to the Delmade team, we are very happy to answer questions you may have. Phone 1800 335 623.

We are committed to answering your questions. If you can't locate the answer to your question click here to submit your question to our team and this will be answered in an article published on our learning centre!

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