Rebuilt Deere Cultivator One Shank Per Row

Rebuilt Deere Cultivator One Shank Per Row CULTIVATORS Cultivators (58C) 18-6-8 If you can weld and drill holes in steel, you can make this cultivator modification, says Rick Mabeus, Winfield, Iowa. He converted a Deere 875 12-row cultivator from 3 standard shanks to a single shank fitted with a 22-in. sweep. He also shortened up the shank assembly for better depth control. "It lets you nearly double field speed, cutting field time in half. The cultivator's a lot easier to use after conversion be-cause it's lighter and virtually plug-proof from residue. It doesn't ridge so speed is no concern in the field if the field is smooth enough to move at high speed. It's also much easier to control depth be-cause with just one shank, we were able to shorten up length of the mounting assembly," explains Mabeus. He removed two shanks per row and fitted the remaining shank with a single 22-in. wide sweep. The two end rows are fitted with 18-in. sweeps. He used the original Deere shanks, welding the new sweeps to them. "The wide sweeps last 2 to 3 years. If you bend or break a shank, you already have the extras that you took off during modification." The sweeps Mabeus bought cost about $16.26 for the 22-in. and $11.58 for the 18-in. ones. One added benefit of the conversion is the lighter weight of the cultivator. "It's approximately 1,200 lbs. lighter, because of the shanks removed and the fact that we no longer need the rolling shields, so it's easier to lift and control in the fields and on the road during transport. And the one large sweep virtually eliminates the ridging effect so soil doesn't wash down the the rows as much. It will go through -heavy residue and leave a lot of it uncovered on the surface because the sweeps don't move much dirt. That's the biggest benefit for me - it leaves the soil surface level with lots of trash on top. Should cut chemical costs by making it easier to cultivate." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rick Mabeus, Winfield, Iowa 61756.

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