Tillage tools

Jan 1, 2002 12:00 PM, by Wayne Wenzel

If there's ever a book called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Tillage Implements, it will need a chapter dedicated to the latest generation of multitasking tillage tools from Case IH. Either one of these all-in-one rippers could replace a whole yard full of tools, and save a ton of time.

Mulch-till ripper

The five-shank or seven-shank MRX690 is a mulch-till ripper that breaks up compaction, manages residue and levels in one pass. Front disc gangs are set at a shallow 18° angle to produce less streaking and enhance uniform mixing of residue. A parabolic shank assembly uses either 2-in. straight points or optional 5- or 7-in. “tiger” points to fracture up to 60% of the compaction zone. The rear disc gang is set at 16° to coordinate with the front gang to create a smooth, evenly mulched finish. At 12½ ft. with five shanks or 17½ ft. with seven shanks, the MRX690 requires 10 to 20 drawbar horsepower per foot of operating width. Prices: five-shank ripper, $17,300 to $18,500; seven shank, $24,300 to $29,500.

Rip-strip tillage

The 2500 Rip-strip combines the advantages of deep tillage and no-till. Case says this allows residue retention while reducing problems such as compaction or cold, wet seedbeds. The implement includes heavy-duty “berm build'rs” that catch loose soil and fill grooves left by the shanks. Row conditioning flat bar baskets reduce clod size and fluff the soil. Or round tube baskets can firm the seedbed. Both baskets mulch residue without mixing it into the seedbed. Prices: four-row tool, $12,800; eight-row, $27,500.

For more information, contact Case Corp., 700 State St., Racine, WI 53404, 262/636-5678, www.caseih.com.