Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal 
Great Plains has enhanced one of its popular vertical tillage tools, the Sub-Soiler, to optimize its performance and longevity. Designed to reset the soil profile, the VT1500 Sub-Soiler breaks through yield-robbing soil compaction layers, leaving behind a uniform soil density with minimal topsoil disturbance and little residue burial. The new VT1500 Sub-Soiler has been enhanced to include additional features for no-till and rocky applications and features to support product longevity.
For improved performance in rocky conditions, the Sub-Soiler is now available with new high-protection trip pack auto-reset shanks. This new shank mount trips at 2,000 pounds to enhance performance and reduce shear bolt breakage in rocky conditions. The Sub-Soiler is also offered with an auto-reset shank option with 3,000 pounds of trip force, or an economical shear-bolt mount option for lighter soil conditions and obstructions.
Offered in both rigid and folding configurations, the VT1500 Sub-Soiler can be customized for each operation’s specific needs, offering multiple shank spacing options, along with a choice of shank styles, mounts, and points. For optimum field performance, customers can choose a 1.25 inch straight-legged shank with or without fins, or a .75-inch no-till shank, where less ground disturbance is desired. No-till shanks and points minimize soil disturbance by shattering below the surface. The .75-inch no-till shank is available with 10-inch points for 30-inch+ spacing, or new 4-inch points for 24-inch spacing. These narrow points allow the machine to operate at shallower depths (10-inch to 12-inch) with less horsepower, while still achieving maximum soil fracture.
To extend performance life and reduce replacement costs, all point and shin options are now manufactured from a hardened chrome alloy to extend the life of the points and reduce potential breakage of the shins.
“We have seen some significant wear life improvement with the new chrome alloy points and shins. We worked with a customer from the Texas Panhandle who grew irrigated corn and triticale in some pretty sandy conditions,” said Blake Bergkamp, Great Plains sales agronomist. “After switching to the new chrome alloy points, this producer now has over 1,700 acres on the chrome alloy points and shins. As a comparison, he replaced one shank with a standard shank, and it wore out after 400 acres; in this case, these new points and shins had over four times the wear life.”
With these new enhancements, the Sub-Soiler can withstand more rugged conditions with an extended lifespan to help producers maximize yields and profitability. To learn more about the Great Plains VT1500 Sub-Soiler, visit: www.GreatPlainsAg.com.
