Section 7: Troubleshooting
FC10 C-Tine Field Cultivator 335-043M
1/14/19
17
Troubleshooting Chart
Problem
Cause
Solution
Tractor cannot pull the cultivator.
Tractor horsepower is too small.
Attach cultivator to a higher horsepower
tractor.
Ground is too wet causing tractor tires to
slip and not allowing the soil to fracture into
smaller particles.
Never work wet soil that wants to stick
together. Wait for the ground to dry enough
for the soil to fracture into smaller parts.
Ground is too dry.
Wait until ground is softened with moisture.
Dry soil won’t fracture easily.
Ground is too hard to cultivate even when
soil is moist.
Break soil with equipment design to
fracture the soil such as a plow, disk, or
scarifier.
C-tine blades are dull.
Rotate or replace C-tine blades.
Cultivating too deep.
Raise cultivator up until tractor can pull the
unit. If needed, make several passes over
the ground at the shallow depth.
Tractor tires slip excessively.
Tractor weight is too light.
Use a larger tractor that is heavier.
Increase 3-point draft at the control lever.
Add weights to the rear wheels.
Cultivating too deep.
Set cultivator at a shallower depth.
Clods are too hard and won’t
fracture into smaller particles.
Clods are too dry to fracture easily.
Wait for moisture to make the clods moist.
Note: Do not work ground while the soil
and clods are sticky wet.
Soil was worked too wet causing soil
compaction.
Note: Hard clods due to soil compaction
reduce void spaces for holding water, does
not allow good soil aeration, root
penetration, and crop yields.
Check soil moisture content. Dig a small
amount of soil and squeeze it in your hand.
If the soil crumbles, it is ready to work.
Give the soil time to dry if it forms a ball
that bounces in your hand without breaking
apart.
Try breaking the hard clods with a disk or
other suitable cultivating tool to make the
clods smaller.
Allow time for winter freezing and thawing
to change the soil structure back into
workable soil that will fracture easily.
Section 7: Troubleshooting
