Test to make sure there is good contact between the double disks. Slide a business card from the top, down along the front of the disks, until the card won’t lower any further. Mark that spot. Then, take the card from the back and slide it forward until it stops. Mark that spot and measure the distance between the two marks. If it is less than two inches, reshim or replace the disks. In general, the disks must be more that 14.5” in diameter.
Inspect seed tubes for wear at the bottom. If they have a lip or fray on the bottom of the tube replace them.
With your planter setting on concrete, pull straight ahead about five feet. Look at the mark left behind the planter by the double disk openers. The mark should run right down the centerline between closing wheels. If a closing wheel is running to close to the mark, adjust the closing wheels back to center.
With higher levels of residue, almost all planters can benefit from row cleaners if they are run correctly. Row cleaners are meant to sweep residue from the row to allow warming of the soil around the seed trench. Make sure row cleaners gently sweep residue – you don’t want to move soil, just residue.
Uniform germination adds, on average, six bushels per acre. Keeton Seed Firmers promote uniform germination by improving depth control and seed to soil contact. By using Keeton Seed Firmers to set seeds to the bottom of the seed trench, you increase the odds that seeds absorb moisture uniformly and emerge evenly.
Guage wheels should be set so that when they are in the raised position there is a soft to medium amount of contact that occurs between the disk openers and the inner rubber of the gauge wheel. Once raised, spin the gauge wheel to feel the amount of contact. 13. Check for Display Updates. Most manufacturers update display firmware to fix previous problems, but most importantly, allow new technologies to perform correctly. Check with your equipment dealer for updates.