It is best to choose a disc harrow based on the soil type and the amount of post-harvest residue, as these factors have the greatest impact on working stability, the risk of clogging, and the mixing effect.

• Light soils. A lighter construction and shallower work are usually effective.
• Heavy soils. Greater weight (more pressure) and more stable guidance are often needed.
• Large amounts of residue (straw, catch crops, maize, rapeseed). Choose solutions with better material flow (greater clearance, appropriate row spacing, an additional knife roller at the front).
• Small amounts of residue. You can opt for solutions focused on fast, shallow mixing and levelling.

In short:

• Toothed discs: more often used in difficult soil conditions and with large amounts of post-harvest residue – for more aggressive work when stronger cutting and mixing is important (straw, catch crops, maize),
• Plain discs: more often used in lighter conditions – they work more gently and shallowly, performing well with less residue and when soil levelling is important, e.g., for pre-sowing cultivation.

The choice depends mainly on the amount of post-harvest residue and the goal of the work: cutting/mixing vs. levelling.

When the standard choice (e.g., 560 mm) may not produce the best result for a specific task. For ultra-shallow cultivation, smaller discs are used (e.g., 440 mm on the SpeedCutter), while for heavy stubble cultivation and with a large mass of residues, larger discs are more often chosen (e.g., 620 mm as in the Rolmako U671).

The principle is simple: the greater the risk of clogging, the wider the spacing between the disc rows and the greater the clearance under the frame.

• Lots of residue – wider row spacing and greater clearance reduce the risk of clogging (optimally 90 cm).
• Little residue – spacing is less important; levelling and the quality of soil preparation are often more critical.

If you have problems with clogging, it's also worth paying attention to the working speed and settings. Tell us what kind of residues you most often work with (e.g., maize, catch crops, cereals) – Rolmako's advisors will be happy to help you configure and select a design that will run smoothly.

Maintenance-free hubs reduce machine servicing to a minimum because they do not require regular greasing. This solution is particularly appreciated by those who work during the season:

• intensively,
• on many plots,
• in short weather windows,
• in difficult conditions (dust, mud, water).

This is thanks to their sealed design and seals, which protect the bearings from contaminants.

The greater the angle of attack, the more aggressive the cutting and mixing, but this usually also increases drag, and therefore power demand and fuel consumption. The disc angle should be adjusted to the soil, the amount of residue, and the target depth to achieve the desired effect without unnecessarily loading the tractor.

• Larger angle: lots of residue, better cutting and mixing, higher tractor load and fuel consumption,
• Smaller angle: less residue, lighter soil, often better levelling in shallower cultivation, smoother operation, lower drag.

Ask Rolmako about the versatility of their machines; if this is to be the only harrow on your farm, opt for the U 652 model.

The typical range for good cutting and mixing is 10–15 km/h. Too low a speed can worsen the mixing effect, while too high a speed increases the risk of uneven work, soil throwing, and increased drag. In heavy soil or on stony ground, it is often better to slow down. It is worth remembering to adjust the speed and harrow settings (e.g., if unworked strips are left after a pass or residues are being 'dragged'). For ultra-shallow cultivation, cultivation speeds of up to 20 km/h are permissible.

For the first post-harvest stubble cultivation, a disc harrow usually works shallowly, typically at 5–10 cm.

• 5–8 cm: typically for the initial pass after harvest, for undercutting stubble and stimulating volunteers,
• 8–10 cm: when there is a lot of residue or the soil needs more intensive mixing.

This depth allows for undercutting the stubble, mixing the top layer with residue, and reducing moisture loss without unnecessarily turning over the soil. It is only worth going deeper when conditions and tillage objectives require it.

Rubber protection effectively dampens impacts and stabilises operation in all conditions, while spring protection handles frequent overloads well on light soils (it allows the working elements to “break away” when hitting an obstacle, like a stone, but due to the continuous vibration effect, it does not guarantee maintaining a constant depth as well as a rubber shock absorber). Regardless of the choice, the quality of the shock absorber, especially the rubber one, is important. Rolmako's LongLife is a rubber elastomer used exclusively by top premium brands.

Worn working discs reduce the performance of the disc harrow, which:

• has poorer soil penetration (leaving unprocessed strips),
• is less effective at cutting and mixing residue (it drags instead of cutting),
• requires a deeper setting or a lower working speed to achieve a similar result.

Disc wear can also be assessed by a reduction in diameter and dulling of the edges. In Rolmako disc harrows, the disc section features an adjustable disc beam, which allows for correcting the alignment of the disc beams relative to each other as the working elements wear down. This ensures optimal cutting regardless of the degree of disc wear.

A disc harrow can reduce the need for ploughing and replace some of the work done by a plough, but it is not a one-to-one replacement.

• Yes: for loosening and mixing without soil inversion, in minimum tillage after harvest, for shallow work and with good residue management.
• No: for deep inversion of the topsoil or other effects typical of ploughing.

A ridge or furrow in the middle after a pass usually means the machine is working unevenly relative to its axis of travel.

• Check the levelling of the harrow both lengthwise and crosswise (on a level surface),
• Adjust the working depth and speed (working too aggressively often makes the problem worse),
• Pay attention to the setting of the levelling elements (e.g., side screens/levelling guards, if fitted).

If the ridge/furrow only appears in specific conditions, the cause might be soil that is too wet or uneven ground. If the machine is pulling, it is usually enough to reduce the depth of the front section of discs relative to the rear one. Provide the model and working conditions (soil and depth) – Rolmako's advisers will be happy to suggest where to start with adjustments.

Pulling to one side usually indicates a problem with the tracking geometry – the harrow is not aligned with the tractor's axis, or one side or section (front/rear) is working with greater resistance.

• Set the harrow to work in line with the tractor's axis (check the hitch/linkages, stabilisation),
• check the crosswise levelling (a difference between the left/right side quickly causes pulling),
• reduce the depth or adjust the speed if the resistance is high.

The front section of discs often works with much greater resistance, which is why it sometimes needs to work shallower than the working elements that follow it. If it only pulls in certain areas, the cause may be uneven soil resistance or working on a slope. Rolmako's advisers can help with adjusting the settings – please provide the model and working conditions (soil, depth, speed).

This most often happens when the discs don't cut the residue but just gather and push it. If the harrow previously worked satisfactorily, you need to improve the cutting conditions and material flow:

• Check if the discs are not worn (blunt),
• increase the working speed within a safe range (this often improves cutting and mixing),
• adjust the depth so that the discs reliably undercut the layer with residue,
• don't force the work in wet conditions.

If the problem occurred right away, the machine is likely too light – you may need greater spacing and clearance under the frame. Tell us what crop you are working after and what the conditions are (moisture, amount of straw), so our advisers can suggest the quickest setting adjustment or propose a hardware solution from Rolmako.

Clogging in catch crops is most often due to plant matter being unable to pass through the machine and starting to jam. Check the conditions (moisture), material flow (clearance/spacing), and working settings. Sometimes a single adjustment is enough to solve the problem.

• If you can, work when the catch crop is drier (wet matter clumps together much more easily).
• Adjust the depth and speed so that the discs actually cut and mix, rather than 'rolling' the plants.
• In dense catch crops, avoid working too shallowly and driving too slowly.
• A more open design (greater clearance) allows plant matter to pass through more easily.

Describe the catch crop (species/height) and the working conditions to help Rolmako advisors select settings that will reduce clogging. When selecting a machine, it is worth paying attention to auxiliary tools, such as a front knife roller.