6 Best New Holland Moldboard Plows For Clay Soil That Conquer Heavy Ground

That feeling of your tractor tires slipping, the engine groaning as it fights to pull a plow through heavy, wet clay is something every farmer with tough ground knows. It’s a battle against compaction, poor drainage, and soil that can act like either concrete or sticky glue. Choosing the right moldboard plow isn’t just about turning dirt; it’s about winning that battle efficiently and setting your fields up for a successful season.

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Why New Holland Plows Excel in Heavy Clay Soil

New Holland plows have earned a reputation for being tough, and that’s not just marketing. Their frames are built from heavy steel, designed to handle the immense stress, or "draft," that clay soil puts on an implement. They don’t twist or flex where others might fail.

This durability is matched by smart design. Many models feature a trip-beam or auto-reset system. When you hit a hidden rock or a dense root—common in unworked clay ground—the plow bottom "trips" up and over the obstacle instead of breaking a shear bolt or, worse, bending the frame. This single feature saves countless hours of frustration and repair.

Finally, New Holland moldboards are shaped to scour well. "Scouring" is the ability of the soil to slide cleanly off the moldboard. Sticky clay loves to build up, increasing drag and making a mess of your furrow. The curve and finish on these plows help shed that heavy soil, requiring less horsepower and leaving a cleaner field behind.

New Holland 995: Reversible Plow for Tough Jobs

The 995 is a modern workhorse, and its key feature is that it’s a reversible, or rollover, plow. Instead of plowing in circles or driving back across the field with the plow out of the ground, you simply flip the plow over at the end of a row and plow back in the adjacent furrow. This is a game-changer for efficiency.

For the hobby farmer, this means no "dead furrows" (trenches) or "back furrows" (ridges) in the middle of your plot. The result is a perfectly level field that’s easier to disc, plant, and manage. It saves fuel, time, and a lot of aggravation trying to smooth out an unevenly plowed field.

Be realistic about your tractor, though. A reversible plow is heavier and requires more hydraulic capacity than a fixed plow with the same number of bottoms. The 995 is best suited for modern utility tractors with sufficient weight and hydraulic power to handle it safely, especially when turning at the headlands.

New Holland 975: Durability for Compacted Clay

If you’re looking for sheer toughness in a conventional plow, the 975 is your answer. This model is known for its incredibly robust mainframe and reliable auto-reset system. It was built to work day-in and day-out in challenging conditions, making it an excellent choice for breaking new ground or dealing with heavily compacted clay pasture.

The strength of the 975 means you can plow with confidence. You aren’t constantly worried about that jarring "bang" that signals a broken shear bolt. The spring-loaded reset mechanism handles impacts smoothly, letting you keep moving. This is a plow that forgives the unseen obstacles lurking in heavy soil.

While it lacks the convenience of a reversible plow, the 975 makes up for it in brute force and reliability. It’s a straightforward, heavy-duty machine. For a hobby farmer who needs to turn over tough ground year after year without fuss, a well-maintained 975 is a lifetime investment.

New Holland 145: A Classic for Small Acreage

The New Holland 145 is a classic for a reason. It’s a simple, light-duty plow that is perfectly matched to the compact and older utility tractors many hobby farmers use. Often found in 2-bottom or 3-bottom configurations, it doesn’t demand massive horsepower to get the job done.

This is the ideal plow for someone managing a few acres of garden, a small market plot, or a couple of paddocks for crop rotation. Its simplicity is its greatest strength. There are no complex hydraulics to fail, and parts like shins, shares, and landsides are still widely available. You can rebuild a 145 with basic tools in your own workshop.

Don’t mistake its simplicity for weakness. While not as heavy as a 975, the 145 is still a well-built New Holland plow. For turning over established clay soil that has been worked before, it performs beautifully, laying a clean furrow and effectively burying residue. It’s an affordable and dependable entry point into moldboard plowing.

New Holland 907: The Reliable Vintage Workhorse

Dipping into the vintage category, the New Holland 907 is a testament to when equipment was built to be simple and indestructible. This plow is a step up in weight and durability from the 145, often featuring a heavier, tubular steel frame that resists twisting in tough conditions.

The 907 is a great match for older, heavier tractors from the 50-70 horsepower range. Its mechanical trip-beam system, while less sophisticated than modern hydraulic resets, is effective and easy to maintain. It’s a plow that was designed when farmers had to fix their own gear, and that ethos shows.

Finding a 907 often means searching local auctions or classifieds, but they are a fantastic value. A little bit of work cleaning up wear parts can give you a plow that will easily handle the demands of a 10-20 acre hobby farm. It represents a sweet spot of vintage toughness without being too large or cumbersome.

New Holland 155: For Lower Horsepower Tractors

The New Holland 155 plow was designed with efficiency in mind. It’s often found in 3- or 4-bottom configurations, but it was engineered to have a lighter draft than other plows of its size. This makes it an excellent choice for hobby farmers with mid-range tractors who want to cover ground more quickly.

The key is in the moldboard design. The 155 often came with "Super Chief" bottoms, which had a long, gentle curve designed to roll the soil over smoothly rather than aggressively forcing it. This action requires less pulling power, allowing a 50-horsepower tractor to pull a 3-bottom 155 in clay where it might struggle with a heavier-built model.

This plow hits a perfect balance. It provides more productivity than a smaller 2-bottom plow like the 145 but doesn’t require the large tractor and financial investment of a modern reversible plow. For someone farming 10-25 acres, the 155 is a smart, efficient, and capable choice.

New Holland 951B: In-Furrow for Clean Plow Lines

The 951B is a semi-mounted, in-furrow plow that offers excellent control and consistency, which is especially valuable in heavy clay. "In-furrow" means your tractor’s rear tire runs in the furrow you just plowed. This locks the tractor in place, making it incredibly easy to plow straight, consistent lines.

This setup provides two major benefits in clay. First, the weight of the tractor in the furrow helps provide traction and counteracts the side-draft that wants to pull the tractor sideways. Second, it ensures each pass is at a uniform width and depth, creating a very even field that is much easier to prepare for planting.

The semi-mounted design—where the front is on the 3-point hitch and the rear is supported by a tail wheel—gives it stability. It tracks straight and true. While it requires more room to turn on the headlands, the clean, professional-looking job it does makes it a favorite for those who prioritize a perfect seedbed.

Matching Your Plow to Your Tractor and Acreage

Choosing the right plow isn’t about finding the "best" one, but the right one for your operation. You have to balance horsepower, acreage, soil type, and budget. Don’t overbuy or underbuy.

Start with your tractor. Heavy clay soil requires about 25-30 horsepower per plow bottom. A 45 HP tractor is well-suited for a 2-bottom plow but will struggle mightily with a 3-bottom. A 70 HP tractor can handle a 3-bottom with ease and might even pull a 4-bottom in lighter conditions. Always err on the side of having more tractor than you need.

Then consider your land and goals.

• 1-5 Acres: A simple, affordable 2-bottom like the New Holland 145 is perfect.
• 5-15 Acres with Rocks/Compaction: A heavy-duty 3-bottom like the New Holland 975 or vintage 907 provides durability.
• 15+ Acres or Focus on Efficiency: The time savings from a reversible plow like the New Holland 995 starts to make sense.
• Mid-Range Tractor (50-60 HP): An efficient model like the New Holland 155 lets you pull more bottoms without upgrading your tractor.

Finally, think about your soil. If it’s just heavy clay, any of these will work. But if it’s also full of rocks, a plow with an automatic reset or trip-beam system is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Breaking shear bolts every 100 feet is a quick way to lose your passion for farming.

Ultimately, the right New Holland plow is a tool that transforms a difficult chore into a satisfying one. It allows you to properly manage your heavy soil, burying weeds and cover crops while opening the ground to air and sun. By matching the implement to your tractor and your land, you set the stage for a healthy, productive growing season before a single seed is even planted.