Zipper
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Standard, rubber closing wheels have a tendency to press the soil closed causing a smooth effect, especially when the soil is wet. On a hot, dry windy day, the furrow will crack back open exposing the seed. The Zipper Closing Wheel will eliminate this problem.
The Zipper is a 13″ angled spiked closing wheel designed to take the place of standard, rubber closing wheels. It works in all soil types, and is the go-to wheel for the toughest of no-till conditions.
As the spikes close they create indentations which allow moisture to sink in, increasing seed-to-soil contact.
Zipper closing wheels are angled so that when they engage the soil at the 5, 6, and 7 o’clock positions, they are breaking the side wall down over the seed plus compacting the soil around the seed. Then, when they exit the soil at the 8 o’clock position, they are angled such that they release the soil, leaving it compacted around the seed. Because of this, you will not need to drag a chain behind them.
Other closing wheels on the market are aggressive and have the potential of actually flipping seeds out of the furrow. You will not have that problem with the Zipper.
The planter planting corn into corn stubble had regular press wheels. The planter planting corn into wheat stubble had Zipper closing wheels. The ground was muddy when these plants were planted, the soil heavy and wet.
The weather turned hot and windy after planting, and you can see where the seed V closed with the regular press wheels has cracked back open. Here, the corn plants are leaning, and unable to throw out good root systems.
“Wheels that crumbled the seed trench shut from the sides generally outperformed wheels that applied more pressure above the seed. In the wet conditions we were planting into, this action helped decrease compaction above the seedling and allowed for more even and uninterrupted emergence.” – Beck’s
We experimented with these in 2019 in very wet soils and farmers were impressed with how clean they stayed in wet sticky soils.
Many of the spiked wheels on the market wrap or plug in cover crops. The cast Zipper is less likely to plug or wrap in heavy cover crops.
If they do start to wrap, one can order Hub Covers (shown here) as an option to prevent wrapping of cereal rye, vetch and other vining crops
We have even had farmers switch the Zippers around (shown below), running the right on the left side of the planter and the left wheel on the right with the fingers turned inward, to eliminate wrapping of cover crops.
Schaffert Mfg.’s all-cast wheels are an excellent option for John Deere and Case IH drills.
Included in the cast wheel kit for these drills is an eccentric bolt that changes the pitch in on the back side of the closing wheel. This allows the wheel to bring soil in into the furrow behind the wheel, compacting it down around the seed.
Please note that the Case IH 500 eccentric bolt kit has been updated since the video above was created. The new eccentric bolt works in the same manner.
The Double V Zipper wheel is made for double disc opener drills and planters with a single press wheel. Cast wheel and arm assembly available for John Deere drills and air seeders.
How does it work?
A common problem area is the rows behind tractor tires and drill wheels. These rows often have poor crop stands because the tires compact the rows and don’t leave enough soil to establish good seed to soil contact.
The Double V Zippers will totally destroy these hard packed rows, breaking up the compaction while mellowing the soil in over the seed, allowing for better seed to soil contact and healthier plant stands.
The Double V Zipper:
The Double V Zipper will destroy the side walls of the seed V, leaving crumbly mellow soil over the seeds, enhancing seed to soil contact.
Standard rubber OEM tires will leave the side walls compacted, making it harder for roots to penetrate the soil and establish a stable stand.
Mounting Instructions for Double V Zipper wheel & scraper on a John Deere drill
We have conversion kits that transform your single press wheel to dual closing wheels. Works great with our Mohawk and Zipper wheels.
Kits fit Case IH and White 5000-6000 series planters.