Stealth LD Subsoiler

Improve soil health by Stealth

It is widely acknowledged that reducing the mixing of soil horizons will improve soil health. It is also well documented that reduced surface disturbance is essential in fighting grassweeds. Where a min till or no till regime is employed, either constantly or during the rotation, there is a growing demand for effective, low disturbance subsoiling to loosen and fracture the medium depth subsoil to relieve compaction thus assisting drainage, aeration, nitrogen uptake and encouraging crop rooting.

OPICO has taken this thinking and customer feedback onboard and has worked with HE-VA to design a totally new low disturbance subsoiler specifically for the UK market. HE-VA have over 15 years of expertise in producing subsoilers coupled with the past five years of manufacturing low disturbance subsoiling machines.

The HE-VA Stealth – a medium depth, low disturbance subsoiler. Its scalloped straight, front cutting discs cut through trash, vegetation and top soil, reduce soil burst and in turn grassweed germination.

The Stealth's low disturbance legs are staggered in 2 rows to allow residue flow through the machine to reduce the required tractor lift capacity whilst maintaining a lower HP requirement. Leg spacing is standard at 500mm but can be altered to 450mm, 500mm or 550mm, adding versatility for differing soil types and conditions.

The 15mm hardened cast steel low disturbance points are tungsten tipped and 120mm wide creating the necessary lift and shatter whilst ensuring longevity. Similarly, the 15mm leg is thinner than a standard subsoiler leg but, being made from “Hardox” gives it strength and durability.

Surface compaction can be alleviated to a maximum working depth of 300mm (12”). HE-VA’s standard hydraulic depth control
is fully adjustable from the tractor seat.

The Stealth has been designed to satisfy the requirements of no till and reduced input farming systems. However, it is also suitable for use in all farming systems where repair to damaged soil structure is required e.g. on headlands, tramlines or other high traffic areas.

The Stealth is available as a 3m, 3.5m, 4m, 5m and 6m mounted or 5m, 6m and 7m trailed machine. Machines over 3.5m fold hydraulically.

A Stealth kit i.e. legs and points are available to retro fit to existing HE-VA machines e.g. the HE-VA Subsoiler range and for all HE-VA Combi-Discs.

In the video below, Glenn Bootman, Product Manager for HE-VA in the UK talks about how metal and roots can work together to impact soil structure. If you're interested in joining us at College Farm for our next Knowledge Exchange day, click here. 

The Stealth 15mm low disturbance leg and tungsten tipped LD point are also the product of many years development. Whilst many customers are moving towards reduced tillage systems they appreciate that drainage is key to crop development, allowing timely field operations and preventing the relentless progress of grass weeds such as blackgrass. The Stealth 15mm low disturbance leg and point that HE-VA has developed allows deep soil loosening whilst minimising surface disturbance and preventing mixing of the soil profile.

The thinner legs are made from stronger Hardox steel. However, it is the point that really makes the difference. The Stealth point has a shallower wing angle and tungsten tipped nose that opens the soil to create drainage without disturbing the whole soil profile.

The Stealth 15mm LD legs and points can be interchanged with the standard 25mm subsoiler leg as necessary.

V-Profile Roller

Like many of the machines in the HE-VA range the Subsoiler uses the pressed steel V profile ring as standard. However, all the rings are mounted on a 300mm tube so that each section of the roller turns as one ensuring the machine can continue to work in very wet sticky conditions.

Each ring section is castellated ensuring the roller turns in light soils and the aggressive rib and shoulder profile combines with the 125mm spacing to leave an excellent consolidated weatherproof finish.

Scalloped, straight front cutting discs cut through the surface ahead of low disturbance legs to minimise soil burst and in turn grassweed germination. 

The HE-VA Stealth subsoiler hydraulic depth control is a useful feature making it easy for the operator to alter the working depth – for example to work the Subsoiler deeper up the tramlines or in habitually water logged areas. 

It also simplifies hitching and unhitching the Stealth subsoiler from the tractor.

Depth markers are fitted to all new Stealth subsoilers to show the position for the front leading disc as standard. There will be a single marker fitted to in the right hand side of all width machines. 

The Subsoiler “Hammer Thru” quick change shearbolt system protects the machine in tough, stony conditions and means minimum  down time for the operator. Its “toblerone style” shearbolt allows several resets before the need for a change.

When the legs brake back the operator simply removes the holding pin and hammers another segment of the shearbolt through then returns the holding pin to its original position. This removes the need to carry a supply of shearbolts while using the Stealth low disturbance subsoiler.

Alternatively there is a Hydraulic Reset Subsoiler version for extremely stony conditions.

All models are available with hydraulic auto reset for extremely stony conditions. An individual hydraulic cylinder on each leg which is connected to a gas accumulator allows the leg to break back and reset if it comes into contact with an unmovable object.

As the legs on a Stealth low disturbance subsoiler are adjusted deeper the leverage on the hydraulic reset cylinder increases and so a pressure gauge is used to allow the operator to set the force required for the leg to break back.

HE-VA Multi-Seeder

Precise OSR seed and slug pellet metering through a single control box. It accurately applies seed and slug pellets in the same pass, making the twin Multi-Seeder the ideal OSR seeder. 

• Simple calibration and rate setting - easy to set up • Individual metering for each outlet - precision • Failsafe operator alarms - peace of mind • Bespoke HE-VA machine fitting kits - no compromise • RDS control box • Radar - Accurate forward speed measurement • Quick empty chute.

HE-VA Accu-Disc

The HE-VA Accu-Disc is a double disc coulter with press wheel, this is the next step in Till-Seeding enabling seed placement to be controlled precisely and consistently to your required depth.

The Accu-Disc coulters are placed in line with the tines, once the tine has passed through and created some tilth on the surface and the roller has re-consolidated the soil the Accu-Disc coulter opens the soil and places the seed at a constant depth ensuring no seed is visible on the surface then the rear press wheel closes and re-consolidates ensuring good seed to soil contact.