RT120 Operator’s Manual Plow - 109

Plow

Chapter Contents
Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
• Position Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
• Attach Product. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
• Special Plowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

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Plow - 110 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Setup

Setup
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN - Turn ignition switch to STOP.

Crushing weight could cause death or serious injury. Use proper

procedures and equipment or stay away.

To help avoid injury: Keep everyone at least 6’ (2 m) from machine, attachments, and their range of
movement.

Jobsite hazards could cause death or serious injury. Use

correct equipment and work methods. Use and maintain proper safety
equipment.

To help avoid injury: Comply with all utility notification regulations before digging or drilling.

Read operator’s manual. Know how to use all controls before operating
machine. When you see this sign on the machine or in the manual, read it and use
caution. Your safety is at stake.

To help avoid injury: Use attachments or counterweights to make front and rear loads balance when all
attachments are raised. Contact your Ditch Witch dealer about counterweighting for your equipment.

NOTICE:

• Do not operate vibrator unless plow is in the ground.

• The RT120 is programmed to operate with the original attachment (trencher or plow) configuration.
If you change attachments, contact your Ditch Witch dealer to make sure the electronic
programming is updated. If you change attachments without updating the electronic programming,
your attachment may not function correctly.

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RT120 Operator’s Manual Plow - 111
Setup

Position Tractor

IMPORTANT: If material must be at a constant depth, dig starting and target trenches.

1. Fasten and adjust seat belt.

2. Start tractor. See page 84 for start-up procedures.
3. Drive to starting point. Move in line with planned trench.
4. Engage parking brake and verify parking brake indicator is on.
5. Lower backfill blade, if equipped.
6. If equipped with combo, set trench/plow switch to the plow position.
7. Lower plow to starting point of trench.
8. Turn ignition switch to STOP.

Attach Product
To Pull Product

1. Insert material into pulling grip.

2. Tape grip with duct tape.

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Plow - 112 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Setup

To Feed Product

IMPORTANT: ROPS-attached cable guide

should be a genuine Ditch Witch cable guide
manufactured for this purpose.

1. Remove cable guide.

2. Feed cable through tube from top to
bottom.
3. Replace cable guide and tighten
fasteners.
4. Secure cable.

CAUTION: Keep everyone away

from material being installed.

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RT120 Operator’s Manual Plow - 113
Operation

Operation

Read operator’s manual. Know how to use all controls before operating
machine. When you see this sign on the machine or in the manual, read it and use
caution. Your safety is at stake.

To help avoid injury:

• Comply with all utility notification regulations before digging or drilling.

• Notify companies that do not subscribe to One-Call.

Breathing crystalline silica dust may cause lung disease. Cutting, drilling,
or working materials such as concrete, sand, or rock containing quarts may result in
exposure to silica dust. Use dust control methods or appropriate breathing protection
when exposed to silica dust.

Electrical shock. Contacting electrical lines will cause death or serious

injury. Know location of lines and stay away.

To help avoid injury: Expose lines by hand before digging. Cutting high voltage cable can
cause electrocution.

Crushing weight could cause death or serious injury. Use proper

procedures and equipment or stay away.

NOTICE: Do not drive backward with plow in the ground.

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Plow - 114 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Operation

Prepare
1. Fasten and adjust seat belt.
2. Start tractor.
3. Adjust throttle to low idle.
4. Check that ground drive hand and foot controls are in neutral.
5. Release parking brake and verify parking brake indicator is off.
6. Move ground drive gear selector to position 1 and motor speed switch to low.
7. Lower reel carrier to lowest position possible, if equipped.

NOTICE: Use extreme caution when operating reel carrier on sloped surfaces.

8. Raise backfill blade, if equipped.

9. Swivel seat to the desired position.
10. Engage axle lock.

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RT120 Operator’s Manual Plow - 115
Operation

Lower Plow
1. If equipped with combo, ensure that the trench/plow switch is in the plow position.
2. Move ground drive hand control forward to plowing speed and lower plow blade into ground.

NOTICE:

• Lower plow into ground before moving plow lift control or plow swing control to float.
• Do NOT move ground drive to reverse with plow blade in the ground.

3. Move plow lift control to float.

4. Move plow swing control to float.
5. Increase engine speed to full throttle.

IMPORTANT: Keep sod cutter edge sharp when plowing in areas with heavy grass cover or
surface clutter.

6. Move attachment speed/direction control forward to start plow vibration. PLOW WILL VIBRATE.
7. Reduce attachment speed to a point with the least tractor vibration and the highest ground drive speed
possible without track slippage. Adjust vibrator speed if ROPS vibrates excessively.

Note: In some soil conditions, changing vibrator weights can improve plow performance.
Contact your Ditch Witch dealer for details.

8. Check cable for damage during plowing. Run continuity checks on electric cable and check pipe
pressure. Damage can result from improper operation, incorrect blade choice, striking underground
obstructions, or other conditions.

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Plow - 116 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Operation

Finish Plowing
1. When installation is complete, move plow swing out of float.
2. With vibrator running, raise plow to ground level.

NOTICE: Do not operate vibrator when plow is out of the ground. This will cause excessive
vibration resulting in rapid wear, and possible damage to the unit and product being installed.

3. Move attachment speed/direction control to neutral.

4. Swivel seat to the drive position.
5. Engage parking brake and verify parking brake indicator is on.
6. Lower backfill blade, if equipped.
7. Turn ignition switch to STOP and remove product from plow.
8. Swing plow to center position and engage swing lock and stow lock.
9. Raise backfill blade, if equipped.
10. Disengage axle lock.

IMPORTANT: Drive tractor in reverse 6’ (2 m) while turning steering wheel left to right to fully
disengage axle lock.

11. Drive a short distance away from work site.

12. Shut down tractor. See page 88 for proper shutdown procedures.

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RT120 Operator’s Manual Plow - 117
Operation

Special Plowing
Your Ditch Witch equipment allows you to
plow four ways: normal plowing, offset plowing
(1), coordinated plowing (2), and crabbing (3).

NOTICE: Oversteering blade may damage

blade or cable.

Offset Plow

Offset plowing can be used to plow next to a

road while keeping tires on a more stable surface or in similar conditions.

1. Use plow swing to move plow to planned trench line.

2. Use blade steer to position blade parallel to direction of tractor frame.

Coordinated Plow

Coordinated plowing can be used to turn a tight circle around a jobsite obstacle or in similar conditions.

1. Move rear steer/center switch to the rear steer position.

2. Use the rear steer switch to position the tires as shown above (2).
3. Slowly move tractor forward.
4. Plow as normal.

IMPORTANT: When coordinated plowing, keep plow blade straight or in the same angle position as rear
tires.

Crab Plow

Crab can be used to plow along edge of jobsite or in similar conditions.

1. Move rear steer/center switch to the rear steer position.

2. Use the rear steer switch to position the tires as shown above (3).
3. Slowly move tractor forward.
4. Plow as normal.

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Plow - 118 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Operation

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RT120 Operator’s Manual Complete the Job - 151

Complete the Job

Chapter Contents
Restore Jobsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
• Backfilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Rinse Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Stow Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

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Complete the Job - 152 RT120 Operator’s Manual
Restore Jobsite

Restore Jobsite
After product is installed, return spoils to the
trench with optional backfill blade.

Backfilling
1. Position unit at end of trench, several feet
from spoils. Aim tractor at outer edge of
spoils.
2. Adjust backfill blade to fit land contour.
3. Move outer edge of spoils toward trench.
Take two or more passes at spoils rather
than moving all spoils at once.
4. Repeat on other side of trench, if necessary.
5. Engage float and make final pass over
trench.

Rinse Equipment
Spray water onto equipment to remove dirt and mud.

NOTICE: Do not spray water onto operator’s console. Electrical components could be damaged. Wipe
down instead.

Stow Tools
Make sure all tools and accessories are loaded and properly secured on trailer.

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