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Don't try to cut as deep as you would with a motor wheel scraper. "Pull scraper systems are designed to make shallower but smoother cuts, negating the need for any support equipment," says Mike McCrory, Miskin Scraper Works.

James Hausner, Reynolds International, agrees, adding, "Reynolds recommends shallow cuts of 2 to 3 in. in order to maintain a smooth surface."

According to Kent Stickler, product consultant, Deere & Company, the depth of cut is dictated by the material and scraper width. "In our operator training, we focus on keeping the engine around 1,900 rpm for full power boost during loading, and load as fast as possible," he notes. "We also say cut the material off the top; don't dig off the bottom. Doing so will provide faster loading and faster cycle times. The load on the tractor is going to dictate if the scrapers are deep or shallow."

Training should be a priority, even for experienced motor wheel scraper operators. "Conventional scraper operators, after limited training, are productive in moving material with a pull pan system," says Michael Rieth, Deere & Company. "Where they might have been pushed before, now they are controlling the loading depth of the scraper as one unit. The loading speeds are faster, and once the front scraper is full, the operator needs to feel or hear the second scraper going in the ground. At the fill, the operator needs to learn to dump multiple scrapers instead of one. And just like a conventional scraper, for a well-managed fill area, dump height is important."

While many pull scraper manufacturers claim they take less skill to run than a self-propelled scraper, not everyone agrees. "It takes a good amount of skill to run either one," says Clark. "When you get two pull scrapers on there, you have your hands full."