The continuous and inadequate machine traffic on soils under direct drilling has been changing the soil physical and mechanical properties, influencing therefore crop productivity. The experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Station of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil) on Typic Paleudlt. The main aim of the work was to measure coulter draft requirements and physical attributes under black oats ( Avena strigosa Schieb) and common vetch (CV) ( Vicia sativa L.) partially decomposed. The experimental design was carried out in randomized blocks, with split-split-plots and three repetitions. The main treatments were plots with different amount of residues of the winter crop (0, 1,3; 2,6; 3,2; 3,8 and 5,1 Mg ha -1), sub-plots were two working depth of the driller chisel-type furrow opener, and two traffic conditions (combine and tractor wheel traffic). The physical characteristics of the soil were influenced by the traffic tracks. The whole tractor-drill was influenced by the depths of fertilizer shanks and traffic of traffic tracks and combine.
