Have new rototiller and a question too

[TMcD_in_MI]

I just got a new 5 ft King Kutter II tiller and the paint quality is pretty much as nasty as a lot of you have said, although at this point most of it is still on. I'm hoping the mechanical quality is a good as it has been for you guys that have had good luck with them.

We're finally losing our snow here in northern lower Michigan, so I went out and cracked the tiller out of its crate (crate, hah!) and mounted it on my tractor. Everything seems OK, but I don't really know what to do with the back plate, the plate that rides on top of the tilled dirt. There is a chain that can be shortened to raise this plate up, but why would I want to do that? All the manual says is: Adjust the back plate, with regulating chain, until the desired mulching effect is found. I guess I'm too dumb to understand that. Does it make any real difference where I set that plate??

Any advice would be appreciated.

Tom

 

[Egon]

First a dumb question, did you check and make sure the tiller drive shaft is the correct length, the slip clutch set or a pocket full of shear pins are at hand??

The back plate will prevent rocks etc from getting discharged out the back and damaging things.

The back plate will drag and leave a smooth surface. If you have rocks it will deflect rocks back into the tines where they may jamb. Then it may be advisable to raise the flap a bit.

When your tilling real deep the back flap will ride up on the ground. Again you may wish to raise it a bit.

Also read the directions and check the gear box for oil.

 

[silverking]

Think of it like a mulching mower if the gate is open everthing goes out right away, if it is closed the stuff gets run through the tines a few more times before being expelled.

 

[MarkV]

As Egon said, check the gear box oil. King Kutter does not ship the tillers with oil.

MarkV

 

[dixie306]

As Egon said, check the gear box oil. King Kutter does not ship the tillers with oil.

MarkV

Good advice, and be careful not to overfill the gear box

 

[Roger2561]

I do not have a King Cutter but I do own a John Deere 660 tiller. I have learned the hard way to leave the rear deck down when tilling. I had the opportunity to watch a rather siable rock (perhaps 8 inches in diameter) fly about 15 feet. Luckily, no one was nearby when it was launched into the air. Personally, I'd rather reset the slip clutch or change out a shear pin if it means it's safer. That's my $0.02 worth. Roger

 

[hockeyhead]

I have a KK II 5' tiller and I have no complaints as all. There are 2 gear boxes that need gear lube one at the center PTO shaft and one on the right side to drive the tines. Mine came from TSC with lube in it, also numerous grease fittings to look after. The slip clutch was super tight and had to be loosened to have any value.

 

[Rara Avis]

On KKIIs...Also grease the PTO shaft itself...

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

Silverking- Thanks for answering my question about the back gate. Your answer makes sense to me.

Roger - Wow, I hadn't thought about the tiller throwing rocks. Those tines must be spinning faster than I would have thought.

Egon - Yup, I checked the PTO shaft for length just like it says in the manual, Luckily, it was good to go as is. I will be adjusting the slip clutch before I use it. Thanks for suggesting that I read the directions. I'm not sure I would have thought of that on my own.

Mark, Dixie, Hockeyhead, and Paul - Good job reminding me about grease and gear oil. The dealer had already done those things, but I checked the oil in both gear boxes anyway, just to be sure, and to make you guys happy.

We lost 90% of our snow this weekend, so it won't be long now before I can get to tillin'.

Tom

 

[tmc2318]

I'm buying a 72" King Kutter and want to stock up on the 85W-140 gear oil....anyone have an idea of how much oil is needed to fill both the gearbox and side gearcase?