Converting Tiller to reverse rotation

   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #1  

LD1

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Apr 30, 2008
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Location
Central Ohio
Tractor
Kubota MX5100
Looking for a little feed back here on what to do...

Picked up a yanmar RS1400 tiller pretty cheap. About 1/3 the cost that I see used KK and beefco tillers sell for. Here's what we are dealing with 1.jpg2.jpg

The thing works okay behind my L3400, but not nearly as well behind the 8n. The KKII we always borrowed did fine behind the 8n. The rotor speed on the yanmar is 180rpm. I see 220 is about the norm. So I tore into the gearboxes hoping I could swap around some gears and get a but faster rotor speed. No dice.

So now I am thinking about a plan B. Converting to reverse rotation. I will rotate the gearbox up and over 180 degrees so the PTO is facing out the back. The guarding can be reversed easily. (Sideplates are the same, bolt holes are already there for either side.) Then its just re-configuring the 3PH. I will make new tabs for the TL to mount to the gearbos (cause they will be off), and take the yellow plates off, and weld on the back side.

So......whats your opinions? Think it will work fine as a reverse rotation tiller with 180 rotor RPM?? any other thoughts or suggestions??

some more pics 3.jpg4.jpg5.jpg
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #2  
Looking for a little feed back here on what to do...

Picked up a yanmar RS1400 tiller pretty cheap. About 1/3 the cost that I see used KK and beefco tillers sell for. Here's what we are dealing with View attachment 323732View attachment 323733

The thing works okay behind my L3400, but not nearly as well behind the 8n. The KKII we always borrowed did fine behind the 8n. The rotor speed on the yanmar is 180rpm. I see 220 is about the norm. So I tore into the gearboxes hoping I could swap around some gears and get a but faster rotor speed. No dice.

So now I am thinking about a plan B. Converting to reverse rotation. I will rotate the gearbox up and over 180 degrees so the PTO is facing out the back. The guarding can be reversed easily. (Sideplates are the same, bolt holes are already there for either side.) Then its just re-configuring the 3PH. I will make new tabs for the TL to mount to the gearbos (cause they will be off), and take the yellow plates off, and weld on the back side.

So......whats your opinions? Think it will work fine as a reverse rotation tiller with 180 rotor RPM?? any other thoughts or suggestions??

some more pics View attachment 323734View attachment 323735View attachment 323736




Have you given any thought to purchasing a PTO reversing gearbox to avoid all the work LD1?

Agsupplyonline sells the beasts that attach to the stub shaft of the rear PTO's BUT saying that I think you are looking at more than a thousand dollars for a reversing gearbox.

I also believe you will need to turn all the tiller blades 180 degrees too.................................
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Reversing box has several cons in this case

1. too much $$$
2. It actually isnt much work to do what I am doing. Adding the reversing box, and then reversing all the tines :mur: I already have things appart. All I gotta do now is assemble differently, and make just a few adaptations to the hitch.
3. Just another moving part to go wrong
4. did I mention cost?
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #4  
LD,
any idea why the tiller does not work well behind the 8N? Travel speed to fast or some other reason.
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Yea, travel speed too fast. Even with it having the sherman. The rotor speed of the tiller is only 180rpm, and 220 seems about the norm from specs I have looked at with similar rotor diameters.

The KKII works good behind the 8n, but this one has a slower rotor, thus I am in the process of converting it as we speak and see how it turns out.
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #6  
Slower rotor should use less HP. I used to have a pamphlet on getting the most out of your Howard rotovator. The original Howards were by far the best tillers ever made! It said a lot people make the mistake of creating too fine a tilth. I personally don't think it's worth the trouble to try and change it to a reverse rotation.
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #7  
I'd just go over the area several times.... How big is the area your tilling with the 8N?

Regards,
Chris
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation
  • Thread Starter
#8  
The work is actually all done as far as the "converting" goes.

Everything was already appart. All I had to do was relocate the lift brackets, and two tabs where the tubes meet the gearbox.

Now its just a matter of re-assembly, but I am going to fix a few things on the shield first and give it a painting.
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Well, since I am going ahead and doing this, I'll post some update pictures as I go here...

In this pictures, you can see the two things I have to cut off and relocate. 1st is the yellow bracket for the lift pin. It needs to go onto the other side of the tube. 2nd thing is the little eyelet looking mount that comes off the 6-bolt flange of the tube end. This is used for part of the top-link mounting as well as rear deflector. These also need relocated to the back

5.jpg

Here is the eyelets cut off
6.jpg7.jpg

And re-welded on as well as the yellow brackets

8.jpg10.jpg11.jpg

And now todays agenda, re-working the beat-up and rotted shield. If I get this done today, I hope to shoot some paint, and maybe tomorrow I will assemble after my bushhogging job
12.jpg
 
   / Converting Tiller to reverse rotation #10  
What kind of ground do you have to till? Here in CT with all of the rocks in the soil, I would worry about breaking something with counter-rotating tines. Is there a slip clutch?
 
 
 
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