Another Woods Tillers Question

[garacuda]

I've been half-heartedly searching for a PTO driven tiller since I got my JD 4200 a few weeks ago. Over the weekend I jotted down a number from the bulletin board that's is in the back of my local TSC. The lady was selling a New Holland 30 HP tractor, with attachments, may separate. Well yesterday I called her, and I ended up with a very lightly used Woods GT60 tiller and a fairly well used PHD for $700, TOTAL! :shocked:

My question is this; There's a sticker on the tiller that says "Operate tiller at 540 RPM only or damage may occur", That's pretty close to what it says anyways, that photo didn't turn out. So how do I know when I've reached the 540 mark? I'm sure there's some sort of formula pertaining to what gear and what RPM the engine is running, but I'm not a mathematician by any means. My JD is the HST model by the way. Any suggestions, or just go with what sounds right? :listen:

I'll be turning my garden back under with it this coming Fall, but in the meantime wifey wants to smooth out some really rough areas of the yard and re-seed them. I'm thinking this may turn out to be my favorite attachment (not counting the FEL of course), just those of the 3 point variety. I'm assuming the PHD would have a "happy speed" too, but there are no stickers to be found on that rascal. I'll try to get a pic of it up later. I'm going to try to find that thread about PHD stands now.

Thanks for any and ALL input guys 'n gals.

 

[oosik]

Regarding the tiller - that note you saw should say - "Please, DO NOT operate this unit at a pto speed exceeding 540 rpm". Anything less than pto speed of 540 is perfectly OK. There may be a little red tick mark on your tach that indicates 540 pto rpm or look in your owners manual or call the dealer's maintenance folks and ask them. This sticker on the tiller is also a caution for those who have tractors with 1000 rpm pro's.

BTW - very nice grab on the implements.

 

[Baby Grand]

The tiller's in almost unused shape - great deal!
Tiller should be run at speeds up to 540 PTO RPM.
Less is okay if you like the results you're getting.
Ground speed should be low ... usually around 1 mph, or less if tilling deep & near your power limit.

 

[garacuda]

Regarding the tiller - that note you saw should say - "Please, DO NOT operate this unit at a pto speed exceeding 540 rpm". Anything less than pto speed of 540 is perfectly OK. There may be a little red tick mark on your tach that indicates 540 pto rpm or look in your owners manual or call the dealer's maintenance folks and ask them. This sticker on the tiller is also a caution for those who have tractors with 1000 rpm pro's.

BTW - very nice grab on the implements.

Pretty close oosik, I went back and checked it and it says "Use 540 RPM speed only. Higher PTO speeds can cause serious injury" Have not been out to the barn to check for a tic mark on my tach, but I will. I don't have an Operators Manual for the tiller or JD, but plan on printing or buying one for each. My garden spot has been tilled every year with a walk behind tiller for maybe 10 years or more, so I think that will go well. Some of my yard, however, hasn't been disturbed in close to 20 years, and I've driven over most of it a lot. I'm thinking I'll just set it to dig sown about 1" or so the first pass or two and try to find a "Happy Speed", and like Baby Grand said, Go Slow.

thanks!

 

[bilrus61]

Great deal on that tiller. Looks like it was used ONCE is all. Make sure you check the gearbox oil and fill it up with 80/90 wt gear oil. In fact I would change out the oil in the gear box in case it has water in it. Grease the side bearing with grease and check to see if there is oil in the side chain case. You got at 2000 buck tiller for about 500 bucks. YOu had a good week for a Kentucky boy! Now it's my turn.............. Oh and check the PTO shaft. I would guess it is a slip clutch. If the tiller has been stored any time, and it looks like it has, you need to losen the bolt on the pto shaft clutch and get them slipping. Then you tighten up the bolts till it looks about like it was before you loosened them. Lots of rocks here in Kentucky and if your clutch is frozen something has to give and that equals a repair. Good luck! Love my PTO tillers!

 

[garacuda]

Great deal on that tiller. Looks like it was used ONCE is all. Make sure you check the gearbox oil and fill it up with 80/90 wt gear oil. In fact I would change out the oil in the gear box in case it has water in it. Grease the side bearing with grease and check to see if there is oil in the side chain case. You got at 2000 buck tiller for about 500 bucks. YOu had a good week for a Kentucky boy! Now it's my turn.............. Oh and check the PTO shaft. I would guess it is a slip clutch. If the tiller has been stored any time, and it looks like it has, you need to losen the bolt on the pto shaft clutch and get them slipping. Then you tighten up the bolts till it looks about like it was before you loosened them. Lots of rocks here in Kentucky and if your clutch is frozen something has to give and that equals a repair. Good luck! Love my PTO tillers!

All good information! Yep, I dun good alright and I do keep digging up new rocks every year in my small garden plot, with my walk behind tiller. I've already been reading up on the slip clutch and am certainly going to check it for rust. The tiller was kept under a lean to, but it wasn't completely out of a blowing rain. Changing the oil was on my mind too, as the manual says after the first 30 hrs. I doubt it's had more that a couple put on it since new in '07. I'm going to go over it this weekend, get it all lubed up and then try it out. You think a quart of 80/90 will do it?

She still had a 2007 30hp New Holland 4x4 tractor with FEL and rotary cutter for sale when I bought the tiller and PHD.

 

[bilrus61]

Might ought to get two quarts just in case. Now don't fill it up all the way! There is usually a "check hole" in the side. You fill till it runs out that hole. All mine are about halfway or a shade higher than halfway up the side of the gearbox. If you over fill the gearbox with lube it gets hot and expands and might blow out one of the seals. Most gearboxes have a overflow valve/nut on the top that the oil leaks out of if it fills the box and gets hot. Sometime those things get kinda stopped up however. A quart should do her but main thing is just keep a eye on everything about it. You need to be like a old mother hen to all your implements and even then something will slip by you every now and then.

 

[GreenWannabe]

The manual for your tiller should still be available from Woods. You can request it on their website, here: Manual Request Form

 

[Dingeryote]

You did REAL good on that tiller.
That thing hasn't seen more than a couple acres yet. The tine ends are still square!


540rpm should be @ 2700 on your 4200
Look at your Tach and there will be a hash mark or other referrence point.

Good luck!!