Tiller advice on tillers...

[IslandTractor]

Make sure you keep the gear box vent port covered so no water can work its way into the gear case.

Pretty sure the tarp covers that port but I'll check. Thanks.

 

[tschwerm]

Would doing 9 acres be too much for a tiller ? I've been thinking of disk but one of the salesman said consider a tiller one pass versus 5 passes with a disk??

 

[Sysop]

Not sure I would advise a 48" tiller to do 9 acres all at once, but if 9 acres is what you have to do, a quality unit of proper proportions to your tractor should do fine with it.

 

[IslandTractor]

Would doing 9 acres be too much for a tiller ? I've been thinking of disk but one of the salesman said consider a tiller one pass versus 5 passes with a disk??

Nine acres is a lot to till with a CUT. To till in one pass is hard unless you go very slowly. Takes me a couple of hours at least to do a half acre of unbroken sod using a 40hp tractor and 72" King Kutter tiller. I generally use low range, medium speed and two passes. I need to stop frequently to clear roots from the tines and that may just be specific to the type of land and season (easier when dry). I would not look forward to tilling nine unbroken acres.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

With my 6' Howard tiller and 45hp farm tractor, I till at, or just under 2 acres an hour... (depending on the shape of the field and EXACTLY what my customer wants)

I'd sure hate to till 9 acres with a lighter duty tractor and lighter duty tiller...and expect to get it done in a timely manner... Same thing if a disc is used....

SR

 

[powerscol]

Find someone to deep Plow and disk, then your tiller will do the job in 0ne to Two days.

 

[gravelman]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS... gravelman here. Now im trying to decide on a Massey ferg 38 hp tractor or a Mahindra same size...1538 any comments on that???

 

[tschwerm]

I should have been more specific. Last year I had wheat on the field and the farmer who I contracted with after combining did disc the field before winter. I borrowed a 11ft heavy disk from a friend this spring and did 3 passes on the field but after talking to my JD dealer he recommended not doing that I could damage the hydro. So at this point the farmer who planted for me last year will be back with his big rig when he gets time and the weather cooperates to dress the field before planting soybeans. I wanted to step in and do the field prep but don't have the right size or type of attachments. If I prep the field I could have already had a crop in.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I find that I can till up virgin pasture in one pass with my KK II 6 foot tiller if I go extremely slow, like 1/2 mph or so. I have to put my tractor in creeper gear to get that slow. If I just use Low range 1st gear it tills ok but doesn't work the soil very deep, maybe 3-4". I think because it is a forward rotation tiller which I got because of all the rocks, I have I have to go extremely slow to work the soil 6" deep or so. In creeper mod it would take a very long time to till 9 acres. I could disk it 10 times in the time it takes to till. I do like the nice level surface that the tiller leaves but I think that going that slow over tills the soil as it is like powder when finished but it sure chops up the grass and weeds. Unless it is virgin pasture type, then I prefer to just go a lot faster and do it twice which give good results also.

I don't think it takes a lot of power to turn a tiller so if buying one, I would limit the size to the weight that the tractor could lift. I think this is going to be your limiting factor. In any case, you need it to be as wide or wider than your tractor outside to outside of tires.

 

[bigtiller]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS... gravelman here. Now im trying to decide on a Massey ferg 38 hp tractor or a Mahindra same size...1538 any comments on that???

That will give you 30+ PTO Hp. That is enough to run a 6' tiller easy enough. I have found that the lower I go under 5 Hp per foot of tiller the slower I have to go. I may have to stop occasionally to let the engine catch up. Staying over 5 Hp doesn't labor the engine as much. I think 7 or more Hp/foot would be ideal.