Tiller Tillers

   / Tillers #1  

JATO_RaT

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Sep 24, 2000
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The Fabulous Foothills of Northern California
I'm considering a rototiller and would like a lot of input from those who know something about them (like John Miller III who always knows something about everything and has pictures to boot) I have around 38 PTO HP (Kubota L48 and International 454). Any suggestions as to brands/models? I am familiar with the Howard Rotovator and thats about it. Thanks, Rat...
 
   / Tillers #2  
I have a Caroni tiller, 5' chain drive with a clutch. I paid about $850 for it compared with the big $$$ JD wanted and the quality is just as good in my opinion. After initial adjustment of the clutch it works great. I till several of my wife's gardens as well as a small community garden and its like child's play. I actually enjoy it! I have mine on a JD 4100 so the clutch had to be adjusted to release before I stalled the engine when I hit a solid object which I have several times. I would strongly suggest a clutch, shear pins are OK if you know that you will not hit a hidden rock or stump. My neighbor had a shear pin shaft on his bush hog and each time he hit something it sounded like a rifle going off when the 1/2 " shear pin snapped. He has a 35HP tractor, he finally put a clutch on it and has had no problems since.
 
   / Tillers #3  
I have a 5' King Kutter that I bought from TSC for $999. Mine also has a slip clutch. I put quite a few hours on it last year and it did a very good job. One thing I noticed is that I have a few dents in mine from hitting some large rocks, so I dont know if a more expensive model would have heavier gauge steel.

Good Luck.

Paul
 
   / Tillers #4  
I have a Bush Hog RTS40 tiller, 6.5 years old, been used and abused, and has never even sheared a pin (even when I've hit tree roots, and once a brick sidewalk I didn't know was under about an inch of dirt. And it's still going strong; used it day before yesterday. However, it cost $1,300 new and if I were buying one today, I'd have to try one of the cheaper ones, such as the King Kutter.
 
   / Tillers #5  
Rat,

I have a Landpride 58" rotary tiller that I use on the back of my JD 4100. It has a slip clutch which is a great option on the tillers. I paid $1500 for it last March.

Terry
 
   / Tillers
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I figured the one I was looking for would be about $2000 to $2500. The Landprides model 25 or 35 or something in the HD Bush Hog is a possibility. I have not used a tiller on a tractor so therefore don't know just how power hungry they are. I would figure that of all the things you put on the pto, a tiller has the potential to be the most brutal. My Troybilt tiller always manages to find cobles and roots with very little help from me. When you think about the cost of a Troybilt tiller and compare it to a 65" or 72" tiller, the tillers are reasonably priced since you get everything but an engine and 2 tires but alot more beef and weight. I'm going to keep checking for more posts, thanks for the opinions and let me know if you like or would get a tiller again. Rat...
 
   / Tillers #7  
Rat, with the 40" tiller on the B7100 (about 13 pto hp), it would occasionally put a noticeable load on the engine, usually only in muddy clay conditions, and I actually got it gummed up in black clay and killed the engine once. But so far, with the B2710 (about 20 pto hp), I've never heard any rpm drop at all. Of course, with forward rotating tines, if you hit a big tree root or a brick, it may jump straight up out of the ground, and trying to break up previously untilled rock hard dry clay in the summer it may bounce up and down (I sure don't like that) but that's never hurt anything yet.
 
   / Tillers #8  
Rat
I USE A LANDPRIDE 25-70 BEHIND MY jd 4300. THIS SIZE WOULD FIT YOUR PTO HP. IT IS A VERY SOILD TILLER AND 6 TINES PER FLANGE MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. If you were closer to me I'd sell it and get a 62" model. Can you telll that I'm haveing a caps lock problem! must have a tried finger.
 
   / Tillers #9  
DDT,

How much did you pay for the Landpride tiller? How much cheaper are they than the JDs?

Bill
 
   / Tillers #10  
Rat, I've got a Bush Hog RTS tiller too. 50" wide and can be offset up to 12". Also using a slipclutch driveline.

Like Bird has said it can bounce around some on hard unbroken ground but in previously tilled soil I can go max depth no problem. Along with some dents in the sheetmetal (inevitable) I bent the skid shoes and adjusters somewhat (Bush Hog replaced parts N/C) and broke a tine on a rock (cost me $9.00 for a new one).

Bush Hog specs say the RTS (#80 chaindrive) is for 15 - 50 hp, the RTN series(#100 chaindrive) for 40 -70 hp and the geardrive RTH for 60 - 80 hp. Slip clutches are standard on the RTN and RTH and optional on the RTS series.

Another brand of tiller I've seen are <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.salemfarmsupply.com/kuhntillers.htm>Kuhn</A>. The EL 50 seems to be real heavy duty.

I have seen the KK tillers at the local CT Farm & Country before they closed up. They seem to be a value. They look strongly built along with a good price.

DFB
 
 
 
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