Tiller Looking for a tiller, any help??

[McDenny's]

Hey all,
I plan on buying a rototiller in the spring. I have a MF 1445. I am looking for some input on what brands you have and how you like them. I have done some research and there are some "no name" brands that I will stay away from. I did borrow a Kuhn tiller last year from a friend and I did like it, it was actually too small for my tractor and I ended up splitting the PTO slip shaft right in the middle, thats what I get for borrowing something. I live in Maine so I deal with some pretty rockey soil. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[hockeyhead]

there is a lot of good tillers out there, mine is is a 60" king kutter II, gear driven on a 30 hp cut. I bought it in 2004 at TSC, I believe $1250, it has a lot of hours on it in the 3 season I've used it. Beside the 3 gardens we plant totalling about an acre, I used it to work in and help grade in 870 tons of clay fill, 200 yards of topsoil, and it don't know how much horse manure, then planted grass (lawn) or pasture mix everything else. I have no issues with it, works very well for me. I have hard clay ground and a lot of limestone in it.

 

[hemiguy]

I'm starting to price out tillers too and most of the brand names seem to start around $2000 and go up from there. Whew!! I was wondering if anybody has experience with the reverse-rotation Landprides? I think they have a patent because I haven't heard anyone else making them. I called to ask for a price today and the salesman told me that about a 52" Landpride would be $2500. Holy cow, is it that much better!? He actually wanted to stear me to a Kuhn too. I'd never heard of them before, but he said about $2000 for that.

The King Kutters are lot cheaper and some folks question the quality but I've heard of several owners that are very happy with theirs. I have a JD2520 (21PTO hp) and a JD455 (18PTO hp) so I'm looking for a small one vs your MF Denny. I've heard the most important with these things is to constantly check the slip-clutch adjustment.

Anyway, hopefully we'll get lots more input on this

 

[RickS]

Hemiguy,

I run a JD 4010 (18 hp PTO) with a King Kutter II 48" tiller and have had no problems. I tilled up three acres of field (admittedly it was reasonably soft soil, but had lots of rocks) and a large veggie garden and it works great. It is a very heavy tiller. I'm happy with it.

 

[jbrumberg]

McDenny's:

I would check out Carter and Carter Machinery. They offer a large range of gear driven tillers. They can be reached at info@ccmachinery.com. I compared their tillers with the equivalent KK II and went with a MR-160 (58"). The M-160 is well built. They are more expensive than the KK II. I do not think a reverse rotation tiller is the most effective tiller for breaking up sod in heavy and rocky soil. A forward rotating tiller will "bounce over" immmovable objects or "throw" rocks and "push" you forward while the reverse rotating tiller may freeze up on immovable objects or jam on "throwable" rocks. I also believe that a reverse rotation tiller requires more PTO HP.
Having said all this I may be talking out of my **** pore as I never used a reverse rotation tiller. They do cost more .

 

[wkpoor]

If you till over plowed ground you can use a much larger unit. I got lucky a few yrs ago and bought brandy new a 7' Long Agribusiness for $1500.00 and am very happy with it. It has worked great behind my Farmall H. Can't wait to try it on the JD5400 this spring.

 

[daddywags]

I have a kingkutter 72". I use it to till up about one acre for a garden. Our ground is mostly clay and is very hard, this tiller turns it to dust in no time. it runs very well and I would recommend it to anyone. It is not the best looking tiller, but I doubt if you can find a brand that is stronger built. The price is a plus.

 

[john_bud]

4 seasons on a KK 60" gear drive tiller. For the money, you can't get a better tiller. For double the money, yes...

jb

 

[Egon]

Look at different tillers and compare the sturdiness and quality. See what the gearbox is rated for as compared to your tractor. Make sure you have side-shift ability. Decide on chain or gear drive??? If in rocks try and pick one that has as much tine clearance at the top and sides as possible as rocks jammed there can break tines.

Also go a little smaller if the rototilling is in difficult soil conditions.

A slip clutch should be mandatory.

Picking rocks is an enjoyable hobby! Don't ask how I know this.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I bought a King Kutter 72" tiller going on 6 years ago now. It's seen more than average use. It's been used enough to wear out a set of tines. Most of the use was on a 60+ hp tractor, tilling sod ground that hadn't been worked in years.

It never flinched.

I'd match it against ANY brand, ANY price range for performance and durability. And it's one of the cheapest tillers on the market.

Sounds like a no brainer to me.