3pt Tiller

[8nownerinky]

Hey guys,

First let me apologize for bugging you. With the purchase of a brand new tractor possibly in my future, I'm looking more and more towards the build it yourself for my implements. In particular, if I get a new tractor, the little lady would absolutely murder me if I bought a 3pt tiller at the current prices, even used. So.... I was given a gently used troybult tiller a few years ago. It's an older model, but it's been used 4 times at most and has been kept in a garage with the oil changed yearly, etc. My question is - how difficult would it be to convert it to 3pt? Being a novice welder, I figured this would be a great starting project, as if I mess up something I have $10 at most tied up in it. I realize it will not be anywhere near as efficient as the real McCoy and it would not even come close to covering the ruts left by my tires, but being a public servant does not pay well enough for the work we do. I've been thinking about design for quite some time, and I was thinking about using an old quick hitch from Harbor Freight I picked up from the dump a few years ago instead of fabricating all new brackets for the 3pt. Would it be better for me to just weld a few pieces of angle iron to the frame and tow it behind my lawnmower or ATV? I'm thinking that having the ability to raise/lower the tiller as needed would be a plus to the 3pt approach. Of course, all this thinking is taking all my energy away from fabrication . What do you guys think? I know that whatever I do, I'm going to:

A.) Leave the engine on the tiller and run a longer cable from the throttle to my seat on the tractor(I have some throttle control knobs that came off my fire trucks when I parted them out), as well as a kill switch and push starter button (this particular model has an electronic ignition)
B.)Reinforce the frame with some angle iron if I go with the 3pt idea, as well as add some extra shields as the side of the tines are not enclosed
C.) Build a shelf above the main tiller body to house a larger marine gas tank, as the small tank on it would not last that long, and I am the world's worst when it comes to remembering to fill up a tank.

Any suggestions?

Thanks guys,

Dan

 

[bjr]

What kind of tools do you have? welder, oxy acetlene torch grinder, drill press for metal and skills to use them? If rebuilding is doable then look for a grey market rice tiller that needs tines, usually can get them for scrap price. Try to find one wide enough to cover tractor tire tracks. I've rebuilt the grey market rice tillers by putting a new pipe (2-1/2" sch 40 or 80) with 3/8" plate flanges and had to build complete 3pt mounts also had buy a new PTO shaft with slip clutch. It was a lot of work (time) and I put some money into it for some steel and parts but it was a real solid tiller when I was finished and uses KingKutter tines. Just a option if you have all that's required for the project. bjr

 

[8nownerinky]

bjr,

I have access to an ac/dc stick, oxy/acetlene setup, oxy/propane setup, grinders, K12 (portable rescue) saws which are really just gas powered chopsaws, a forge and the equipment from a complete sheetmetal working shop, just to name some of the junk I collected over the years. I also have the scrap metal from two fire trucks I just sold for scrap that I had to remove before the guy could get his truck to tow them. As for skills, I have been "playing" on and off for the past few years, just minor stuff like a carryall and boom pole I recently sold, and I occasionally cut up some scrap to haul off to the junk man when times get really hard (gas just hit $4.19 a gallon here, so the torch is about to come out again so I can play some more). As for the rice tiller, where does a man go to look for one? I have checked our local dealers lots and such, and even posted ads on craigslist and in the classifieds in the newspaper for any farm implement in any condition, and I haven't had a bite yet.

As for the amount of time, I really don't mind putting time into a project like this for two reasons.

1.) If it turns out that the little lady doesn't have sympathy for me slaving over a hot welder and piece of metal, at least my chances of living are highly improved because I don't have to buy a tiller with my new tractor purchase.

Or...

2.) The little lady will have sympathy for me and when I hobble into bed moaning and groaning after the first day's work, she will give in and let me buy a brand new 5' KingKutter .

Either way, I wouldn't complain .

Thanks,

Dan

 

[rambler]

Would it be better for me to just weld a few pieces of angle iron to the frame and tow it behind my lawnmower or ATV?
Dan

It's not good to have wheel tracks from a tractor left in the garden - defeats the point of tilling. So a skinny tiller behind a tractor isn't all that good.

Some ATV's are designed for speed, and do not have slow speeds - real slow. A tiller you about want to crawl, really really slow. Depends on your ATV, but often not a good match.

That leaves the lawn mower. You can build a depth adjustment pretty easily.

--->Paul

 

[flusher]

Hey guys,

First let me apologize for bugging you. With the purchase of a brand new tractor possibly in my future, I'm looking more and more towards the build it yourself for my implements. In particular, if I get a new tractor, the little lady would absolutely murder me if I bought a 3pt tiller at the current prices, even used. So.... I was given a gently used troybult tiller a few years ago. It's an older model, but it's been used 4 times at most and has been kept in a garage with the oil changed yearly, etc. My question is - how difficult would it be to convert it to 3pt? Being a novice welder, I figured this would be a great starting project, as if I mess up something I have $10 at most tied up in it. I realize it will not be anywhere near as efficient as the real McCoy and it would not even come close to covering the ruts left by my tires, but being a public servant does not pay well enough for the work we do. I've been thinking about design for quite some time, and I was thinking about using an old quick hitch from Harbor Freight I picked up from the dump a few years ago instead of fabricating all new brackets for the 3pt. Would it be better for me to just weld a few pieces of angle iron to the frame and tow it behind my lawnmower or ATV? I'm thinking that having the ability to raise/lower the tiller as needed would be a plus to the 3pt approach. Of course, all this thinking is taking all my energy away from fabrication . What do you guys think? I know that whatever I do, I'm going to:

A.) Leave the engine on the tiller and run a longer cable from the throttle to my seat on the tractor(I have some throttle control knobs that came off my fire trucks when I parted them out), as well as a kill switch and push starter button (this particular model has an electronic ignition)
B.)Reinforce the frame with some angle iron if I go with the 3pt idea, as well as add some extra shields as the side of the tines are not enclosed
C.) Build a shelf above the main tiller body to house a larger marine gas tank, as the small tank on it would not last that long, and I am the world's worst when it comes to remembering to fill up a tank.

Any suggestions?

Thanks guys,

Dan

Why not just adapt your rototiller to a tow-behind configuration. These are available commercially

Amazing ATV Machinery - Tow Behind Rotary-Tiller products

This may be a good starting point for your modification.

You'd get a better rototiller setup by investing in a used 3pt rototiller from your local grey market tractor dealer. I got this Yanmar RS-1200 rototiller (48" wide) for $300. Used it on my Kubota B7510HST. Worked fine.

Also, implements are what make a tractor useful. My advise is to figure out which implements you need and budget accordingly.

 

[8nownerinky]

Flusher,

I agree that implements are what make the tractor useful, however, the tiller will get at most two hours a year of work, and if it breaks, I always have my cousin's 5' tiller to fall back on, which I have used for years now. In fact, I have only disconnected the box on the 8n maybe ~2 times in the past 6 months - once to plow my garden and once to hook up the back blade to push some dirt our beloved city left on our sidewalk. I have an ancient plow that my grandfather gave me before he passed away and made me promise to use it, so I converted it to 3pt a few years ago and it's been serving fine ever since.

How well does your gray market tiller hold up? We have hard-pack clay with rocks the size of VW's around here as most land 'round these parts haven't been worked in 40 or so years - since most farmers have either sold out to development or converted to livestock/hay production. And, I was told if I got one of those gray market tillers, I would have to change the tines and such as the Japanese tines break easily, therefore going into more money.

As for the pull behind - that would be difficult for my situation. I do a lot of work around town for people and the travel time isn't worth the cost and hassle of trailering, not to mention that neither of my current tractors or my future tractor will fit on my trailer, so using the riding mower isn't too entirely feasible. Also, I like the depth adjustment ability I get with 3pt without having to leave my seat. I just had another brainstorm - our local dump gets tillers like mine all the time and usually charge about $10 for them, so what if I built a frame and attached both tillers, or even 3 to make a 6 footer, and use them like that? total investment would be about $50 dollars and the setup would be pretty disposable, compared to having to buy a rice paddy tiller, change the tines and hope the clay and rocks don't break the dang thing. Also, that would give me some relief on the 5hp per foot rule as each have their own engine and each tiller is light enough for me to pick up and carry by myself without too much pain, making it easier on my tractors.

Thanks guys,

Dan

 

[larso1]

Sorry, but I agree with most of the others. A used grey market Japanese tiller would be the way to go. The relatively light weight Troybilt is also going to bounce around....... a lot. IMO, I think you'll be fooling around with the hitch setup so much to get it to track right........I'm sorry, I just can't imagine it My 48-in. Yanmar was a two point tiller that I paid $250 plus $75 shipping for. I had to convert it to 3-pt. The conversion work is straightforward but would keep you a little busy anyway But if you could find a 3-pt grey market, that would be the way to go cheap. The original curved tines are hardened.....it's the aftermarket ones that aren't. As was said, you can adapt the L-shaped HD ones from other US style tillers later on.

Bill

 

[8nownerinky]

Thanks guys for all your input, however, this discussion is now irrelivent. I called my cousin who I usually borrow implements off of and was going to try to buy his 6' finish mower for a job I'm working for an old college friend of mine. We were talking about what I want to do and he told me if I wanted it, he would sell it to me cheap along with the finsih mower, as he is getting out of the landscaping business. So, for $300 and a chevy 400 smallblock, I am the proud owner of a Woods finish mower and a 5' KK tiller. So now I have a very nice troybult tiller for sale, and hopefuly, it will recoup my costs for the equipment.

Thanks guys.
Dan

 

[larso1]

Way to Go! You have no idea how much trouble you just saved yourself

 

[8nownerinky]

I am already starting to realize how right you are. I just tried to pull the tiller out of the shed only to find it's buried under a few tons of diamond plate. Looks like I'm going to have to build some pallet forks for my FEL and leave that job for another day . But, until then, I need something to build. Nothing too awful complicated - just something to do with my hands in the meantime while my swimming pool of a yard dries up and I can finish cleaning behind the barn. Any ideas?