Gear vs chain driven tiller?

[ametcalf]

Does anyone have an opinion on a gear driven tiller vs a chain driven tiller?
My 25+ year old 6' tiller that just gave up had a chain driven drive with a number 80 chain that I changed several times during the course of its life. It wasn't too expensive and relatively easy to change. I am guessing that the gear drives might be tougher but harder to change and more expensive to repair but I don't know. I looked at a Tartar tiller at TSC this afternoon and was impressed by how well built it looked but I don't know much about the gear drives. I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks, ametcalf

 

[gkh7890]

My experience is pretty limited to using a friend's 4' Frontier last summer, which was a chain drive unit. It worked fine but the drive box cover is really thin and it did sustain a dent (I didn't do it) which led to the chain rubbing against it. Just didn't sound to encouraging to me.

This spring, my FNL & I picked up a 6' KK II. He has a JD 5303 and I have a Kioti DK40SEHST, both have a 6' (72") width so this works well to cover the tracks. Anyhow, he just got to use it in the past 2 weeks. Man, it was awesome!!!

I've looked over the Tarter and the KK. They look almost identical except the KK has a support tube to the right side (looking towards the back of the tractor) of the gearbox where the Tarter does not. Other than that, they look very similar. I don't think you'll be disappointed w/ a gear unit! Hope this helped a little and good luck!!!

 

[Hematite]

All I know is that my dealer used to rent a top quality chain drive tiller and decided to go with a gear tiller for its replacement.

 

[jonyyuma]

If you can afford a gear driven unit, then go for it>> They used to be really a high priced option...Especially if it is used over 50 hrs a year?

 

[jenkinsph]

I doubt it really makes much difference whether you have chain drive or gear drive for tillers. Both work well enough and for the gear drive to be substancially better to last alot longer than the chain drive would require much more precision cut gears and bearings.

I would consider both chain and gear drive tillers and look at the overall build quality and prices for available equipment to make the best choice.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Depends....WHICH chain drive vs WHICH gear drive?

My personal preference is towards gear drive, but it's hard to argue the logic of a GOOD chain drive being as good or better than a "bad" gear driven design. There is no "carved in stone rule" that says one is automatically better than the other.

That said, my (almost) 9 year old KKII 6'er (which is gear driven!) has taken far more abuse in it's life than most owners would put one through in a dozen lifetimes. (Enough to wear out one full set of tines and well on the way to wearing out #2 set) The KKII tillers are among the lowest in price, yet seem by all evidence to be about as tough as some of the most expensive built. The ONLY gear drive failures I know of were the result of use WITHOUT gearbox oil/grease. Probably just about a wash on which (chain v gear) would fail faster without lube....

 

[jonyyuma]

By you saying it is 9 years old. Have you ever replaced the tines underneith? I thought the Tines would wear out ahead of some of the other parts? I seem to have trouble with bearings on a lot of items ..?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

By you saying it is 9 years old. Have you ever replaced the tines underneith? I thought the Tines would wear out ahead of some of the other parts? I seem to have trouble with bearings on a lot of items ..?

Yes...It's in my post....I've replaced a full set of tines and the replacement set is probably 1/4 of the way to being worn out. Lotta acres behind this tiller...

 

[HiTechTed]

I have a Sitrex tiller that is chain driven and it's a beast, plus it's quiet. I just keep it clean and I will change the lube in both the chain box and the gearbox every season, and keep the slip clutch properly adjusted. I guess I'd trust either type as long as it's good quality.

 

[Egon]

My chain drive Farm King 42 in. tiller has gone through at least four chains and four sets of tines.

That said I'm proposing any well designed tiller; wether chain or gear, should preform well within it's design parameters

Mine got beat about on 50 year old sod that had more rocks than arable dirt. Used to put the tractor in cruise and walk along side picking rocks and throwing them in the bucket. Course it was a small Kubota B7100 so this type of operation was feasible.

 

[bjr]

I'm a chain drive guy just for all the reasons you gave, being able to replace the parts from a generic source rather than being hamstrung by a particular dealer vendor. See if you can rebuild what you got. bjr

 

[bcp]

...being able to replace the parts from a generic source ...

I'd much rather break a chain than find my broken gear was a Chinese surplus tank engine timing gear from 1947, and they are all gone now.

Bruce

 

[boggen]

I have a Sitrex tiller that is chain driven and it's a beast, plus it's quiet. I just keep it clean and I will change the lube in both the chain box and the gearbox every season, and keep the slip clutch properly adjusted. I guess I'd trust either type as long as it's good quality.

plus 1 on keeping slip clutch maintained and set!

never had a chance to use a gear driven tiller. all tillers i can remember were chain. and to be honest. all i can remember is having chains "jump off the sprockets", "chains breaking", difficulty finding master link on chains and then getting master link open and closed.

the problems were hitting rocks, a tree root, adding a little more weight to tiller to help it sink in further into harder compacted ground. all or some of this would put the tiller in a bind. and pop goes the chain.

also the sprockets, you need to keep an eye on to make sure they stay aligned. and if not, pop there goes the chain.

i would assume majorty of new tillers come with a slip clutch of some sort built into them or come with. but if it does not. get one. and make sure you have set it correctly.

to be honest. i think i would prefer a gear driven tiller. my only reasoning behind this is. all the gears are more likely to be held in place better, and more metal around them to hold everything nice and tight. the only down side is the bearings possibly wearing out quicker vs a chain driven tiller. at least to me.

 

[Grateful11]

I'm in agreement with the chain guys, you can get a length of chain pretty much 6 days a week at any decent hardware or supply house. Try that with a gear.

 

[art]

For anyone in an area that has cold weather I have found it more important to change the oil then the type of drive. something about moisture after a couple of years.

 

[Ford tractor]

I till rocky ground and have 10 seasons on the KK gear drive unit. Replaced tines last year and had a few bolts rattle out but that's all. And I abuse the heck out of it hitting rocks from fist size to fridge size with most being basketball size. It just keeps on going.

 

[Hematite]

I till rocky ground and have 10 seasons on the KK gear drive unit. Replaced tines last year and had a few bolts rattle out but that's all. And I abuse the heck out of it hitting rocks from fist size to fridge size with most being basketball size. It just keeps on going.

That's what I've heard from numerous sources, including posts here. Gear drives keep running and chain drives keep breaking. I suspect that those who like to spend their time repairing their equipment constantly will prefer chain drive tillers.

 

[bigtiller]

That's what I've heard from numerous sources, including posts here. Gear drives keep running and chain drives keep breaking. I suspect that those who like to spend their time repairing their equipment constantly will prefer chain drive tillers.

That's not a fair statement. I have been using chain drive JD and Frontier 48 & 50 inch tillers for 19 years and have never had to fix or replace a chain. I've worn out and replaced tines but never broke one of those either.

 

[jenkinsph]

That's not a fair statement. I have been using chain drive JD and Frontier 48 & 50 inch tillers for 19 years and have never had to fix or replace a chain. I've worn out and replaced tines but never broke one of those either.

I have had several chain drive tillers without problems either. Chain drives and gear drives such as the King Kutter both work well. This isn't a problen with any good brands that I can think of.

When buying a tiller I would be more concerned about the overall construction quality, depth capacity of tiller, quality of the tines and ease of shoe adjustment. I am considering a small 48" King Kutter to use behind my mower for close quarters work, and am not concerned either way that it is a geared unit. It is quite a bit less cost than the Deere 647 and I think is good enough for my uses. The larger tillers do the brunt of the work for me.

 

[Baranx4]

I was always leaning to a gear drive unit till I saw this tiller. It's a baltic 200 over built like a tank and was very reasonable price wise.

http://www.agequipmentusa.com/productCatalog/Main/PdfViewer.aspx?el=60272

Ag Equipment USA | Product Catalog

It runs a #100 chain drive and makes my old tiller look like a toy. My old one worked well for what I used it for but it wasn't meant to till rocky fallow ground.
Here's the old one ROTOMEC - Products - Rotary tillers - Till-Rite T60