6ft Rotory Tiller not getting job done

[Tony H]

Not familiar with The River. Looked it up on line and at a casual glance, the gearbox looks way tiny. Maybe it can't handle your ground. My Kubota neighbors tiller literally has what looks like a solid rear axle mounted on top of tines. Big gears in that differential casing. That unit, has chewed up virgin soil that was weeds, clay and shale in two sweeps. I was way impressed.

 

[OzarkChris]

I have either extremely hard clay soil (when dry) or a mucky mess clay soil (when moist to wet). Although I could "probably" just use the Tiller, I find it much easier on the equipment if I either use the subsoiler to break it up or a moldboard turn it over before tilling. We've tried several different way to make the soil better (1. Tons of sand, 2. Yd3s & Yd3s of chicken litter, 3. Bales & bales of wheat straw), but none of this seems to help long term - typically whatever goes in the soil (to amend it) doesn't stick around in the soil for more than the first planting. We do winter beans, squash, potatoes etc and the soil (which is great according to county ag) is hard as cement.

If your soil is like mine, you might think about looking around for a used mold board or subsoiler (should work on a 48hp, the one I use for our garden is only 55hp and it pulls a 2 plow like it isn't even there). Make sure you do some research if you get a plow, it really needs to be set up for "your" tractor before you use it the first time - many people on YouTube that have videos on how to setup a plow.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I have either extremely hard clay soil (when dry) or a mucky mess clay soil (when moist to wet). Although I could "probably" just use the Tiller, I find it much easier on the equipment if I either use the subsoiler to break it up or a moldboard turn it over before tilling. We've tried several different way to make the soil better (1. Tons of sand, 2. Yd3s & Yd3s of chicken litter, 3. Bales & bales of wheat straw), but none of this seems to help long term - typically whatever goes in the soil (to amend it) doesn't stick around in the soil for more than the first planting. We do winter beans, squash, potatoes etc and the soil (which is great according to county ag) is hard as cement.

If your soil is like mine, you might think about looking around for a used mold board or subsoiler (should work on a 48hp, the one I use for our garden is only 55hp and it pulls a 2 plow like it isn't even there). Make sure you do some research if you get a plow, it really needs to be set up for "your" tractor before you use it the first time - many people on YouTube that have videos on how to setup a plow.

I have the same soil type. It’s either peanut butter or peanut brittle, and it dries out really fast. I tilled sphagnum peat moss into the garden and it has helped a lot. I broke it deep with a plow then tilled the peat moss in. A lot of it. It made a huge difference. Because my soil is acidic and so is the peat moss, I also added a healthy dose of ag lime. I also put red clover on it in the fall and then till it under in spring.

 

[jefjulia]

Depends on the soil type and moisture level. It is easier on the tiller and a deeper cut is obtained if the ground is ripped, plowed or disced first. Also short or dead vegetation is better than live. But, rototillers can work in virgin soil under the right conditions and right soil type. As for me, I rip before rototilling and get a much deeper job: ripped deep and fine layer on top. Just rototilling alone still leaves a lot of the root underground ready to come back up.

 

[gckshea]

New 48hp tractor and 6ft Tar River tiller. Others told me this tiller is a good unit, and I trust their opinion. My land hasn't been farmed in 3 years, so weeds have grown. I mowed the weeds down first. I then hookup up my tiller and gave it a try. Ground is clay, loam so not exactly peat. The tiller's Slip-Clutch PTO protection keep the tines from running most of the time, basically making very little progress. I went over the land three times, having to adjust 3pt manually up just scraping the dirt so didn't engage the Slip=Clutch PTO protection. Painfully slow process. End result is maybe 2-3 inches of depth of till.

I'm wondering if I first need to get a small cultivator this run over this ground first? I have about 6 more acres to go and seems very inefficient to continue with the tiller like this. Can anyone think i'm missing anything here? I'd love to just keep the tiller on and not swap it out and buy another implement (plus hooking up the tiller was a pain in the @ss). Thank you

Your slip clutch might well be adjusted too light. A 6 foot tiller in clay/loam, without a bunch of rocks, ought to be going to town and 48hp wouldn't even sniffle. Try tightening the six or eight nuts on the clutch spring plate a quarter turn at a time evenly all around. You'll get to the point when it will till, but will still be loose enough to slip for an obstruction.

 

[flagpond01]

New 48hp tractor and 6ft Tar River tiller. Others told me this tiller is a good unit, and I trust their opinion. My land hasn't been farmed in 3 years, so weeds have grown. I mowed the weeds down first. I then hookup up my tiller and gave it a try. Ground is clay, loam so not exactly peat. The tiller's Slip-Clutch PTO protection keep the tines from running most of the time, basically making very little progress. I went over the land three times, having to adjust 3pt manually up just scraping the dirt so didn't engage the Slip=Clutch PTO protection. Painfully slow process. End result is maybe 2-3 inches of depth of till.

I'm wondering if I first need to get a small cultivator this run over this ground first? I have about 6 more acres to go and seems very inefficient to continue with the tiller like this. Can anyone think i'm missing anything here? I'd love to just keep the tiller on and not swap it out and buy another implement (plus hooking up the tiller was a pain in the @ss). Thank you

You should plow first then it's a breeze.

 

[Bearsixty7]

Just so everyone see's it, OP responded and made changes that helped, Post 38.

Hey all - i wanted to thank everyone for very useful info. I was able to make the following adjustments, and now the dirt is damn near like potting soil. Much happier now. Still slips on occasion, but much better than before.

1. adjusted the slip clutch 1/4 turn, tested, and repeat. Ended doing that about 4 times.
2. raised up the depth from 2 to 1 - so now the most shallow the tines can go (on a scale of 1 to 4)
3. double-checked my leveling of the implement 3pt hitch. I noticed the right side was slightly higher than left, so adjusted it down.
4. I have a large pile of composted leaves from last Fall I dumped a few buckets into the soil as well. Worked up real nice with the clay loam soil.

When I bring my tractor in for it's first 50 hours service (at 25 hours now), I'll have the mechanic look at that slip clutch to ensure the disk aren't burned out completely from my initial use of tiller (and yes there was smoke). thank you

 

[DK35vince]

If the ground needs plowed and disced before using a tiller, why bother with a tiller at at all.

 

[Fielding]

I have the same tiller also known as chinese yct-066, Its all right enough.

But in new areas I always go for an explore with the subsoiler in two directions first, finds all the big rocks!

 

[Rightsaidfred]

-Plow it first

-Then till it (with the clutch adjusted properly) if you dont have a set of discs.

Only time ive used my 7ft tiller instead of disc's is when I was re claiming a field over run by swamp grass. Even after plowing the discs just didnt make any impact on it. for "normal" fields, I plow then disc...no till. There is something to be said for minimum tillage, I no expert but its what Im reading.

Also....I have similar soil here, there is no way I'd attempt to till my fields that have not been worked in a while without plowing them first. Too hard on the tiller and the progress is too slow.

Id also say to be cognizant of the moisture content of the clay based soils once it is plowed, too wet and that tiller will clog up pretty quick and you'll make little progress. I have these issues in my food plots I plant for the deer as well.