Adjusting a tiller

Sawyer Rob · Apr 27, 2015

I'm talking about tiller design....no matter what size it is or how it's used. I do a lot of gardens, in fact this is the tiller I use most on gardens and is my smallest tiller,

It's still a "properly designed" tiller that could be used in small fields and does a great job...

SR

jenkinsph · Apr 27, 2015

I till after a rain too when the need arises. About a week ago we had a slow rain for about 24 hours and I tilled up an area about an acre, that was taking advantage of the rain helping to soften the hard ground. Saved me some time and a second pass with the tiller, before the rain I knew it was going to be tough to till. The rain solved that problem for me.

There is a big difference between tiller sizes available, some can till about 4 inches deep but the larger tillers can go 12 inches deep. Just as some discs are small and some are much larger size and weight make a big difference. The notion that tillers are only good for small gardens is incorrect imo.

powerscol · Apr 27, 2015

"It is a 6' TSC 4 tine." All I can say this is an entry tiller for cat 1 tractors, but the bigger issue is weight. This is a 6' that weighs only 744 lbs. I believe it is chain driven too with a tilling depth of about 6" (they don't say in the info)

CountyLine® Rotary Tiller, 6 ft. W - Tractor Supply Co.

In tough soil it will do just as it did, stay on the surface. For efficient tilling you need at least 6 tines per flange, fast rotation speed, and weight. My YJR 074 weight is 919 lbs and even at that it will bounce on hard pasture. You also need to go slow for it to dig. My neighbor added weight blocks to his 5' KK to make it work better and he runs his with a BX Kubota. Even with this it does not do the best job. I took pity on him last week after watching him struggle with his garden and made one pass next to his worked area that did as much in depth as he had done in 4 passes. Once I broke it up, he was fine.

Also tine type and geometry do make a difference as well as sharpness. The other issue is the tilt adjustment of the tiller (top link) when lowered. Mine works best with just a bit of forward down angle when placed on the ground not running (resting on tines), so when at full depth the skis are running level or just a bit of forward tilt.

Hope this helps.

Walkin Horse · Apr 27, 2015

No it hadn't rained yet Friday when I used it. I took it off the tractor Sat before it started. I guess there could have been any number of things wrong. From being junk to to big of a tractor or adjusted wrong. But like I said it was a cheap lesson on tillers.

SamSpade · Apr 27, 2015

If I want to go deep, I go through it with my twin masted middlebuster first. It makes two trenches for the skids and the tiller takes a full bite the first time through.

TomSeller · Apr 28, 2015

SamSpade said:
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/422647-adjusting-tiller-100422140-middlebuster-wl-jpg"/>
If I want to go deep, I go through it with my twin masted middlebuster first. It makes two trenches for the skids and the tiller takes a full bite the first time through.

I do similar with the scarifiers on my box blade.

oldballs · Apr 28, 2015

SamSpade said:
View attachment 422647
If I want to go deep, I go through it with my twin masted middlebuster first. It makes two trenches for the skids and the tiller takes a full bite the first time through.

Same here. Sometimes I've used the Middlebuster, sometimes the Moldboard Plow, and sometimes the rippers on the Box Blade. It depends on the situation or what happens to be on the 3 pt. Then I go to the 54 inch (4 tine

) LandPride tiller.......with perfection no less.

powerscol · Apr 28, 2015

Then I go to the 54 inch (4 tine

) LandPride tiller.......with perfection no less.

OK so you got me with that one :thumbsup::laughing:

Have you ever noticed as to how various brands set up their tines? Some are gest offset the same between flanges so every other tine makes contact at the same time. On mine I noticed they are offset to form a spiral cutter like you find on some planers. It just seems to be smoother. Thoughts?

Sawyer Rob · Apr 28, 2015

powerscol said:
Have you ever noticed as to how various brands set up their tines? Some are gest offset the same between flanges so every other tine makes contact at the same time. On mine I noticed they are offset to form a spiral cutter like you find on some planers. It just seems to be smoother. Thoughts?

Use to be, all the cheapo tillers just had the tines any old way they could get them in there.

Even the old Howards had the tines in a "spiral", because it DOES do a much BETTER job. It's ONE of the things "others" are now doing to catch up to the better designed tillers.

A properly designed tiller, set up properly, doesn't need any "pre" tillage to get a good job of tilth, WITHOUT ruining the soil structure.

SR