Tiller Advice on Kuhn Tiller

jhortonvt · Apr 13, 2005

I am looking at a used Kuhn EL 32-150 tiller. It's 3 y.o. yet the seller says it has only 30 minutes of use on it (apparently the soil in his area is clay, and it couldn't do much with it) and the tines still have the paint on them. He said it is a 60" tiller but it's listed by Kuhns as a 58".

He thinks he paid about $1650 for it (if you use the link below to Kuhns website for this model you'll see they list it for $2290 now) and he's asking $1200.

From what I've read Kuhn tillers are VERY well respected as one of the top two or three brands of tillers.

It's about a 90 minute drive to see it so I wanted to get an idea what you guys thought before I go look at it.

Kuhn EL 32-150

Darren · Apr 13, 2005

That's a deal! With spring here, I bet it won't last long. Kuhn is the Mack truck of tillers. Even though the smallest models use a chain drive, you won't have a problem. You're also getting a 16" hydraulic offset on that machine which means you can move it to the side to cover a wheel track.

The point about working clay is you have to do it when the mositure content is within a certain range. If a high clay content soil is dried out and cracked, the tiller will mostly just bounce up and down. If it's too wet you'll churn up big clods that turn into hard dirt balls. A quick test is to try to make a ball out of the soil in your hand. It should be wet enough to crumble easily under light pressure but not so wet it's sopping wet. Likewise it shouldn't be so hard you can't easily crush it.

2nstonge · Apr 13, 2005

I'd jump on that puppy in a minute. I checked them out - against all the usual suspects - and they are a GOOD tiller. Built like a tank and heavier than anyone else. You can't beat that price, and parts are local - alot of Kuhn dealers in our area.

-Norm

rdbrumfield · Apr 13, 2005

I had a Kuhn tiller and would get one again in a heartbeat. I had mine for 15 yr and it took incredible abuse. Hitting concrete, cable and you name it in places the "no there's nothing in there." The one I had was an EL 50 gear drive. I now own a 8' JD tiller and it doesn't compare to the Kuhn.

_RaT_ · Apr 14, 2005

You don't want that one, you better pass it up. Now where is this place you saw it and whats the telephone number, do they take checks? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

EastTexFrank · Apr 14, 2005

Go for it, you've got yourself one heck of a deal. I have the Kuhn EL32 but in the smaller version. I think mine is about 50" or 52", can't remember. Mine is chain drive but I haven't seen that make a difference. I got it after nearly destroying my body trying to till up my vegetable garden using a 25 year old Troybilt walk behind. That Kuhn tore up the hardpan layer that was giving me all the trouble, crunched and spat out some lumps of concrete and pretzelled a length of rebar, all without getting a dent or ruining the paint. It's a good, good machine. I wouldn't get rid of it for the world.

If the seller couldn't get that machine to till, it was because he didn't know how to use it or when to use it. With heavy clays, the timing is important. If it's too wet, it's just a mess and if it's too dry, it'll buck and bounce making a **** of a racket but it will till if you take it slow, slow.

HayDR · Apr 14, 2005

Why look at a used Kuhn EL32-150 when you could purchase a New Gear Drive CCM MR160 for the same money or less than the used Kuhn. THe Kuhn EL32-150 has a 35 HP chain transmission. The CCM MR160 has Gear drive 60 HP transmission. Kuhn publishes their weights with the optional wheel kits which adds 80-150 LBS so the Kuhn Tiller seems heavier than they really are.