C'mon, that is entirely dependent on the gear RATIO. Many of the Japanese compacts have a creeper gear that is slower than you can go with a HST and maintain a constant speed. Constancy of speed is an advantage of gear. HST has it's place, and I know many people love it. But to claim it's better than a gear drive because it can go slower? That is not inherently true.
Tiller Appropriate size of a tiller
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And to the original post, you should have no trouble at all using a 72" tiller with your tractor if it is used properly. I have used a 72" with a diesel compact with 25pto HP (30 engine HP) and it was a reasonable match. You could probably use a larger one as well. The key, IMO, as mentioned in earlier posts, is to make several passes, never taking more than 2-3" per pass until done....then it's fine to till 5-6" deep on a final pass or re-tilling a week or so later after a rain has packed it lightly.
Bob_Skurka
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<font color="red"> Many of the Japanese compacts have a creeper gear that is slower than you can go with a HST and maintain a constant speed. </font>
True, but not all tractors have creeper gears. Many have a 1st gear that, when the PTO speed is correct, have the tractor moving a 0.75mph or faster. In many soil conditions that is simply too fast. If the tractor has a creeper gear, I would agree with you that it would be easily capable of operating the tiller properly.
But to the original post and the original question, I don't know if the tractor in the original post is HST or GEAR, and I don't know why Kubota suggests such a small tiller, but it surprises me that the tiller recommended would be so small. Perhaps it is a HST versus GEAR issue, perhaps not. I've tilled with both types of tractors, I see a lot of advantages to HST for operating a tiller, mostly as it relates to altering ground speed to match ground conditions. Generally I want a tiller that is not so large that I can make one pass at full depth and get the job done. I know a lot of folks recommend multiple passes, personally I'd rather have a tiller that is a bit smaller, but capable of being run at full depth on the first pass. I use a 50" tiller on a 30hp Kubota, many people probably think I'm nuts, but I believe I complete the job faster by making one pass at full depth than I could if I had to make multiple passes to achieve the same results.
True, but not all tractors have creeper gears. Many have a 1st gear that, when the PTO speed is correct, have the tractor moving a 0.75mph or faster. In many soil conditions that is simply too fast. If the tractor has a creeper gear, I would agree with you that it would be easily capable of operating the tiller properly.
But to the original post and the original question, I don't know if the tractor in the original post is HST or GEAR, and I don't know why Kubota suggests such a small tiller, but it surprises me that the tiller recommended would be so small. Perhaps it is a HST versus GEAR issue, perhaps not. I've tilled with both types of tractors, I see a lot of advantages to HST for operating a tiller, mostly as it relates to altering ground speed to match ground conditions. Generally I want a tiller that is not so large that I can make one pass at full depth and get the job done. I know a lot of folks recommend multiple passes, personally I'd rather have a tiller that is a bit smaller, but capable of being run at full depth on the first pass. I use a 50" tiller on a 30hp Kubota, many people probably think I'm nuts, but I believe I complete the job faster by making one pass at full depth than I could if I had to make multiple passes to achieve the same results.
Dargo
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Many of the Japanese compacts have a creeper gear that is slower than you can go with a HST and maintain a constant speed. )</font>
Apparently you have never been on a HST tractor. What you said here simply is not true. As I said, I had a JD 4600 (nice tractor - which has more HP than what you say your tractor has) and it flat would not work with my 72" tiller in my soil. A lower HP hydro tractor worked just fine. What I stated is straight fact using the same tiller on the same soil. The only difference was basically the gear vs. hydro in this application. For tiller work, a hydro transmission will without a doubt allow for a lower HP tractor to use a larger tiller than with gear drive. Is hydro better than gear? Who knows. However, what you stated is simply wrong.
Apparently you have never been on a HST tractor. What you said here simply is not true. As I said, I had a JD 4600 (nice tractor - which has more HP than what you say your tractor has) and it flat would not work with my 72" tiller in my soil. A lower HP hydro tractor worked just fine. What I stated is straight fact using the same tiller on the same soil. The only difference was basically the gear vs. hydro in this application. For tiller work, a hydro transmission will without a doubt allow for a lower HP tractor to use a larger tiller than with gear drive. Is hydro better than gear? Who knows. However, what you stated is simply wrong.
JerryG
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<font color="blue"> Apparently you have never been on a HST tractor. What you said here simply is not true. </font>
Wayne has worked on and / or owned more tractors that what most of the posters here have ever even seen. It does have to do with gear ratio. I know for a fact that there are a lot of gear tractors that will work at 1/4 of a mph or less. My lowest gear is .23 mph.
Wayne has worked on and / or owned more tractors that what most of the posters here have ever even seen. It does have to do with gear ratio. I know for a fact that there are a lot of gear tractors that will work at 1/4 of a mph or less. My lowest gear is .23 mph.
Dargo
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Well, if that is true, he would not make a statement that a gear tractor will run at a slower ground speed than a hydro tractor can. Anyone who has operated, or even understand how they work, know that his statement is flat wrong. That's simply bad advice.
Inspector507
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I think he qualified his comment with <font color="blue"> Many of the Japanese compacts have a creeper gear </font>
He is correct when comparing a HST with a tractor with creeper gear.
He is correct when comparing a HST with a tractor with creeper gear.
Dargo
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Okay, sure. That is why the owners manual in nearly all hydro tractors state their ground speed as "infinite to XX mph". A gear tractor has an "infinite" slow speed in creeper gear? Any gear reduction transmission will give you a specific ground speed. Period. I don't feel a need to comment any more on this subject. I feel like I'm trying to prove that the earth is not flat, and that water is not wet. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Dargo, read the whole statement. This is how stuff gets misunderstood. I said </font><font color="blue" class="small">( Many of the Japanese compacts have a creeper gear that is slower than you can go with a HST and maintain a constant speed.)</font> I DID NOT say </font><font color="blue" class="small">( he would not make a statement that a gear tractor will run at a slower ground speed than a hydro tractor can.)</font> as you state. Read the maintain a constant speed part. And don't leave it out. And I stand by my statement. And I'm done. Believe what you will. Jerry and Jerry, thank you.
Bob, you are correct in what you say, your tilling method is perfectly valid, I just like the other method, esp. when breaking new ground, as it seems to be easier on the equipment.....I know of no actual or anecdotal proof that either is better.
Bob, you are correct in what you say, your tilling method is perfectly valid, I just like the other method, esp. when breaking new ground, as it seems to be easier on the equipment.....I know of no actual or anecdotal proof that either is better.