Choosing The Right Tiller for BX25

savaytse66 · Jan 30, 2017

Hey all. As Spring approaches on our first full year on our new homestead (2 acres of lawn, 10 acres of woods, and 55 acres of pasture), I have decided that a good tiller is the next implement purchase for the 2010 BX25. We are planning to create a new food plot (roughly 6,000 to 7,000 SF) on the alfalfa pasture. I do not have a plow, so I am going to be using this to break ground in addition to breaking up chucks and incorporating compost and fertilizer. I guess I could use the box blade to break ground initially too, but that's a topic for another day. I have it narrowed down to two brands, but multiple models: Everything Attachments or KingKutter 48" gear drive, EA 48" chain drive, or EA 52" chain drive. By all accounts, at this size, the chain drives are generally preferred. But a few points and questions:

The 48" KK tiller is by far the heaviest in the list at 540 pounds. All of the EA branded ones are in the 350 - 400# range. How much of a difference will the weight make? Being a 3-pt implement, I'm thinking the extra 150lb will be a noticeable advantage. I always have the FEL connected to offset any weight.
48" vs 52"...The 48" should be just wide enough to cover my tracks, which are around 45". I am thinking this is the right width and should perform a little better by concentrating power over a smaller width. Any reason to consider the 52"? I also think my rows would work nicely at an even 48" with 48" walking paths in between. Maybe I just answered my own question...
In the 48" models, the KK had 6 flanges with 6 tines each, whereas the EA has 5 flanges with 4 tines each. When factoring in the 180# difference between the two, how much would this affect performance?

Any thoughts on a direction I should go? I am leaning right now towers the KK 48" gear drive, mainly because of the weight. But if the EA 48" chain drive is heavy enough at 362# with 5x4 vs 6x6 flanges/tines, I'd go that route. However, the KK is ONLY $50 more, so there's that...

Thanks all!

TripleR · Jan 30, 2017

I only have experience with Land Pride on my BX, so extrapolating from that, my choice between those mentioned would be the 48" KK.

newbury · Jan 30, 2017

With tillers and box blades it's relatively easy to add weight. I've a 5' KK tiller, but only because I badly needed a tiller, rental was going to cost about $300/week and the lightly used tiller was $800. And I've strapped concrete blocks on top for additional down pressure on hard clay.

That being written EA makes, sells and SUPPORTS darn good lines of equipment and if I was buying new I'd probably buy EA.

davesl708 · Jan 30, 2017

Your tiller should be wide enough to cover your tracks and not max out the hp of your PTO.
Heavier tillers will absorb more of the vibration and "bucking" when breaking hard ground.

savaytse66 · Jan 30, 2017

newbury said:
With tillers and box blades it's relatively easy to add weight. I've a 5' KK tiller, but only because I badly needed a tiller, rental was going to cost about $300/week and the lightly used tiller was $800. And I've strapped concrete blocks on top for additional down pressure on hard clay.

That being written EA makes, sells and SUPPORTS darn good lines of equipment and if I was buying new I'd probably buy EA.

Good point about adding weight. I never really considered that.

I have a 48" brush hog branded from EA, and I agree, their support is top notch. I've had a few minor problems with it, but I chalk it up to my inexperience, rather than quality.

TripleR · Jan 30, 2017

Personally in many years of using, wearing out and breaking equipment I have found with equipment adding weight to equipment not so designed to do so is a poor substitute for weight contained in the parts of the implement.

bigtiller · Jan 30, 2017

TripleR said:
Personally in many years of using, wearing out and breaking equipment I have found with equipment adding weight to equipment not so designed to do so is a poor substitute for weight contained in the parts of the implement.

I totally agree with this.

The heavier tiller will be more productive. Buying a 400 lb. tiller and turning it into a 600 lb. tiller is asking for trouble in the long run.