Tiller finally got to use ccm tiller....have a ?

leeinmemphis · Jun 17, 2006

Hey everyone,

Yesterday I got to uncrate the ccm tiller and hooked it up to the tractor. It was the first piece of equipment that I used on my new Pats ez change system and that is awesome! Made hook up a piece of cake. My tractor is a kubota 5040 4wd. I put the tractor in low range first gear and engaged the tiller and reved the motor up to 540pto rpm. When I lowered it into the ground it acted like my tractor was trying to go too fast for the tiller. My tractor is a standard transmission tractor(non-hst). Is there anything else that I can do to help alleviate this problem? FYI the ground is clean(rock/root free) but has not been broken up in probably over 10 years. I do have a 3ph disk harrow and a pull behind hydraulic lift disk so I guess I could make a few passes with them if it would help the tiller a little. Any advice would be great!

Bob_Skurka · Jun 17, 2006

If the ground is packed and the tractors speed is too high for conditions, then only lower the tiller PART way instead of to full depth, make a couple passes to get to full depth. You probably won't have problems next year when you till the same ground.

Doc_Bob · Jun 17, 2006

I agree, take less of a bite.
Bob

OkieG · Jun 18, 2006

Your disc may or may not cut into the ground as deeply as you wish to till. If it does, I would break the dirt up with the disc first, then till.
I am the proud, new owner of a small, old (new to me) disc that no way would break up hard ground enough to make it easy for the tiller. What I do is make a couple passes with the Middlebuster (potato plow) before tilling. For this purpose, a MB is a reasonable subsititute for a "real" plow.
Of course, you could just make a few progressively deeper passes with the tiller as mentioned by previous posters, but I think tilling already broken ground would be a bit easier on your new tiller, especially if the ground is as hard as it sounds like yours is.

OkieG

neverenough · Jun 18, 2006

leeinmemphis said:
Hey everyone,

Yesterday I got to uncrate the ccm tiller and hooked it up to the tractor. It was the first piece of equipment that I used on my new Pats ez change system and that is awesome! Made hook up a piece of cake. My tractor is a kubota 5040 4wd. I put the tractor in low range first gear and engaged the tiller and reved the motor up to 540pto rpm. When I lowered it into the ground it acted like my tractor was trying to go too fast for the tiller. My tractor is a standard transmission tractor(non-hst). Is there anything else that I can do to help alleviate this problem? FYI the ground is clean(rock/root free) but has not been broken up in probably over 10 years. I do have a 3ph disk harrow and a pull behind hydraulic lift disk so I guess I could make a few passes with them if it would help the tiller a little. Any advice would be great!

You have 2 options, IMO.
1) Take your hydraulic lift disc, set it as agressive as possible (put the most angle on the disc gangs you can), and weigh it down as much as possible, without damaging anything, and make passes on the ground until you have penitrated the soil about 6 inches. Then till full depth.

2) Set the tiller on the minimum depth setting (one inch depth, or what ever minimum is), then till the area. Keep lowering the tiller after each time tilling the area until you have gone as deep as desired. Once the soil has been worked over, from then on, depending on the type of soil, you may be able to go full depth in one pass.

I alway's disc my garden in the spring, right after the frost is out, to loosen up the soil. Then, just before I plant, I use the tiller to mix the soil, and bury last years "garden waste".

Doc_Bob · Jun 18, 2006

Lee, that is one nice looking tiller

Bob

leeinmemphis · Jun 18, 2006

thanks fellas. I received a pm suggesting that I should let it totally dig down prior to moving forward and I may have not given it enough time to do that. I am going to try that next time I get a chance to see how that works. Thanks again.

LeadPoison · Jun 18, 2006

Option 3: Creeper gears.

rickmacheske · Jun 18, 2006

I put the scarifiers down on the box blade all the way and tear the surface first. With all the rock at my place I have to do that first anyway so that I don't tear up the tiller.

jeepinator · Jun 18, 2006

rickmacheske said:
I put the scarifiers down on the box blade all the way and tear the surface first.

That is what I have done as well. It brings the big honkers to the surface for me to laboriously tote away.

I am assuming, based on what I have read in this thread, that the Kubota 5040 has it's forward speed sync'd with engine RPM? Is this the feature hydrostatic drive systems improve on?