gear vs. hydro for pulling tiller

Bob_Skurka · Dec 21, 2004

Actually, I can't stand onions!! 

Murph, if you use a sharp knife, you can cut the base off so you have a flat spot on the bottom. They stand pretty stable that way. Do it a couple times and it will become second nature to you. You won't have any trouble standing them after that.

cowboydoc · Dec 21, 2004

I have 3 ranges on my gear tractor for a total of 12 speeds. 

All of the bigger name tractors this is certainly pretty standard for a CUT Bob. Which tractor doesn't have at least 3 ranges in the CUT class??

CMunger · Dec 21, 2004

It depends if you need the power to move at a faster ground speed, and how wide the tiller is. And yes you would run the tiller at the same RPM at 1000 as you would at 540, the engine would be throttled back. As far as power loss at a lower RPM, yes that is true, but how much depends on the torque curve of the engine, and what RPM that lower speed is, and that is a "Whole Other Kettle Of Fish". These "Coffee Shop Demo's" never worked for me.
Chuck M.

Bob_Skurka · Dec 21, 2004

Doc, take a look at the discount brands that are about 3 to 7 years old. There are lots of those units out there and many have 8 speeds (4x2) instead of 12 (4x3) or 16 (4x4). The Jinma 20hp units sold by Northern have a 6 speed forward, 2 reverse gearbox and 1st gear is set at 1mph. Kioti's LB1914 has an 8 speed gearbox, 1st is set at 0.75mph which is probably fine in many conditions but still too fast in some. Mahindra's 2015 has a 6 speed gear box, don't know the minimum speed but I can guess it is not 0.5mph or lower. There are other examples, but depending on soil conditions, even 0.5mph may be too high of a speed sometimes.

_RaT_ · Dec 21, 2004

Oh Murph, really? Perhaps your just not getting them prepared right. Whether it's yellow, white or my favorite for salads and meats, the red onion, they all add a spice to life that is quite wonderful. Out here in California we have so many varities of vegetables available year around, it makes it hard to resist stopping by the many thousands of ag stands dotted throughout the highways and picking up the local fruits and nuts. Rat...

PS, I tried the Sportsman 500. Very nice!

bandit67 · Dec 21, 2004

( Out here in California it makes it hard to resist stopping and picking up the local fruits and nuts )

You pick up a lot of hitchhikers? I think some of those fruits and nuts keep moving out here to be with the other fruits and nuts in Boulder. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RoyJackson · Dec 21, 2004

"Which tractor doesn't have at least 3 ranges in the CUT class?? "

Well, the 790's only have 2 ranges for a total of 8 speeds forward, 2 reverse.

But, again...1st gear low is 0.7 MPH. That's too fast for tilling?

DavesTractor · Dec 21, 2004

( But, again...1st gear low is 0.7 MPH. That's too fast for tilling? )

Under most circumstances, it is a little fast. For example, crawl ranges in the Yanmar's that are built specifically for tilling are normally in the 0.01 MPH in crawl 1st to about 0.20 MPH in crawl 3rd range. Yes, that is about 8 feet a minute, or about 32 sq. feet per minute with a 4' tiller at the slowest ground speed. It makes itty-bitty pieces out of the earth.

0.7 MPH, like in your JD 790 will work OK on previously tilled soil or if you make a few light passes. People use such machines all the time and are satisfied, but if they used a true crawl range tractor or an HST to rototill, they would then know what they had been missing.

chickenfarmer · Dec 22, 2004

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

cowboydoc · Dec 22, 2004

I agree with you on the discount brands Bob. I'm talking about the name brand deluxe models that you could even get a hydro on. If you're looking at a unit that you could get hydro on then every unit I've looked at that wasn't a low end model you had either 12 or 16 gears.