Help me justify a TILLER.

[SkunkWerX]

Tony, at those prices you got a heck of a deal for a tiller in good shape.

Sounds like your top-link adjustment will help you out. if not, you can take a measurement and even fabricate a solid toplink dedicated just for the tiller, out of steel flat stock, something like 3/8" thick stock should do it.

Since the tiller is so close to the tractor, be sure you do check your PTO shaft length (as was mentioned) , and that you have some play when it is at it's shortest length, as you raise and lower. PTO shaft kinking can really cause major problems like cracking your trans case and such.

I'm putting in a new garden in the spring, but my tiller has paid for itself with all of the landscaping it's done. Raised beds and a border for my fence line were worth the cost of the tiller, alone.

What would have taken days and days to till with my Troybuilt Horse tiller, took about 20 minutes with the 48" tractor mounted tiller.

Gald to hear you took the tiller plunge, you won't regret it!!

 

[oldhippy]

Tony I think that they are for thumping with your finger (kills some of that idle time we all have). Really don't have a clue. Don't seem to affect anything. You might ask on the Yanmar board.. big dan

 

[MacLawn]

MacLawn, things move very fast around Southland. I think 4-5 of his original 8-10 tillers are gone in this first week. I'm about sure you'll be picking from the scraps if you wait until after your Japan trip. I'm going by there this morning, and will take a digital photo of whats left and post it here for you.

Thanks a lot Tony! I'm in no hurry ($ a little tight now), but I do want to at least look, and if I could get one for about $300 or so, I just might swing it. From the posts here, I realize now how much I could use a tiller. I'm looking at all kinds of places that need busting up!

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Tony, I'm not home today so working from memory which isn't the best any longer. Think the skectch provided has the orientation correct. There are several different top link mounts. Believe mine has a decal with the various models it is intended to be used with. There is also some info on length for the link itself. Seem to recall the link dim is on a decal on the tiller.

When properly adj'd the tiller pivots as it is raised and lowered. Even with proper link and adj, the tiller come very close to the rear wheels. I've got one of the harbor freight QM hitches and no longer use the Yanmar top link. I modified the mount on the tiller so it complies to cat 1 stds. Works great for me.

 

[tony123]

Used the tiller yesterday! I tried every conceavable way to adjust the toplink and bracket, and none mad it any better. Then, I tried using the short 10" toplink without the bracket peice. That was actually an improvement, and I think will work for my purposes. Now it only rubs the tire if in the fully raised position. It doesn't hit when operating. So, I just lift it a few inches off the ground when driving around.

Mickey, there are no stickers on my toplink, but it is likely that mine is not the one for this tractor.

As long as the dirt is smooth, the tiller is. Runs like a dream. It did get to clanking some when I would uproot football sized rock. Thats not the tillers fault though.

I think it was stated earlier in this thread, that a tiller is not about how much you use it, but more about how much less you have to use all the other tools. hahaha..... I got my garden fluffed down to 10" in all of 15 minutes.

Maclawn, I drove by Southland to get your photo, but they weren't open.

I'm now going to continue my discussion over on my "farm thread", as it will be more about operation of the tiller, and I don't want to double post. Thanks to everyone for the help. Here's a link to that thread. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/109242-building-hobby-farm-woods-eggs.html

Here are some photos.

 

[MacLawn]

Tony, see you back at the "woods-eggs" thread

 

[shimp]

tony
i was wunderin if yer lift arms are set at halfway or all the way out with the tiller on?

 

[tony123]

Shimp, I hope you're on to something. I don't know how to tell? Can you explain how I would determine? thanks.

 

[LBrown59]

Since the tiller is pretty compact it is my preferred counterweight for the loader.

Charles

mine makes a good counter balance for the front blade.

 

[LBrown59]

I had a coworker in your same predicament and had a hard time justifying buying one. I found him a used 5' grey market tiller that was in perfect condition for $500 and he paid for it the first spring by putting up flyers and a newspaper ad to till gardens. He established a minimum fee of $50.00 and said he ended up turning down work. There are a lot of people that would love to have a garden but no way to put one in...if you wanted to go that route it is easy to justify the expense by considering it a business investment.

The main obstacle to doing this is hauling the rig and the insurance matter.