Tiller Hey Guys...A little help - please!

veresjwv · Aug 20, 2011

I have searched this forum... searched tillers...tried to evaluate....can't make up my mind. Would love to hear your opinions. I want to buy a tiller, but I haven't a clue as to what kind and size. I own a L3400 Kubota 35 HP. I want the most tiller for my money, I don't care what the cost is I just want to buy my last tiller if you know what I mean.

I want something that will fit my tractor of course, cover the width of the tractor, and last me a long, long time. I live in central NC and the ground is easy to till mostly sandy. I tend about an acre of garden and just want the simplicity of making the ground ready for about 4 different crops a year and then the fall cover crop. Never owned a tiller always used two bottom plow and disc harrows, just want to make life easier!
Any and all help would be much appreciated! What should I buy???????

Thanks,
Joe

leonz · Aug 20, 2011

About your tiller needs:

Contact Ken Sweet via the forum here as he is TBN sponsor in good standing
and he will help you purchase the right tiller for your needs he carries at least
two lines of tillers from what I remember and you will be supporting a
TBN sponsor who employs a lot of folks.

Ken also ships from his warehouse in Kentucky as well.

www.sweettractors.com

_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

Haywire · Aug 20, 2011

Check out www.everythingattachments.com They're a sponsor too and in NC to boot.

bilrus61 · Aug 20, 2011

First off it would be good to know if your L3400 is gear or hydro. You'll need to go by the PTO power too. I just looked and if your tractor is hydostatic drive you have 28.5 pto horsepower. I tried to find the width of your rear tires and it would appear to be around 52 inches. If your wanting a really nice tiller look at the Befco T50 series. Look at the one that is 58 inches wide and rated for 25 horsepower. It has lots of features. Tills extra deep at 8 3/8 inches. Catagory 4 pto shaft. 100 wt chain drive. Just has lots of little extras on it even has a side shift if you ever get a bigger tractor. That would help you take out one tire which is fine really. Good weight for your tractor also. We've used its economy model, Rotomec, here for years with no issues at all. The T40 series would be good if your watching you dimes. Just about any tiller 60 inches or under will serve you well. I don't know of any "lemon" brands frankly. Tillers are pretty simple and about the only think you need to watch for is to make sure your slip clutch is funtional every spring. If your not going to do that better get a sear bolt protected PTO shaft.

BEFCO - Products - Rotary tillers - Till-rite T50 They are in Stoney Point NC.

A tiller is perfect for what your wanting to do. I leave mine on for ballast when I'm using my loader. There is no need to ever sharpen your blades. I like the standard front rotation as it does a better job in my opinion of tilling under green stuff for "green manures". My two tillers are chain drive and never had any trouble at all. Some say gear drive is better. I think they might be right to some extent but lots of heavy duty chain tillers out there working hard year after year. Most tillers will till slightly wider than they are listed by about two inches. Just the way the soil breaks up. Befco is made in Italy same as most tillers. Sicma and Maschio are other top quality Italian tillers that are sold under names like John Deere, Rhino, Bushhog and a host of other names. Look at them all but look close at the Befco tillers.

Don87 · Aug 20, 2011

bilrus61 said:
First off it would be good to know if your L3400 is gear or hydro. You'll need to go by the PTO power too. I just looked and if your tractor is hydostatic drive you have 28.5 pto horsepower. I tried to find the width of your rear tires and it would appear to be around 52 inches. If your wanting a really nice tiller look at the Befco T50 series. Look at the one that is 58 inches wide and rated for 25 horsepower. It has lots of features. Tills extra deep at 8 3/8 inches. Catagory 4 pto shaft. 100 wt chain drive. Just has lots of little extras on it even has a side shift if you ever get a bigger tractor. That would help you take out one tire which is fine really. Good weight for your tractor also. We've used its economy model, Rotomec, here for years with no issues at all. The T40 series would be good if your watching you dimes. Just about any tiller 60 inches or under will serve you well. I don't know of any "lemon" brands frankly. Tillers are pretty simple and about the only think you need to watch for is to make sure your slip clutch is funtional every spring. If your not going to do that better get a sear bolt protected PTO shaft.

BEFCO - Products - Rotary tillers - Till-rite T50 They are in Stoney Point NC.

A tiller is perfect for what your wanting to do. I leave mine on for ballast when I'm using my loader. There is no need to ever sharpen your blades. I like the standard front rotation as it does a better job in my opinion of tilling under green stuff for "green manures". My two tillers are chain drive and never had any trouble at all. Some say gear drive is better. I think they might be right to some extent but lots of heavy duty chain tillers out there working hard year after year. Most tillers will till slightly wider than they are listed by about two inches. Just the way the soil breaks up. Befco is made in Italy same as most tillers. Sicma and Maschio are other top quality Italian tillers that are sold under names like John Deere, Rhino, Bushhog and a host of other names. Look at them all but look close at the Befco tillers.

That is a good bit deeper than the competitors. I think the King Kutter tillers only go 7 inches(on the 60 to 72 inch).
But I agree, most any tiller will work in his ground as long as it's a forward rotation. IIRC someone posted that a reverse tine tiller used in his sandy soil would bury itself and caused him lot's of problems.

veresjwv · Aug 21, 2011

Gentleman - This is exactly the info I am looking for....Thank you! Until now I never heard of a Befco. I will most certainly check them out. Also, I have a hydro and totally forgot about the less power on the PTO......... This is why I come to the PRO'S

Thanks again.

Baby Grand · Aug 21, 2011

When it comes to tilling, I think you are actually ahead with the HST, even though the PTO HP is a little less. HST will let you select any ground speed you want while keeping your PTO speed up. Some gear tractors lack a slow enough bottom gear for certain soil conditions. Work around is you take a shallow cut, then a deep cut. So don't think of the HST as being a limitation to tilling 8^).

I have a King Kutter II 60" which has been a real work horse around here. Very happy with that purchase.

Haywire · Aug 21, 2011

I just bought that KK TG-48-XB tiller in my signature yesterday. Gear drive, even for my little Kubota. Does a great job so far. The sun baked ground definitely let me know it was back there. Big dust cloud. Probably should have waited till it rained to get some moisture in the ground.

It surprised me at how fast the tines turn as compared to a walk behind tiller. I'd say they were twice as fast.

Ian

veresjwv · Aug 21, 2011

Thanks guys, the KK TG 60 is one of which I have been leaning towards, I can't believe how heavy the specs say it is (I think around 700 lbs) I think weight would really help. Again my main concern is this will be my first tiller and I want to buy quality because I also want it to be my last tiller. It will be used many times in a year but not for long periods. Only have about an acre to tend. Also I am now looking at the Befco.

Really appreciate the comments, I trust your opinions!

Haywire · Aug 21, 2011

veresjwv said:
I can't believe how heavy the specs say it is (I think around 700 lbs)

The XB I have is the 'light weight' version for my sub-compact and the shipping weight is 450lbs. I believe it. Even with my FEL on, I was getting that teeter totter feel if I braked hard.

Ian