Tiller How do I hook up my Grey Market Kubota L1500 and RS1200 Tiller?

Your Boat Captain · Apr 1, 2012

I was a tractor virgin until last week.

:confused2: I picked up a Kubota (Grey Market) L1500 tractor in great shape :licking:. Yesterday I picked up a RS1200 Tiller. :licking: It is orange in color and the side plate says its a RS1200. I ordered new tines for it and they will be here Tuesday (04/03/2012). I don't know for sure the manufacturer but I think it is a Kubota because its orange. Anyways, the guy I picked it up from gave me a short (approx. 8") pto shaft

and some type of hookup that bends in the middle

. I don't have a clue how to hook this all up together. I am a picture learning kinda guy so I would like a few pictures on how to get this going. I was told the tiller was grey market and actually made for the grey market tractor I have now. He also told me everything to complete the connection and get the tiller running was included. (short shaft and bending connection thingy). With all that said, I am needing some education on how to PROPERLY hook it all up together. Any help would be greatly appreciated.:thumbsup:

k0ua · Apr 1, 2012

Your Boat Captain said:
I was a tractor virgin until last week. :confused2: I picked up a Kubota (Grey Market) L1500 tractor in great shape :licking:. Yesterday I picked up a RS1200 Tiller. :licking: It is orange in color and the side plate says its a RS1200. I ordered new tines for it and they will be here Tuesday (04/03/2012). I don't know for sure the manufacturer but I think it is a Kubota because its orange. Anyways, the guy I picked it up from gave me a short (approx. 8") pto shaft and some type of hookup that bends in the middle . I don't have a clue how to hook this all up together. I am a picture learning kinda guy so I would like a few pictures on how to get this going. I was told the tiller was grey market and actually made for the grey market tractor I have now. He also told me everything to complete the connection and get the tiller running was included. (short shaft and bending connection thingy). With all that said, I am needing some education on how to PROPERLY hook it all up together. Any help would be greatly appreciated.:thumbsup:

So are all of us

We don't have a clue what the hookup thingy that bends in the middle is. A picture would help us a lot to help you.:thumbsup:

James K0UA

284 International · Apr 2, 2012

Welcome to tractorbynet, and congratulations on your tractor!

Just so you know, grey market usually refers to the several Japanese manufacturers (Kubota, Yanmar, Iseki, Shibaura, Hinomoto, Mitsubishi, Satoh, and Suzue) who produced small tractors for Japanese farms. After some period, these tractors are returned and often re-sold overseas. Since they weren't imported through normal channels and without the manufacturer's approval or intent, they are "grey": not illegal, but not supposed to be here, either.

The RS1200 came with some Yanmar and Kubota tractors alike, as I understand things. The 1200 is the width of the tiller in millimeters. If yours is like the others I have seen, the short shaft connects onto the output shaft of the tractor, and fastens to the tiller. There is a bracket that is mounted, or should be mounted, onto the tractor above the PTO shaft,where the top link would normally go. It might take two pins.

The short "bending connection thingy" should be a miniature link that connects the bracket to the tiller. This geometry allows for a very tightly coupled tractor and tiller, but gives ample clearance when raised. The tiller should have two rods that connect to levers kind of beside/behind/under the seat, that lift when the position control lever by your right hip is pulled back. Those lift the body of the tiller when everything else is attached.

You should have 4 PTO speeds. Try first gear for rougher or new ground. Don't let it try to cut too deeply at first. Two lighter passes are better than one deeper shot. You can use all the speeds on the PTO for a properly matched tiller, but I find higher PTO speeds don't really do anything productive, but they leave behind a frothy, fluffy tilled path behind the machine that is very deep and soft. I just find it too soft for most things; your desires may vary from mine, of course.

rambler · Apr 2, 2012

I'd love to see pics of what you have, esp the 'bendy thing' so we can help you. Like you say, pictures are worth a lot......

--->Paul

Your Boat Captain · Apr 2, 2012

Here are my photos I just took this evening. Any help would be appreciated.

284 International · Apr 2, 2012

The triangular bracket pins onto the tractor, and the part with the ball attached to it pins onto the tiller. The shaft with the six splines female end hooks onto the tractor, and the square end slides into or over the square shaft coming off the tiller.

Two pieces off the tiller will attach to the lifting arms on the tractor; they aren't in any of your photos.

The tiller is on its face, basically. Roll it away from the camera 1/4 turn to be in operating position.

Be sure to check the lubricating oil in the side case. The other side of the tiller has a bearing that needs to be lubed individually. It does not get any lubricant apart from what is directly applied.

Your Boat Captain · Apr 2, 2012

284 International,

Thanks for the information. I will try it tomorrow and check the oil and bearings and get back with an update on how its going.

Again, Thanks for your help!