Tiller HP for Tillers

sl3uth · Feb 10, 2004

Hello, I've been reading many, many posts regarding tillers...and TBN has been a huge wealth of valuable information.

I have a 20 HP CUT with a little more than 17 to the PTO (Kioti LB1914). As I look over the requirements for tillers, they never mention whether the HP they are talking about is PTO-HP or "tractor HP" (AKA engine HP).

To be conservative, using the PTO horsepower would push me to a 48" tiller or below. Since I have turf tires, this wouldn't cover my tracks. To do this, I would need at least a 58" tiller.

I don't think weight's a big issue for my tractor, but can that large of a tiller be driven by little more than 17 PTO HP?

Do the shape of the tines affect the load on the tractor in a significant way (i.e., L or C)?

Thanks for any help!
Sam

RalphVa · Feb 10, 2004

The approx. 30" Gravely tillers were designed for the 7.6 hp models, possibly even as low as 5 hp models. This would put you up to over 60" for your 17 PTO hp. I'd buy one to cover your tire tracks. You might have to adjust the depth if it gets to be too much and make 2 passes.

Ralph

Egon · Feb 10, 2004

I would assume that the tiller's are rated for the horse power required at the gearbox. If you want the larger size some tines can be removed if it turns out the tractor can't handle it.

For myself working in very rocky clay soil with a 48 in. farm king rotatiller and a 12 pto hp tractor I have removed half the tines. This allowed the slip clutch to function as my tractor HP was to low otherwise. On the very out side the tines facing out have also been removed as they were constantly breaking from being jammed with rocks. The C type tines appear to work better for me.

When selecting a rota tiller tine clearace to avoid rocks jambing is very important to me. Your soil conditions may have different requirements.

Egon

Dave___in___CT · Feb 10, 2004

Hi...

Another option... some tillers can be offset to one side... so that wheels tracks are covered...

Dave...

GareyD · Feb 10, 2004

I've run a 60" tiller behind a Ford 1700 12 speed about 19 PTO HP. for the last 6 years...Used it in sandy soiled S. Georgia & rock and clay N. Georgia.

Worn out 4 sets of tines and only caught a couple of rocks...I have more problems with roots and baler twine that the previous land owners left everywhere for the last zillion years, choking the tines until they are just a solid drum /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I break new ground in 3rd gear and finish till in 2nd...the dealer I bought the tiller from said you need the ability to hold the tractor back, more than the HP to turn the tiller because on hard ground the tiller wants to push the tractor.

GareyD

SteveM · Feb 10, 2004

I think you will be fine with 5 foot. I had a 48" behind a 12.5 hp kubota subcompact - probably around 10hp at the PTO - never wanted for power, and I live on solid clay. Even with that small tractor, I never got pushed - just a gentle rocking motion. I always tilled in the low range, maybe 2nd or 3rd - really slow.

RonR · Feb 10, 2004

Hi Sam,

I looked the tillers and just didn't like the smaller sized, not cover the tracks or have to offset (which limits how you can til the ground). I ended up getting a 52 inch Bush Hog that covers my BX2200's tracks.

I figured I could make more passes and not go as deep if HP was a concern. We have hard clay, so this ground is about as tough as you can find (except for rocks). I also figured I could go slower if HP was a concern.

I have been very happy with mine. With my hst, I can creep and the tiller just chews and chews. I found that trying to go deep in one pass made the tiller hop all over, so I set the skids to 2" and now make multiple passes. On subsequent passes, the skid shoes are a couple of inches deep, so the end depth is 4+ inches.

Several areas I tilled for grass seed seemed to do better if I DIDN'T go more than 2-3" deep. Places where I went 8" just didn't seem to firm up in time to plant.

So far, I'm happy I went with the size I did.

Best wishes,
Ron

sl3uth · Feb 10, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( When selecting a rota tiller tine clearace to avoid rocks jambing is very important to me. Your soil conditions may have different requirements. )</font>

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Egon, the above quote interests me. Since I've never run a 3pt tiller before, I really don't know what clearance is needed. I have read your posts in other threads about the rough land you have, but I'm not quite sure how to relate that to my (as yet) unknown rock condition. Is the important clearance a matter of the distance between the tines and the side...or between the tines and the top?

I have seen many pictures of older tillers where the sides are open...is that better for the functionality? I would guess there's safety reasons for the sides...or is it just the way they build them now?

Thanks!

Sam

Egon · Feb 10, 2004

The clearance is important for both the sides and the top. It's usually a fist sized flatish type that jams up. The side problem was eliminated by removing the outward facing tines. The top clearance can aided by keeping the back metal flap up as high as possible or even removing it.

One more thing is never turn with the roatiller working as this can also break tines.

Wish there was more advice I could give but am sure there are others that will.

I've attached a blurry picture showing some of the rocks i've tilled up and picked.

Egon