Kubota FL-1271R Tiller - couple of question

travelrider73 · Mar 25, 2019

Hoping someone here has one of these. It's a Japanese made 52" Kubota rotary tiller.
Looking at a used one.
First: $1200 a reasonable price?
Second: In Florida soil, OK on a B7100HST?
Third: If I upgrade to something bigger, like an L series, will this tiller suddenly be too small?
Forth: Can this tiller be offset? I don't see a method looking at pictures of it.

That's it!
Thanks!

War Eagle 2 · Mar 25, 2019

I had one for 33 years. Bought it new in '85 and just sold in '18 for $800. Used it on my Allis Chalmer 5200 (compact 4x4 25hp diesel) The tractor width was set at 48" so this tilller at 52" would cover my tracks. Mine was offset to one side, as it looks like this one is also already offset. When you have this unit hooked up to your tractor and pto connected you will see the offset more easily. The unit was used every year and all I ever had to do is change the oil and replace the tines one time in all those years. Great unit and I was very happy with it. The only reason I sold it was because I bought a cabbed tractor and it has a rear wheel width of 58". When tilling I always want to have the full width of my tracks covered so I needed to get a bigger tiller. So I sold the 52" and purchased a 60".

This 52" will work on a bigger tractor as long as you can work with knowing it might not cover your full tire width. If your concern is whether it can handle bigger HP you just need to keep the slip clutch adjusted so you don't twist or break anything if it gets caught on a buried rock or big root.

Don't know much about Florida soil but what I would think it is more sandy and loose pack than the farm soil up here in Idaho. I think that would make it easier to till and not require as much hp as the soil I till up in my neck of the woods. I would think the trick to using the 52" tiller on your smaller tractor is going slow so it doesn't overwork or stall the tractor.

The R in the tiller designation means it is reverse rotation on the tines so that feature requires a bit more hp to operate than using standard rotation. But again with a smaller hp tractor you just drive at a slower speed so you don't stall the tractor.

travelrider73 · Mar 25, 2019

Thanks! I appreciate your detailed reply. I think I'm going to buy this thing. This one appears to be "barely used". You sold one with a ton of use on it for $800. You think $1200 is a fair deal for me if it's in great shape? If not, what number would you be thinking. I'm also glad you confirmed that it's a reverse rotation. That's what I wanted!

I guess I'll see when I go look at it in person, but I'm curious how the offset is adjusted on this one. I don't see a sliding mechanism, and I'm pretty new to this, so it might be painfully obvious in the photo and I'm just not seeing it.

450 · Mar 26, 2019

I just bought this one for $750. It’s a 60” tiller. You can adjust the offset my unbolting the pieces your pins bolt through and flipping them around.

travelrider73 · Mar 26, 2019

Well, I bought it. Got them down to $1000, and might have been able to do better, but I needed a tiller NOW and this one was in good shape.

Anyone have a service manual for this tiller? I found a parts sheet for it on KubotaBooks, but no owner manual and no service manual.
I'm curious how you change the fluids; or do you? Maybe you just top them off?
Need some details like what oil to use, what is considered "full", should I drain it somehow and start fresh just to be safe?

In the (borrowed) photo attached, is that the "full" line for the chain housing (not sure what you actually call that housing)? Just looking at it, it looks like you remove the plug up top and remove the plug on the side. Fill until it leaks out the side plug and then you know you're full. That's a total guess on my part based on looking at it.

What about the oil for the top gears?
I don't see oil drains on this implement at all.

Thanks!