Kubota Motor Bogging tilling

[Agrantina]

ok. I have a new L3240 and I was wondering what is a ok range running the PTO when it starts to bog down. Example I had to try the new tiller out last week and the plot was wet. I put the shoes on the tiller all the way up so it would cut as deep as possible. Just wanted to see what the tiller would do... Running the PTO at 540 per dash gauage.. It would bog down in the wetter ground to around 450 rpms. Then lower if I didnt pick it up some. What is the range on bogging that you would stop or lift the tiller? Is 50 to 100 rpm drop ok for a few minutes or would it matter?

By the way the tiller would cut 6in deep one pass in wet dirt and never load the tractor up enough I thought it was going to stall.. its a 5 ft tiller..

AndyG

 

[dex3361]

ok. I have a new L3240 and I was wondering what is a ok range running the PTO when it starts to bog down. Example I had to try the new tiller out last week and the plot was wet. I put the shoes on the tiller all the way up so it would cut as deep as possible. Just wanted to see what the tiller would do... Running the PTO at 540 per dash gauage.. It would bog down in the wetter ground to around 450 rpms. Then lower if I didnt pick it up some. What is the range on bogging that you would stop or lift the tiller? Is 50 to 100 rpm drop ok for a few minutes or would it matter?

By the way the tiller would cut 6in deep one pass in wet dirt and never load the tractor up enough I thought it was going to stall.. its a 5 ft tiller..

AndyG

Is your tractor HST or gear? Is it holding steady at the dropped RPM? If so it is fine the engine is just dropping down to a point it has a bit more torque. If the RPM keeps dropping so the motor can't keep up that would be lugging and not good.

 

[Agrantina]

Its the GST so geared.. It dropped to 450 and then to 400 rpm (PTO) but didnt go down any further and after about 10 ft kicked back up to 500 rpms did that evertime I got in the wet dirt.

AndyG

 

[arsenix2001]

I would think your ground speed and gear selection would be an important issue, i dont know about pto rpm, but in my old excavation business i never liked to bog the engine rpms more than 300-400rpm, any more than that and i backed off the joystick (pilot controls)

 

[ccsial]

I till with a geared tractor. I use the lowest gear of 12 forward. When it starts to bog down I raise the tiller a bit to unload it since I can't slow down any more.

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much what Randall said. Have you tried giving it more throttle? This is often a good indicator as if it will increase RPM or at the very least maintain steady RPM, your engine really isn't "bogging" down. I use the foot throttle on my geared tractors to bump back up when the RPM's drop due to a sudden load and let off when no longer needed.

 

[Baby Grand]

^ +1
... or just plan on making 2 passes - 1st shallow & 2nd deep.
Do you have a slip clutch or shear pin on your tiller?

 

[Argosy]

You said the ground was wet, how wet, how heavy is it? If the ground is heavy and wet it takes a lot of power to slice through it; it also will load up between the tines. FWIW it's not good to work wet ground. It tends to compact into hard chunks and is really hard to break it up again.

My tractor is half the horsepower of yours, the tiller is 8" narrower and I don't have any problem losing RPM. I use low range, 1st or 2nd gear. Let your ground dry up and try it again.

 

[Agrantina]

It is a slip clutch and it did slip a few times in that wet stuff. Not bad only about 1/2 inch off the sharpe mark I made on it. No doubt the ground was to wet, but I wanted to see what the tiller would do. Better to wait next time. The dirt was like glue on the tiller after wards, so if the tractor loaded up 50 to 100rpms on the PTO in this junk then I would think I am fine when- my over eger butt lets in dry out. :laughing:

AndyG

 

[peterc38]

I'm just jealous that you can even be tilling now. The ground is hard as a rock here.

 

[crazyal]

I'm just jealous that you can even be tilling now. The ground is hard as a rock here.

You can till snow. I've herd it's good therapy for cabin fever. Of course I wouldn't expect anything planted in the snow to grow.

 

[AceDeuce]

Slow your ground speed. You'll unload the engine and get a better (finer) result. Stay away from it if the soil is wet---you won't accomplish anything except make a mess. My BX has half the HP of your L and runs a 4' tiller at 1/4 throttle in Virginia clay without lugging.

 

[higgy]

You can till snow. I've herd it's good therapy for cabin fever. Of course I wouldn't expect anything planted in the snow to grow.

I thought that is where you planted the grapes for ice wine!

 

[crazyal]

I thought that is where you planted the grapes for ice wine!

It must be a long winter when I actually start to think that's sounds possible.

 

[higgy]

Lets plant them, we can squeeze them and drink it together, not much else to do for the next month as the ice goes and the mud comes.

It must be a long winter when I actually start to think that's sounds possible.

 

[jonyyuma]

Andy, were you in unworked ground or had you used a middle-buster or plow?...Plus working soft wet ground equals a clogged tiller head. On my plot, that equals quick washing the tiller, before the mud hardens.My tractor has nearly the same pto hp of 25, is see it varying a little as it hits hard spots. BTW. my ground is very muddy today. Jy.

 

[ZDB]

Agreed, anytime we have tried tilling soft wet spots it has resulted in fist sized clods that are a real chore to break up later.
it also compacts the soil right below tilling depth.

If you had of made the wine in the fall, you'd be drinking it now!
Glad to share mine though.

 

[Dead Horse]

my 3710 is an HST and I till at near idle, in low range......... The HST makes this combination possible and results in a quality, deep till, with very little shock load on the equipment.

 

[Argosy]

You need to crank the engine up and create some heat in it and let the slip clutch or shear pin deal with the shocks. A diesel needs heat for complete combustion, any engine needs decent rpm for the water and oil pumps to provide correct pressure and flow. Same for the gear box on the tiller, it is splash lube. If it's barely turning it's not getting hot and thinning the lube and flinging it around like it should. Too much heat is bad, so is not enough.