Tiller Max working depth of tillers - Keen Kutter vs County Line

[MESSMAKER]

I have a KK tiller. It goes about 6"deep. Very good product. I would buy another.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Generally tillers wont go beyond 4" on one pass, if that. 6" in 2 passes is about the best you can do in most soil types.

That may be true for the two tillers being discussed in here, but it isn't true once you get into the better made HD tillers...

SR

 

[majorwager]

As stated, a tiller will NOT penetrate 8 inches on first pass, except in very sandy conditions. Have never run a reverse tine but it has been reported they are more efficient at burying stones/rocks

Forward tines, as exist on my befco, tend to bring stones to the surface. Mine is chain driven, not sure if gear drives produce a different result. I use STRAIGHT blades on mine, the goal is aeration, NOT cultivation.

Weight is a very important factor in a tiller. They are self destructive and tend to vibrate and shake themselves apart. A slip clutch is preferred over a shear pin for relief.

EDIT:

Guess Clarification required: All of my equipment is stored in a dry secure metal building, the slip clutch on my tiller is free and operational . Have never considered exterior equipment storage as an option.

 

[Fallon]

As stated, a tiller will NOT penetrate 8 inches on first pass, except in very sandy conditions. Have never run a reverse tine but it has been reported they are more efficient at burying stones/rocks

Forward tines, as exist on my befco, tend to bring stones to the surface. Mine is chain driven, not sure if gear drives produce a different result. I use STRAIGHT blades on mine, the goal is aeration, NOT cultivation.

Weight is a very important factor in a tiller. They are self destructive and tend to vibrate and shake themselves apart. A slip clutch is preferred over a shear pin for relief.

Ya, the bounce pretty good when they hit things.

Most if not all I've seen have a slip clutch. Those clutches will rust solid in less than 1 year. Every year you need to pull them apart & do the maintnance on them. Last year I loosened up all the clutch bolts & it wasnt free. Stuck a 2x4 in the tines & fired up the PTO at idle. There was a loud bang & the tiller cut over half way through the 2x4 powered by nothing but the rust on the clutch. Clutch finally slipped. Tightened it up a bit to briefly polish up the plates, then all the way to spec. If that rust is added to normal clutch pressure it's likely the PTO shaft or something internal to the tractor goes bang rather the 2x4 or clutch.

 

[fried1765]

Ya, the bounce pretty good when they hit things.

Most if not all I've seen have a slip clutch. Those clutches will rust solid in less than 1 year. Every year you need to pull them apart & do the maintnance on them. Last year I loosened up all the clutch bolts & it wasnt free. Stuck a 2x4 in the tines & fired up the PTO at idle. There was a loud bang & the tiller cut over half way through the 2x4 powered by nothing but the rust on the clutch. Clutch finally slipped. Tightened it up a bit to briefly polish up the plates, then all the way to spec. If that rust is added to normal clutch pressure it's likely the PTO shaft or something internal to the tractor goes bang rather the 2x4 or clutch.

"Those clutches will rust solid in less than one year"
May be true for some.....but I keep my tiller inside, and have never had any sort of rusting problem.

 

[Fallon]

"Those clutches will rust solid in less than one year"
May be true for some.....but I keep my tiller inside, and have never had any sort of rusting problem.

True. I'm on Colorado , which isn't known for lots of humidity or rust. But mine still gets stuck together after being outside for under a year.

 

[CalG]

No Till is the present theme.

I've been doing it for 3 years in the gardens, Family has been doing it for a few more years on 1000 acres in the Dakotas.

Cover crops are an issue, but No Till Is the way to go. It doesn't give you a return that you have "done something", but, the earth worms and soil structure love it when you DON'T Till.

Put the $$$ that the tiller costs into smothering mulch.

See what that yields.

mechanization is the answer... What was the question?