Here is a picture of the used BCS 715 with tiller attachment I bought yesterday. I appreciate all the help from this forum with my trying to figure out how to check transmission oil and tiller gear box oil. I have no manuals but I have ordered a CD. I have looked for over a year for a good used heavy duty rear tine tiller and this one came up on Craig's List in Tampa Bay where I live. Prior to conducting research on this one I had never heard of BCS two wheel tractors. I am very impressed now that I have this one and from the research and input from others. I was looking for a heavy duty tiller to last me a lifetime and I believe I have made a good choice. Mine will only be used for tilling as I already have a Kubota 4wd diesel tractor.
My new to me BCS 715
- Thread starter Ezzrider
- Start date
- Views: 23744
Looks real good and you got the wider tiller, what is it 26"?
One thing you should do is leave the clutch lever latched in(like you do when you start it) when not in use. Otherwise the clutches have been know to stick.
We've got a 4WD diesel tractor too, but our BCS gets used about as much.
One thing you should do is leave the clutch lever latched in(like you do when you start it) when not in use. Otherwise the clutches have been know to stick.
We've got a 4WD diesel tractor too, but our BCS gets used about as much.
milkman
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2001
- Messages
- 3,625
- Tractor
- BX2200, BCS 735
I think you got a really good deal on that machine, and it will last you for many years. I bought a new 735 in 1987 and it's still going strong. Here's a link that might interest you if you haven't seen it yet, lots of info and pics.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2-wheeled-tractors/40025-2-wheel-tractors-buying-using.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2-wheeled-tractors/40025-2-wheel-tractors-buying-using.html
The tiller box measures 26" across. Is that how you tell the width or do you actually measure the tines across? The box is a full 26" though. Thanks for the tip on the clutch. I am going to go out and do that now.
Thanks. I have ordered the CD on this as I do not have a manual. I am still trying to figure out the tiller box gear oil access point. I have looked it all over and I cannot see where it is but I have not yet removed the hood. I was waiting until I received the CD. I am going to go ahead and change out all fluids, new spark plug and I am going to need new tires sometime in the near future as these have some dry rot. These tires read 4.00 x 8. I saw on ebay some that are reasonable for a pair. Less than $100 with shipping but I will have to install.
Thanks. I wound up paying $500 for this machine. The owner had no use for it and had bought it used himself. I am the 3rd and final owner.
Yeah, that's a 26" tiller. Our 715 had a 20" on it. Our new 852 has a 26", but it is narrowed to 20" for cultivating between rows all the time. The extra 6" was cheap enough that we got it. You can narrow all the BCS tillers by removing tines and/or bobbins and adjusting the hood ends. Yours should, IIRC, work as a 18", 20",and 26" tiller. It's all in the manual you get on the CD.
As far as the oil fill plug: You are not going to find it with the hood on. Note that the vertical center part of the hood is actually 2 pieces, hiding this.
Thanks for the photos. THAT is why I cannot see or feel the dang plug!! You are correct. The hood must come off!! I see there is one bolt that seems to be holding on the hood and then another that is where the height adjustment lever is. I do not see how I can just remove the center portion but I will take another look. How do you draw the arrows on your photos? That is a great help.
You remove the two connections at the rear that you just mentioned and it will tilt up pivoting on the one bolt at the front. The center piece doesn't come out by itself.
I draw the arrows with a program called GIMP. I run Linux and it is a free Image Manipulation Program. It is confusing, I really only know how to resize pictures. I just learned drawing the arrows, but still can't figure out how to change to color of what I draw.
milkman
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2001
- Messages
- 3,625
- Tractor
- BX2200, BCS 735
Yeah, that's a 26" tiller. Our 715 had a 20" on it. Our new 852 has a 26", but it is narrowed to 20" for cultivating between rows all the time. The extra 6" was cheap enough that we got it. You can narrow all the BCS tillers by removing tines and/or bobbins and adjusting the hood ends. Yours should, IIRC, work as a 18", 20",and 26" tiller. It's all in the manual you get on the CD.
As far as the oil fill plug: You are not going to find it with the hood on. Note that the vertical center part of the hood is actually 2 pieces, hiding this.
Wow, new tines, are those the ones that Joel sells for rental units? I'll have to replace mine and I like the looks of those.
I will give that a try later today. I went by Tractor Supply yesterday and picked up some 80-90W gear oil so I intend on changing out all the oils. I already have some
10-30W Kubota engine oil. I run Windows XP so I don't have that picture option. Thanks again.
10-30W Kubota engine oil. I run Windows XP so I don't have that picture option. Thanks again.
milkman
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2001
- Messages
- 3,625
- Tractor
- BX2200, BCS 735
I have XP on one of my computers and use MS Windows Paint to make the circles and arrows.
I will give that a try. By the way I believe I have read that the oil put in the tiller gear box needs to be slightly underfilled not to blow out seals? If the fill area is on the top I guess there is a drain plug on the bottom of the gear box? I have not seen one. How much do you put in your gear box? Hopefully I will received the CD in the next day or so.
You mean the tiller box has to be completley removed to replace the oil and turned upside down to drain? Dang. I believe there were 2 bolts holding the tiller box to the tractor. So ya need to remove the hood to check the level and remove the entire tiller box from the tractor to remove and refill. Maybe this is not big deal but it does seem like a poor design? I guess there is a shaft that runs from the tractor tranmission back to the tiller box that will be undone with you take off the tiller box. Is that a big deal or fairly simple? Boy I need that CD. Thanks again.
Relax, it's real easy. Much easier than swapping 3-point implements, and you need to grease the inside of that anyway since I doubt it's been done recently. I could swap between the sickle bar and tiller in about 2 minutes without the quick connect.
Remove the 2 nuts and the tiller slips off. The PTO shaft inside is where the actual engagement/disengagement takes place and is why it needs greased. It'll be explanatory when you get there. Hint: Have the PTO in the off setting when you do it.
It is actually a better design than a drain plug that would be all worn away from years of dirt and stone abrasion. When I replaced the tines and seals in ours, I had to replace every stud and nut due to them being worn.
I guess you are correct on the wear on the studs and nuts from years of dirt and stone abrasion. I switch out 3 point implements on my Kubota that can be a real pain so I guess this should not be a severe issue. I guess when I get it removed I will see how the PTO shaft sits in the tiller box. I am very familar with putting the PTO shaft back on my Kubota tractor and it needs to be in nuetral to spin the gear on the back of the tractor to line up with the PTO shaft. I guess this will be simular? When I remove the tiller gear box is there any type of seal that is where the tiller bolts to the tractor? When I do this once it should be simple from then on.
milkman
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2001
- Messages
- 3,625
- Tractor
- BX2200, BCS 735
When you take the two nuts off that hold the tiller to the tractor, nothing leaks out, there is a bearing and a seal on the end of the splined shaft on the tiller. On the tractor end, there is a female splined coupler that engages the splines on the tiller shaft. The tractor end also has a seal that holds the transmision gear oil. Grease the splined coupler where it slides on the tractor shaft and where it couples to the tiller shaft. It's really a simple coupling and is easy to figure out once you get it apart. Still haven't found my manuals, I know they're around here somewhere.
Thanks. I received the CD today's mail. It has a manual on it and I am in the process of reading up on it now. Unfortunately we are getting a lot of rain this afternoon due the the passing of the storm in the Gulf so I will not get a chance to take things apart.
Here are some similar links:
