New to owning a tractor and looking for a tiller!

[Roberts2600]

I am new to owning a tractor and I have a shuttle shift 1626. I am looking to start a garden this year and I would like some wisdom from the community on PTO Tillers. I would like to purchase a 5ft tiller that will hold up well to dirt, clay, and rocks. I don't want to spend too much since this is my first time, but I also don't want to buy junk either. I found some local places (box stores) and some distributors that sell them. Below are some that I found locally but I am open to searching for other options/bands if they are a better-built tiller. Furthermore, what do you look for when buying a rotary tiller? Lastly, do you need any other parts to connect the tiller?

Titan Ironcraft 4ft Tiller With Slip Clutch - $1695
5 Foot Rotary Tiller with PTO Shaft, RT5 - $1899 (Rurla King - Box Store)
CountyLine PTO Tiller 5 ft. - $2299 (Tractor Supply - Box Store)
Other options????

 

[azbinder]

I would highly recommend a "reverse till" unit IE: Landpride "RTR" series. You will ind there will be a lot less "bounce" especially in hard and rocky ground. Also, you will get a better bed if you run a a little slower ground speed and let the tiller do it's job. Some people want to get it "done" and run too fast.

 

[jjeff]

I have experience with the county line made by tartar 5' gear drive tiller had for five years usually til 1-4 acres a year for Xmas tree rows and sweet corn worked good for me Im a 1st gen hobby "farmer" so there was a learning curve, I didn't break it or the tractors thankfully. They come with a slip clutch make sure it's adjusted properly, Mine also came with instructions on how to make it a reverse direction. Kind of in depth depending on your mechanical skills. I pulled it with a old Kubota l2850 initially now I use a old l4150 both are gear driven tractors. Any questions feel free to ask. Good luck

 

[nybirdman]

I have had a Bush Hog branded tiller for 19 years and three tractors and it has held up well in our rocky soil.Broke the drive chain a couple years ago(repair link ,simple fix).Lots of acres done.
I service the slip clutch every year.
I think it's 63".

 

[Bearsixty7]

I have a Terra Force ER 062 Tiller, gear drive, forward rotation and it was highly rated when I was researching for one a couple years ago. I haven't used it a lot but so far it has worked great. I'd recommend looking into them but they don't make an ER under 62" and that may be too much for your tractor. They do have other models that are smaller and chain drive.

Terra Force INC. - Rotary Tillers - ER Series

www.terraforceinc.com

 

[bigtiller]

I am new to owning a tractor and I have a shuttle shift 1626. I am looking to start a garden this year and I would like some wisdom from the community on PTO Tillers. I would like to purchase a 5ft tiller that will hold up well to dirt, clay, and rocks. I don't want to spend too much since this is my first time, but I also don't want to buy junk either. I found some local places (box stores) and some distributors that sell them. Below are some that I found locally but I am open to searching for other options/bands if they are a better-built tiller. Furthermore, what do you look for when buying a rotary tiller? Lastly, do you need any other parts to connect the tiller?

Titan Ironcraft 4ft Tiller With Slip Clutch - $1695
5 Foot Rotary Tiller with PTO Shaft, RT5 - $1899 (Rurla King - Box Store)
CountyLine PTO Tiller 5 ft. - $2299 (Tractor Supply - Box Store)
Other options????

Your 1626 has 19 pto horse power. The Titan Iron craft 4ft Tiller would be the best fit. A bigger tiller or a reverse tine rotation is to much for your 1626 to power unless your ground is very soft and sandy.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The IronCraft units look pretty well built. We are buying one ourselves. I’ve yet to read a tiller thread and hear anyone rail against one brand or another. They all seem to be fairly well built. That said, I did notice the tillers at RK had simple pins that protruded for the three point attachment, instead of the common “U” shaped reinforced attachment points which accept pins. For your purposes, 4’ would probably suffice. I went up to 40pto HP to accommodate a 6’ tiller. The ground here is a little heavy, and I don’t want to stress the tractor unnecessarily

 

[SuperHerb]

You mentioned rocky ground, so depending on the size and amount of the rocks, a forward rotation tiller may be of benefit. Reverse rotation makes for a nicer tilled soil, but I've found the forward rotation can ride up and over problematic rocks easier. YMMV

I have a King Kutter 72" (I think KK makes some County Line tillers) and it works like a dream, but I've only used it one season so far so time will tell on long term reliability. I do have to say that my soil is clay with lots of rocks varying from football sized to baseball (baseball/softball sized is very common) with the occasional large "oh crap" buried rock so it has got a workout and has worked without issue. I tilled a 15' x 30 ' garden and around 1/2 acre of food plots for deer with the plan to add more this year.

At any rate, a tractor driven tiller will amaze you with the results versus what you can do with a hand guided self propelled tiller of any size in clay soil, so either way (forward or reverse rotation) I think you'll be more than happy.

 

[Roberts2600]

Your 1626 has 19 pto horse power. The Titan Iron craft 4ft Tiller would be the best fit. A bigger tiller or a reverse tine rotation is to much for your 1626 to power unless your ground is very soft and sandy.

I really appreciate everyone's input but most importantly yours because I thought I had more HP to play with. I honestly didn't realize my PTO was reduced to 19 from the 25.9 listed on the engine. I did find on TractorData.com my tractor lists the gear PTO as 21.5 but that still doesn't meet the recommendation of the 25 - 40 HP the 5 ft tillers ask for in most cases. So I have to ask the dumb question is there a way to get to the minimum of 25 HP on the PTO? I'm thinking the answer is no or no not without damaging the tractor itself but I feel I need to ask so I know for sure. Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[bigtiller]

I really appreciate everyone's input but most importantly yours because I thought I had more HP to play with. I honestly didn't realize my PTO was reduced to 19 from the 25.9 listed on the engine. I did find on TractorData.com my tractor lists the gear PTO as 21.5 but that still doesn't meet the recommendation of the 25 - 40 HP the 5 ft tillers ask for in most cases. So I have to ask the dumb question is there a way to get to the minimum of 25 HP on the PTO? I'm thinking the answer is no or no not without damaging the tractor itself but I feel I need to ask so I know for sure. Thanks in advance for your input!

Oh, you must have a geared transmission rather than a hydrostatic one.

I don't know if there is a way for a diesel mechanic to increase the hp.