Putting walk behind tiller behind a tractor

bakerg · May 1, 2012

Surprises me how cheap and lazy I can be.:confused2: I needed to work up my mother's garden but with the walk behind rototiller I have, it wrecks havac on my arms and hands.

I am looking for a rototiller to put behind the Massey but haven't found a cheap one yet so I made my own. :thumbsup:

First I took a cat 1 drawbar and added a bar for the 3rd link. This will serve as a toolbar so I can add attachments easily.

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First attachment will be the walk behind tiller which I welded a hook to so it can attach to the toolbar.

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Hooked the tiller up to the toolbar and put a 3/4" pin in place to lock the tiller in place. Offset the tiller to cover the back wheel of the tractor.

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Now I can lift the tiller, start it , engage the tiller by using a velcro strap and till away without my hands going numb from all the vibration. :thumbsup::laughing:

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forgeblast · May 1, 2012

Nice job!!!

sea2summit · May 1, 2012

All I have to say is that is not lazy,,,that is awesome. Consider your idea stolen.

Zick · May 1, 2012

Nice work!

handirifle · May 2, 2012

I had wondered about something along those lines, but was more on the line of tractor powered. You solved that issue. Nice work.

Groo · May 2, 2012

it would probably work better if you took off the handles, the wheels and turned it around, but this way lets you still use it the way it was designed

bakerg · May 2, 2012

Groo said:
it would probably work better if you took off the handles, the wheels and turned it around, but this way lets you still use it the way it was designed

That's why I left it with the handles on, so you can still use it as a walk behind in small areas.:thumbsup: My son inlaw borrows it for his garden and you cannot use a tractor there.

schmism · May 2, 2012

Id love to see its performace in a youtube vid!

bakerg · May 2, 2012

schmism said:
Id love to see its performace in a youtube vid!

It has rained here quite a bit but when it drys up I will see what I can do.

bakerg · May 6, 2012

No vid yet

but it's back to the drawing board as the 3"x 3/16" angle iron was not strong enough and when I hit some hard ground and the tiller started bouncing it snapped the angle iron in half.

Will have to get some thicker mtetal.

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dusty3030 · May 6, 2012

bakerg said:
No vid yet but it's back to the drawing board as the 3"x 3/16" angle iron was not strong enough and when I hit some hard ground and the tiller started bouncing it snapped the angle iron in half. Will have to get some thicker mtetal.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/0428121152.jpg/

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http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/0505121307.jpg/

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I'd definitely beef it up and try it again. You're on to something good there.

Freakingstang · May 6, 2012

hmmm.... I love that idea.... I might have to steal that!

radioman · May 7, 2012

good idea, making do with what you have.:thumbsup:

bakerg · May 7, 2012

Well I went from 3/16" angle iron to 3/8" angle, will see if this hold up once the rain stops .

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JohnDeere4300 · May 7, 2012

Great idea!!!

.... And I agree with Radioman!...''Making do with what you have''!!! :thumbsup:

Have you ever seen these tow-behind tillers ??... Agri-Fab Universal Tow-Behind Tiller 36in. Width, Model# 45-0308 | Tillers | Northern Tool + Equipment

I think yours will be better because you can raise it with the 3PT-Hitch!!!

bakerg said:
Well I went from 3/16" angle iron to 3/8" angle, will see if this hold up once the rain stops .

What about putting a piece of flat-bar on top of the 3/16" angle-iron, and welding it all together ??.. That would really make it strong!!!... You may have to go to 3/8", or even 1/2'' metal!

Hope it all works out for you!!!

... Lookin' forward to seeing a video of it in action!!!

Bill

Groo · May 7, 2012

I think just beefing up you material thickness might not be enough. I'd ad a ridged link from somewhere like the handlebars to the vertical bar going to your upper 3 point.
another option would be to widen the mount and use 2 holes outside of the tiller frame.

Try one (or both) of those ideas if this one breaks too.

bakerg · May 7, 2012

Groo said:
I think just beefing up you material thickness might not be enough. I'd ad a ridged link from somewhere like the handlebars to the vertical bar going to your upper 3 point.
another option would be to widen the mount and use 2 holes outside of the tiller frame.

Try one (or both) of those ideas if this one breaks too.

Thanks, will keep it in mind if I still have problems.:thumbsup: It did work great until the angle iron broke.:

maplehillfrm · May 7, 2012

Groo said:
it would probably work better if you took off the handles, the wheels and turned it around, but this way lets you still use it the way it was designed

why would it be better to turn it around?? is it because it has a pulling tendency the way it is? and would it still till if it was pulled "backwards"? pretty cool idea, I like many others have thought about it, just havent got around to it, I have a troy buily, and was wondering if I could replace the blown engine in place of a pto powered, I may have to try this ,,

maplehillfrm · May 7, 2012

pretty cool idea,, once you get the bugs worked out, you will be good to go,, good for you,

Groo · May 7, 2012

maplehillfrm said:
why would it be better to turn it around?? is it because it has a pulling tendency the way it is? and would it still till if it was pulled "backwards"?

Power wheeled tillers run the opposite direction as the cheap walk behind tillers. I'm not sure about the PTO ones. I sort of remembered the one I use going "forward" to keep from tossing dirt at the operator. it digs in better. It probably wouldn't jump around as much either because it would dig in instead of jumping up. That type of tiller needs the tiller rotation to move the tiller, when used as intended.