Tiller Rotary Tillers

jbrumberg · Mar 15, 2006

To All:
I have an old Woods T42 tiller (drive shaft/differential style) that I ran off my old, traded-in Ford 1100. The Woods is 22 years old and I have been running it with a cracked gearbox housing for 10+ years (I add gear lube before each use.). Although I am in the process of repairing my tiller I believe that sooner or later with my new tractor (NH/F TC29DA with 29/23+HP and 54.3" width), I will R.I.P. my old tiller. I do not really trust chain driven equipment and have been researching tillers similar to my old Woods, as well as gear driven units like King Kutter and/or CCM. I would like input from the global community as to your ideas/suggestions. Thank you for the anticipated responses. Jay

Bill_C · Mar 15, 2006

I don't have any idea what to recommend, but I also have a Ford 1100, and I was considering a tiller for it. Would you be interested in selling your old tiller, if it's not completely worn out....though I suspect the freight cost may not make this worthwhile (I'm in Nashville TN).

john_bud · Mar 15, 2006

I have the 60" KK gear drive. It has been beat and beat hard going off of rocks, stumps and even logging cable and chains. It has only gotten 2 broken tines and a few cracks in the mounts in 3 years. Cracks get fixed this spring, tines when I find some.

It has pulled up granite from the small fist to bowling ball size. Several larger than that have been pulled up in pieces. It bounces off the really big rocks, the size of cars and houses. It leaked last year when the bottom bolts backed out. I inspected the gears and bearings at that time and they looked great.

Sorry, but I can't give any reference points on other units!

jb

Bird · Mar 16, 2006

I can't recall anyone complaining about the tiller he bought, whether gear or chain drive. I can't get over a tendency to think the gear drive units might be tougher. However, it also seems to me that the automatic tensioner on chain driven units might let them absorb some shock at times. Personally, I had a chain driven Bush Hog tiller that was used and abused for over 7 years with no problems or repairs. The tines definitely showed signs of wear but never broke one. I not only did lots of garden tilling, but sometimes when our clay was so hard and dry that I couldn't scratch it with the front end loader, I'd run the tiller over it. It would hop up and down and make lots of noise, but it worked. I hit a few hidden stumps; it just jumped up and over them. And once, doing a job for a neighbor on a place he had just bought, I found I was tilling up a brick sidewalk that was about an inch under the dirt. So I don't think the chain vs. gear drive would be any deciding factor for me.

Farmwithjunk · Mar 16, 2006

I wanted a tiller for years before I broke down and bought one. Simple logic convinced me I needed an expensive name brand model, and I just couldn't justify the expense.

I finally got the opportunity to try a 72" King Kutter about 5 years back. It took all of 10 minutes to convince me that it was as good as a tiller needs to be. And it was (is) the cheapest one I could get at that time.

So I bought one. Never second guessed that choice. I've used and abused it. Rocks, roots, a buried foundation, re-bar, fence wire, and every now and then, some dirt. Nothing shakes it. I bought 4 left and 4 right hand tines as spares when I got the tiller. I've used one of each so far. Changed oil a couple times, and kept the drive shaft greased.

I won't try to say there isn't a tiller made any better, just the King Kutter is as good as it needs to be.

KiotiJohn · Mar 16, 2006

I bought a Woods 52" tiller for my Kioti CK20HST, chain drive, and it's been great. I've had no problems with the chain drive and have hit some pretty good obstacles.
I can't speak for the gear drives other than to say that many have posted that their gear drive tillers such as the CCM perform very well.
I don't think there is a great difference in dependability between them. Maintenance, over all, will probably equal out.
John

HillbillyFarmer · Mar 16, 2006

I bought a very expensive JD 681 for my new tractor last fall. I was at the TSC store the other day and looked at the much cheaper brands they have there. They look about as good as the really expensive one I bought.

BTW: I wonder how much hydrocarbons you dumped into your garden over the years? Not sure I'd want to eat those veggies.

KiotiJohn · Mar 16, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( BTW: I wonder how much hydrocarbons you dumped into your garden over the years? Not sure I'd want to eat those veggies. )</font>
I think I'll not bite on this.
John

DDT · Mar 16, 2006

I have a Landpride 2570 for about 4 years and it is close to needing a 3rd set of tines. It is a chain drive, I have bent a few tines (just a little) but so far not broke one. The large rocks, tree stumps and roots and even a few water meter covers, that will snap the cast in to and even found a 20' X 1 1/2" steel water pipe. I found out then the slip clutch was froze. A tiller takes a beating and keeps on running. I can not think of any other equpment that will expect this type of punnishment and not so signs of wear. My 2cents

sweettractors · Mar 18, 2006

We have been a dealer of farm equipment for almost 30 years and from our experience, chain drive tillers are best suited on machines under 80 inches mounted on compact tractors. However, We will sell only gear drive tillers 80 inches and over for larger tractors. Usually the added weight from gear drive tillers is not a good situation when mounting on a compact or sub compact tractor. A lot of these smaller tractors have limits on the 3 point capacity. I have long suspected that there are dealers/distributors that may under rate the weight of the gear drive tillers they sell, in order to capture more sales from small tractor owners. (Sorta like some muscle car mfgrs, probably under rated engine hp in order to keep insurance rates affordable) --Ken Sweet