Rototiller questions...

[e.myers]

What happens when a rototiller meets a pine stump?

Have 7 or so acres of land that has been cleared of pine stumps but there may be a few left.... not many however.
Property also has roots and a minimal amoutpartially decayed pieces of limbs between 2 & 3 inches diameter max and probably a foot long max (basically what the excavator missed/ couldn't grab because too small)

Wondering if I'd be a complete idiot to try and rototill the land before I do something else in an effort to find the stumps.
What would you recommend?

Also trying to eliminate buying/ the need for a chisel plow because my hp budget won't allow it. Is a chisel plow going to do anything for me that a rotary tiller would not do? I'm thinking the chisel plow is going to get deeper but not as deep as a subsoiler. How deep can I expect to till with a tiller.

Any brand recommendations?

 

[bigdad]

Make sure the clutch is adjusted properly on the tiller then hold on tight Buckeroo!

 

[e.myers]

So, if the clutch is adjusted properly, I shouldn't tear it up?

Sounds like it'll be kind of like when my troy built garden tiller takes me for a ride when it catches a decent size root!

Will the tiller even ride over a stump that's protruding from the ground (no "guard" at ground level in the front?) I guess not because then you'd just kind of rip the tiller off the back of the tractor.

Would it make a difference if I had a forward or reverse rotation type tiller? BTW, why would I want one over the other?

 

[Ron D.]

I would be a little aprehensive about using a tiller until I checked pretty thoroughly for stumps. The slip clutch set loose will certainly help, but you could do some major damage to your tiller and tractor if you're not careful. What about getting something like a 3 point rake (hp friendly as compared to deep ground engagement implements) to clean up the miscellaneous sticks, etc., and if there is a stump, you would feel it with the rake.

Are the stumps cut at the surface, below, or slightly above. If they are visible, walk your acreage and flag anything you want to avoid.

I have a forward rotating tiller, but have read where a reverse tine tiller takes more power to operate than the forward rotating, and is more likely to "hang" on an object, like a stump, than a forward rotating, that is more likely to go over the object. If you decide to till before doing anything else, I would set the slip clutch loose like bigdad recommends, and set your tilling depth shallow.

Let us know what you decide and how it works, we all love to hear the follow-ups.

 

[robbianderson@netzero.net]

I'd try to find an old [ CHEEP] disc harrow befor taking a chance on tearing up something expensive

 

[e.myers]

Alright.
Y'all have convinced me that I don't want to take a new tiller out there. Sure as the sun shines I'd miss a stump and trash it and be kicking myself later.

I actually have a very old disc harrow (a 4" diameter tree has grown up through it) that will probably do for at least finding the stumps. Have no idea as to the condition or what matters as to condition. Guess that is another thread.

Still need to look into the whole reverse vs forward tilling types. Some have both options I believe. Wonder what the theory is on both operations?

 

[jenkinsph]

Alright.
Y'all have convinced me that I don't want to take a new tiller out there. Sure as the sun shines I'd miss a stump and trash it and be kicking myself later.

I actually have a very old disc harrow (a 4" diameter tree has grown up through it) that will probably do for at least finding the stumps. Have no idea as to the condition or what matters as to condition. Guess that is another thread.

Still need to look into the whole reverse vs forward tilling types. Some have both options I believe. Wonder what the theory is on both operations?

Today in between posting about your tractor purchase I have been rototilling a new patch of ground. I mentioned and recommended the 673 tiller with forward tine rotation because of the issues you are asking about here. With a forward tine tiller it will climb over the stump or chew it up if it is small. I live in the mountains in New Mexico and when working in poor ground can routinely till through rocks the size of a 1 gallon container and smaller. Occasionally a small rock or limb will jam and stop the tiller but not often. As mentioned while tilling today I flipped up may large rocks and roots without damage to the tiller.

I use a landscape rake to clear as much debris as possible but still you are going to find stuff in new ground. These tillers are really tough.


steve

 

[tatra805]

2cents

i would certainly go over the place with my bladebox teeth at max depth before going in with the tiller. (dont know how good discs are in pulling up stumps)
Had my 3pt toplink broken due to a rock at the moment of lowering the tiller into the ground. thumb smashed but that was my mistake.

One difference between the forward-backwards tillers is when something breaks on a forward tiller (as mine) it will try to overtake the tractor, most of the time this means jumping up and pivoting towards the back of tractor.

Preparing the land with discs or ripper teeth will make it an easier and faster job for your tiller anyway, so why risk anything.

 

[bigdad]

When I get into a root or a rock I can tell because the tiller will jump and you can hear it hit the inside of the tiller box. BANG! As much stuff you can expose in your path the better.

 

[roamrdb]

mr myers, i sent you a private message that should be of some benefit.

 

[rambler]

A tiller goes pretty shallow - a few inches is all. It will not go as deep as a plow or chisel or ripper or subsoiler.

A chisel plow or subsoiler can go 2 feet - tho probably not with a compact tractor, and you would need a very strong implement & tractor to work through roots & stumps.

A disk will roll over most of the obsticals and you won't notice them so much. But it will show you where some of the stumps are. It will go about as deep as the tiller.

You want a tiller that will roll up & over the stumps. It will really bounce & rock on you, you'll have a heck of a ride for that many acres. Once in a while it will stall out the tractor.

I cleared up a very small area of my grove with a tiller. I ran the tractor & tiller at idle speed. When I hit something tough, it would kill the tractor engine. This was preferable to hitting it at full speed & twisting something off. If you get a beefy tiller, your tractor pto becomes the weak point, and can break the pto shaft inside the tractor.

I'd like a bulldozer with a set of rear rippers to go through, work the ground up deep & pull up the old roots on 6 or 7 acres. Will be a lot of work picking those all up, but - that's a big area to till & clrear out stump bits the hard way.

Good luck.

--->Paul

 

[Egon]

Several years ago a friend insisted I use his 65 HP. tractor with rototiller. One pass and it was down about 12 inches. More passes would have gone deeper.

The tractor had a creeper gear and was running at 850 RPM's. The tiller was a heavy duty model. It found many new rocks in my fields, broke a few shear pins but otherwise all was good.

In your case I'd give the tiller a try and see how it works. If you do not like the initial results you can always pull some rippers through to find the stumps.

 

[jenkinsph]

Several years ago a friend insisted I use his 65 HP. tractor with rototiller. One pass and it was down about 12 inches. More passes would have gone deeper.

The tractor had a creeper gear and was running at 850 RPM's. The tiller was a heavy duty model. It found many new rocks in my fields, broke a few shear pins but otherwise all was good.

In your case I'd give the tiller a try and see how it works. If you do not like the initial results you can always pull some rippers through to find the stumps.

I might add the tiller I recommended has a slip clutch, so no shear pins to break. I made the initial pass about 4" deep and picked all the trash up, then made a second pass 7 to 8"s deep. Had very little trash to pickup at this point, mostly ran the land plane to smooth everything out making it flat or planar.

So if e.myers is planning on a 43 hp 4120 and a 673 tiller with slip clutch I think he will be in good shape.


Steve

 

[Egon]

So if e.myers is planning on a 43 hp 4120 and a 673 tiller with slip clutch I think he will be in good shape.

I'll surely agree with you.

With my small tractor I'd get it pointed in the right direction and walk along loading the bucket with stones.