rototiller size

[jenkinsph]

Yep, I agree, 60" is too big for 18 hp tiller. That is only .3 hp per inch.

Yeah you can run one slow enough to pulverize the soil into a flour like consistency ruining the soil structure with 18 hp. Running a tiller at the correct ground speed is not happening with 18 hp and 60 inch width. Most people over till at too low of a ground speed from what I have seen.

 

[nikerret]

I have a 1026r and used a land pride 58" it did fine. Traded for a 50" woods only because I had a buyer and wanted one narrower for garden tilling

Which LP model did you have and what is your soil like?

Providing you have an HST transmission I would consider a 48" wide, FORWARD ROTATION, PTO powered roto-tiller the ideal width, however 60" width should also work fine. You will not have sufficient power to operate a REVERSE ROTATION roto-tiller.

Why do you say 18 PTO HP will not operate a reverse rotation tiller? I've seen it work, on videos and there are several models rated within that HP range. I'm looking at tillers, right now, and I've found a couple of models (reverse rotation) I like for what I consider good prices. I don't know much about any of it, so I'm following this thread.

 

[jeff9366]

A forward rotation roto-tiller pushes the tractor forward so draft force resisting tractor's forward motion is minimal.

Reverse rotation roto-tillers fight the tractor's forward motion so a considerable additional increment of horsepower and traction is required to operate one. In rocky soil reverse rotation roto-tillers take more punishment from stones.

23-horsepower is 24% more horsepower than 18.5-horsepower.

 

[dirt ditch]

More hp is always better but a former coworker of mine has ran a 42" Land Pride reverse tine tiller behind his 4wd 655 JD for years. It does a great job with only (tractordata.com) 10.6 pto hp or 0.25 hp/in. Now this guy doesn't farm with it, he rotor-tills his and his family's gardens. My 16", 4 hp Snapper walk behind rear tine tiller has the same 0.25 hp/in and it has no problem tilling soil.

 

[jenkinsph]

More hp is always better but a former coworker of mine has ran a 42" Land Pride reverse tine tiller behind his 4wd 655 JD for years. It does a great job with only (tractordata.com) 10.6 pto hp or 0.25 hp/in. Now this guy doesn't farm with it, he rotor-tills his and his family's gardens. My 16", 4 hp Snapper walk behind rear tine tiller has the same 0.25 hp/in and it has no problem tilling soil.

A garden with proper or optimum amendments can be easily turned with a manure fork. Some places you can stand on a shovel and not penetrate other places you can sink the shovel easily. The ground you are working in has a lot to do with it.

 

[jenkinsph]

If you are going to put your money into a tiller it would seem to me to buy the tiller you can use in most conditions with good results. You may use it in a small garden which is turned every year and get by with the larger tiller at lower ground speeds. If you decide to rework a heavy sod lawn a smaller tiller may be the better choice. If you can pull the smaller tiller at 25% higher ground speeds you can work the same area in the same amount of time. What would be the point in buying the larger tiller?

 

[orezok]

Which LP model did you have and what is your soil like?



Why do you say 18 PTO HP will not operate a reverse rotation tiller? I've seen it work, on videos and there are several models rated within that HP range. I'm looking at tillers, right now, and I've found a couple of models (reverse rotation) I like for what I consider good prices. I don't know much about any of it, so I'm following this thread.

I have a 51" Blecavator which is a reverse rotation tiller made in England. Pretty much the same as a Howard. My 23 PTO HP B7800 will run it but only at a low ground speed.

It also incorporates a stone burrier and a following compaction drum. blecavator - - Yahoo Video Search Results

I got it for free, so I can't complain.

 

[bcfarmer45]

If you are going to put your money into a tiller it would seem to me to buy the tiller you can use in most conditions with good results. You may use it in a small garden which is turned every year and get by with the larger tiller at lower ground speeds. If you decide to rework a heavy sod lawn a smaller tiller may be the better choice. If you can pull the smaller tiller at 25% higher ground speeds you can work the same area in the same amount of time. What would be the point in buying the larger tiller?

That sounds like some good advice. thanks

 

[bcfarmer45]

Well I got around to buying me a rototiller I got a 4ft. worked great. But my Massey Ferguson gc 1715. will handle a 5ft tiller with no problem

 

[cabover4us]

Which LP model did you have and what is your soil like?



Why do you say 18 PTO HP will not operate a reverse rotation tiller? I've seen it work, on videos and there are several models rated within that HP range. I'm looking at tillers, right now, and I've found a couple of models (reverse rotation) I like for what I consider good prices. I don't know much about any of it, so I'm following this thread.

I have a 1987 as my neighbor does to, John Deere 855 and my brother in law just got a 1998 I think on the year. Francis my neighbor, has a 58" or 60" bush hog brand tiller, and it is heavy and amazing. His when he was alive, (RIP) I remember tilled forward motion and other day I tilled for my other neighbor up the street with the same tiller, and it's violently tilling and throwing rocks out the back making the rear heavy guard that's chained fly up to its upper limits from the force of the thrown rocks, amazing. Luckily, his daughter in law let's me use his tiller or I would be in the market for one, maybe a Tarter from Tractor Supply, seem to have good reviews...
The 60" has 42 tines, where did I read where one manufacturer has more or less tines? Maybe it was Northern Tool, can't remember.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have noticed that lots of people assume that tilling the ground in a garden want to pulverize the soil thinking it will be easier for them to work with long term. I have not found this to be the case, if it is pulverized and then wet down it packs down very hard during the growing season. Better to leave some clumps and retain more of the soil structure which will make the ground easier to work with garden tools.

I had a 60" Howard tiller HR4 that I bought for my prior Deere 820 (31 pto hp.) and hooked it up to my x749 mower/garden tractor. It could lift the tiller and operate it but not at a fast enough travel speed to till properly. I tried it a couple of times in some tight spaces but quit using it because I was pulverizing the soil.

On hard ground that has not been worked in many years I make a first pass with a tiller at about 1 mph. A second pass perpendicular to the first at !.5 to 1.8 mph that will usually get me down to about 7 or 8 inches with my 72" tiller and 60 hp. tractor. On larger jobs I run an S tine cultivator first then use the tiller at the 1.5 to 2 mph travel speeds. If I could keep the tiller in the ground I would travel faster maybe 2.5 mph.

The point being that crawling along at low travel speeds does not give good results and can damage the soil structure. Easily done with a small tractor and too large of a tiller.