Tiller Tiller chain question

[deere_x475guy]

After doing my research on tillers that would work with my JD2210 I am leaning toward Ken's line. However I have gotten 2 private emails so far from the same person. In his first post he typed "Just remember that Chain breakage is the #1 failure in a chain drive tiller". The second private emal led me to the paint problem thread that was 2 years old. A call to Ken confirmed that the shipping problem had been addressed and I am no longer concerned about the paint.

How about hearing from the guys that do own chain driven tillers. What kind of failure rate are you guys seeing. If I do buy from Ken should I purchase a spare chain also? How often do you have to adjust this chain? Seems linke the manufacturer would have a tensioner on this system so adjusting wasn't necessay.

This tiller will more than likely get a lot of use and abuse this year. I have over 2 acres of hard packed clay and some areas with fist size rocks that I know I will end up finding with it.

TIA guys and gals....

Bob

 

[Freds]

I can't offer you any practical experience, since I don't own a tiller, but I am presently looking at a chain drive tiller and when I questioned the dealer about adjusting the chain and how often he said "about every couple hundered acres". That would put it several years down the road for me, or longer /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

He is also a customer of mine so I don't see him bending the truth too much.

Just because something is the number one cause of failure doesn't mean it happens often, does it? Isn't that what the slip-clutch is for? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[deere_x475guy]

Freds, I agree! I figured the slip clutch if properly adjusted should help this. If it is a real problem at all. Thats why I was hoping to come up with someone that has had one for more that a season or two.

 

[thegreatrandini]

My tiller is gear drive but I would not be afraid of the chain drive and I would not buy a spare chain with it.....It prob won't ever break and if it does it's prob a pretty standard farm chain and you may be able to fix the broken link..the gears and chain can prob be found at any farm supply store...

I don't know this for fact but prob correct.......would be for most chain drive tillers.......

 

[rdln]

My chain driven tiller is made by Landpride though CCM will probably say different. I havent kept track of how much I have used it but I have gone through 1 sprocket and 1 chain. Up to that point I probably spent 4 times as much replacing blades and blade bolts. They are high maintenance machines, hence I nicknamed mine the "female dog" or somthing like that.

I should also add that it is a reverse till model that keeps chewing chewable items until they can pass through the sifter. Although this gets more work done per pass it is probably harder on the machine.

The chain never broke it just wore out past adjustment and I had already taken out one link. Mine is heavy #100 roller chain. what you are looking at is probabaly #60 or #80.

The adjustment interval for mine is about roughly 15 acres.

 

[milkman]

The two that I know of have never had a problem with the chain, one is a 40" Howard that has been used so long that the tines are almost worn out, the other is a 48"Agrator that is about 6years old and hasn't had a problem, hasn't even had the chain adjusted, I wouldn't be afraid of a chain drive, and as far as HP goes, when the Honda Gold Wing came out with a shaft drive, the chain drive people were advertising that the chain drive was more effecient at transfering HP than the gear drive with a shaft, so I guess it all boils down to which you're selling. Have fun diggin the dirt.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have gotten 2 private emails so far from the same person )</font>

And I'll bet I know who sent those e-mails, too. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I had a chain drive Bush Hog tiller and used it a lot more in 7 years than most folks ever use a tiller. It had a self adjusting chain, and the manual did tell how to "adjust" or remove a link if it stretched enough to need it, but it never showed any need to do anything to it. Now I'm certainly not going to tell you that you can't break a chain, but I sure never needed a spare.

 

[tawilson]

I too have a bush hog tiller, and have used it hard for 5 years without a problem.

 

[caddison]

I owned a chain driven Rhino for many years without so much as a hick up. I did break a chain while prepping a yard for a buddy when he missed a 3/4 in pipe attached to a spicket. I had hit some steel post that bent the mounting flanges but never hurt the chain. The chains in most of the tiller are very heavy duty and can withstand a great deal. Actually you should shear a pin or the slip clutch should prevent a chain break. I am almost convinced that I would rather break a chain than a gear. I am sure a chain is much less expensive than a hardened gear. Fear not the chain driven tiller!

 

[deere_x475guy]

Ok Guys...thanks this is exactly the feedback I was looking for. People with first hand knowledge. This board is great! Ken was more than helpfull when I called him with questions. Sometime next week I will be placing and order with him.

Thanks again everyone!