Tiller- is this normal?

[Tul01]

Hi guys, new to the tiller end of things here. We bought a Sovema RP200 (78") rear tiller 40-60hp to use behind our Montana 5740C. I have never used any 3pth tiller before and only seen one in use in a soft area. When I try to break sod up first time it really hops around. It is digging in about 3-4" and jumps almost out of the ground sometimes. It really looks hard on it and the tractor. I put 330lbs extra weight on top and that seems to help. I go in bull low creeper gear. I have the slip clutch adjusted correctly. I have the 3pth sensitivity? lever to the most down pressure I can get(or least up pressure). Should I be using the draft control? Once it is gone over once it is nice, it only jumps once in a while as I go down deeper. In softer or/wetter areas, it goes through like butter. Is it just because we have hard land here? Am I cutting too deep for a first pass? Should I be adjusting the layout of the tines? Thanks, for all your thoughts, I am some nervous because we had a PTO issue that was fixed under warranty and I don't want to wreck anything.

Thanks
Brent

 

[dfeck]

It's been my experience that if you're cutting into new ground that it will hop some what. It also depends on what type of soil you have. I have clay and if I tried cutting too deep and it's dry it will hop alot. I try making multiple passes first until it's broken up some. Then the hopping with be minimized until it hits a hard object like rocks.

Doug

 

[teg]

IF you have roots and rocks, it will jump around... and it's not the greatest for the tractor or tiller. Can you get a middle buster or sub soiler to break up the ground a bit so larger rocks can be removed?

 

[phyxer]

If its hopping as much as I think you're saying it is then you need to do something before it tears up something. Either take shallower swipes at it and do multiple passes or get some other ground engagement device through the soil first such as a middle buster or plow. That's my .02 worth

Troy