Tiller Killed Tractor

[GeneD14]

Last weekend I was using my roto-tiller to help a neighbor put in a new 2 acre lawn. Up to this point tilling the hard clay soil about 3 inches deep hadn't even been loading the engine. Everything was going great: radio on, AC on, making quick progress. Then suddenly the something killed the engine. I was scared that something really bad had happened. I got out and looked at the tiller, pto, and tractor and couldn't see anything. So I restarted the tractor and raised the tiller our of the ground to check for any big rocks or big roots. When I pulled forward I got a surpise: I saw a bent piece of steel laying in the dirt. I got back out for a closer look and realized that it was the skid plate off the tiller.
Here is a picture of what it is supposed to look like.

 

[stevenf]

Gene, Wheres the action picture or the after picture, that skid plate must be a beauty now. Hope your day improves
Steve

 

[GeneD14]

The slip clutch on the pto must be set to tight because it never slipped. Luckily the pto shaft, universals, and tractor were ok. I looked at the tines and they appeared un-effected. So I was able to finish the job.
The steel skid plate was bent by the tiller like it was rubber. It is about 20" long, 1/2" thick and 2.3" wide.
Here is a picture of the bent up steel shoe.

 

[GeneD14]

It appears that one bolt worked loose and the other got sheared off when the skid plate started to bend.
I wanted to make a new plate but I looked through my scrap steel and didn't have anything close to the size I needed. So I tried to un-bend the old one so I could use it until I was able to fabricate a more permanent fix.
When I straightened the old one out I drilled out the holes for bigger bolts and torqued them down really good.
Here is a picture of the temporary fix.

 

[stevenf]

Gene, I was just to quick for ya and got between your post, I don't know why the old unbent shoe won't work fine its maybe not as pretty as before but it is a tiller and its bound to get uglier as time goes by from what I understand they are abusive of themselves and the tractor when used in rocky or hard clay ground. I'd try it that way for a while and see if anything rears its head but I bet your fix is as good as needed.
Steve

 

[GeneD14]

Steve,
Thanks for the advise. I was tilling hard clay ground with lots of softball sized rocks and the tiller was taking one hell of a beating. It is amazing that nothing else worked loose. You are probabily right, I should leave the repaired shoe on and just use it. Tilling isn't about being pretty. I should have taken a picture of the tractor and tiller when I was done with the yard. It was covered with a heavy layer of dust and looked more brown than orange.
Thanks again,

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Gene,
Sometimes bad things happen even when your doing good for others Glad nothing worse than that happened !!!

Last year I was bushogging a section of my neighbors 30 acre field that is too wet for the farmer to bale and remember the feeling when my tractor started to break through the sod and start sinking Thank goodness for FWD Keep up the good work !!!

 

[donaldprice]

I though us old boys in ky had that problem with rocks

 

[GeneD14]

I though us old boys in ky had that problem with rocks

I grew up in NW IN and rarely ever saw a rock in the yard. About 10 years ago we built a new house in MI and put in our own yard. I was overwhelmed by the amount of rock! We picked up a truck load of rock by hand before we planted grass seed. When we finally thought that we were all done it would rain and expose thousands more that we never saw before. So we went back out and started picking up rocks again. This happened 3 times before we were through. That first year we grew more rocks than grass.

 

[flusher]

Last weekend I was using my roto-tiller to help a neighbor put in a new 2 acre lawn. Up to this point tilling the hard clay soil about 3 inches deep hadn't even been loading the engine. Everything was going great: radio on, AC on, making quick progress. Then suddenly the something killed the engine. I was scared that something really bad had happened. I got out and looked at the tiller, pto, and tractor and couldn't see anything. So I restarted the tractor and raised the tiller our of the ground to check for any big rocks or big roots. When I pulled forward I got a surpise: I saw a bent piece of steel laying in the dirt. I got back out for a closer look and realized that it was the skid plate off the tiller.
Here is a picture of what it is supposed to look like.

I have a 4-ft Yanmar RS1200 rototiller for my 21-hp Kubota B7510HST. Since the tiller doesn't appear to have a shear pin anywhere, I bought one of those Weasler slip clutches. Here's the info I received on adjusting the clutch:

The clutch has a series of exposed springs around the outside, to adjust the torque setting of the clutch, you need to turn each bolt on the springs the same number of rotations to keep an even pressure all the way around the clutch. Turning the bolts to compress the spring will increase the torque setting, and turning to expand the springs will decrease the torque setting. The clutch is shipped from us preset at 8,000 in-lbs setting. If you turn the springs down to the point they are fully compressed, then the clutch will not slip giving you no protection.

Looks like your slip clutch is a little tight. I'd check the spring compression closely and then consult the manufacturer about adjusting it, assuming the instructions that came with the tiller are not adequate. CCM probably is the place to start.

 

[GeneD14]

I have a 4-ft Yanmar RS1200 rototiller for my 21-hp Kubota B7510HST. Since the tiller doesn't appear to have a shear pin anywhere, I bought one of those Weasler slip clutches. Here's the info I received on adjusting the clutch:

The clutch has a series of exposed springs around the outside, to adjust the torque setting of the clutch, you need to turn each bolt on the springs the same number of rotations to keep an even pressure all the way around the clutch. Turning the bolts to compress the spring will increase the torque setting, and turning to expand the springs will decrease the torque setting. The clutch is shipped from us preset at 8,000 in-lbs setting. If you turn the springs down to the point they are fully compressed, then the clutch will not slip giving you no protection.

Looks like your slip clutch is a little tight. I'd check the spring compression closely and then consult the manufacturer about adjusting it, assuming the instructions that came with the tiller are not adequate. CCM probably is the place to start.

Ray,

Thanks for the info. When I bought the tiller I assumed that it was pre-set at the factory. Shame on me, I should have checked it. The next time I have a job for the tiller I am going to adjust the bolts like you mentioned.

 

[deere_x475guy]

Hi Gene, I have put blue loctite on pretty much all of the bolts on my KK tiller. The side bolts that capture a rubber gasket on the gear cover were always coming loose. Since using the loctite the bolts are staying tight. When you come over you will see the rocks we have gathered so far. Funny thing when I look at the stone pile I don't remember bending over and picking up that many......

I noticed on my slip clutch that if I get into something that gradually gets bound up (like old landscape cloth) it will kill the tractor before slipping. But when hitting stones it will slip.

 

[PineRidge]

Nothing a little heat from an Acetylene torch and a big hammer can't cure. Once you get the shoe back in place be sure to loosen up the slip clutch and let it slip some than readjust it properly.

Glad there was no serious damage to your equipment.

 

[rickmacheske]

Thanks for the heads up. I am about to start using my new tiller on my yard .... more rock than dirt.

The tiller has a shear bolt but I'm thinking about adding a slip clutch too.

Glad to hear yours was ok.
Rick

 

[NewToy]

I also bought a KK tiller recently and could tell by looking at the slip clutch adjustment bolts that it was way too tight. I thought it would be adjusted from the factory but they just had them run down tight. I figure they do that so they won't get lost in shipment?

John

 

[GeneD14]

I was looking under the tiller today at the tines and found that about half of the tines were very loose. The bolts holding them on had nylon inserts but they still worked loose. So I spent 20 minutes tightening all of them up again and I will add that to the things that I check from now on. Another lesson learned.

 

[john_bud]

Ray,

Thanks for the info. When I bought the tiller I assumed that it was pre-set at the factory. Shame on me, I should have checked it. The next time I have a job for the tiller I am going to adjust the bolts like you mentioned.

GeneD14,

Shame on you for not checking it once? Not at all! It's Double Shame on you for not checking it EVERY TIME you use it, especially if it's been more than a week or two since the last check.

Slip clutchs are not do it once and forget about it like head bolts! They are more like grease fittings that need attention regularly. They are the only thing protecting your driveline from bad expensive noises happening deep within the tractor. The slip clutch WILL freeze up due to surface rust much more quickly than you can imagine. I've had it happen in less than a week before and that is with it stored in a shed. You just don't know unless you check.

You would really feel silly if the engine had kept running and the differential housing had broken! It happens - regularly.

Oh, I agree that the mfg should have used loctite blue 242 on the nuts and bolts!

jb