Dirt Moving TILLER on Max 28

[drajj5]

I thought that I would share my first experience with a 3pt tiller. I arrived at the rental place this morning and one of the boys loaded it up. Thing was long, and heavy. Looked like a Woods brand tiller and had 76 on the top. I think it was a 6' model but not positive. Anyway, cost 100 to rent for a day and I passed of the bill and headed home.

Got to the house and used the loaders teeth with a chain to get it off the trailer (landscape type). The back of the tractor got real light while offloading this beast. Bumbled around a while trying to get the PTO shaft connected- PB Blast helped. Apparently it had been some time since this thing was rented because I spent an hour freeing up the PTO shaft slip-joint. Finally this thing was ready to go. I had turned the ground months ago with a tater plow and so the earth had been at least disturbed a little.

The little tractor did not bat an eye, worked as described and never got tired, I did and sweated for the first time this year. My worries that the Tiller was too big dissolved moments after I put it to work. So for those out there in the market for a tiller and have a tractor similar to mine, you can use a 4'/5'/6' tillers with ease.

A very impressed Mahindra owner.

 

[jhasafety1]

I have a 48" and wish I had a 5' or 6' I don't think the Max 28 would even flinch. The 48' doesn't cover my tire tracks.

 

[roughcut]

Great info! The wife told me to start looking for one. Thanks

 

[drajj5]

Great info! The wife told me to start looking for one. Thanks

After my wife saw the results, she said the same. I got the, "Maybe we should purchase one of those-next year". I quickly tilled a small flower garden for her to seal the deal!!

 

[drajj5]

I misled you on the brand, it was a "bush hog" brand tiller
here are some pic's for you to see.

 

[DavesTractor]

The Max 28 is a workhorse and can spin a big tiller, but let me interject that no implement is harder on the PTO system. If you go big like this, make sure the soil moisture level is perfect and you aren't tilling rocks. If the tiller is bouncing around in the soil, the shock loads it sends through a tractor are substantial.

We recommend a 52" for the Max 28. But no doubt it can run a larger one in perfect conditions.

 

[LD1]

Yea, conditions must have been near perfect. And that in no way is a bash against the max 28.

How deep were you tilling? Of course you already mentioned you busted the soil up some.

Also I see you are a shuttle shift, what is your ground speed in your lowest gear?

I have a 54" tiller. (It was cheap). And it can at times bog down my tractor and that is with more HP. I have also used a 6' KK tiller. And if ground is a little to wet, and try too deep, you certainly know it.

 

[drajj5]

Yea, conditions must have been near perfect. And that in no way is a bash against the max 28.

How deep were you tilling? Of course you already mentioned you busted the soil up some.

Also I see you are a shuttle shift, what is your ground speed in your lowest gear?

I have a 54" tiller. (It was cheap). And it can at times bog down my tractor and that is with more HP. I have also used a 6' KK tiller. And if ground is a little to wet, and try too deep, you certainly know it.

I am a total NOOB at this so.....

As far a soil conditions, it was dry enough to break using two hands- and would crumble for the most part.

I did think that that was a lot of tiller for the tractor initially. The physical size was wider than the tractor (stuck out past tires on both sides). When attached and lifting with the 3pt hitch you could feel the weight because when lifting there were distinct clicks or stops in the lift mechanism- I had never felt anything like that before... I am guessing it is set up different than my 8n because lifting is seamless on that tractor.

As far as depth, I don't really know. I know that the food plot needed several passes to get deeper, and in just a short bit the ground somehow got higher than it had ever been. It looked as though I added a dump truck load of soil in there. It looked like store bought soil.

Speed
I tilled at 2300rpm and used both low range and first gear, the speed at which the tractor tilled still seemed to be somewhat fast. I didn't want to overwork the clutch, so when I finished a pass, I lifted the tiller out and made a really....really slow u turn. I didn't mash the clutch one time during the whole event.

My wife was present as well as my son. They would pickup the occasional stone that the tiller would spit out the back. I am a lucky man!!!

Honestly, the tractor truly never bogged down, rpm's never moved 'because of the load'. I watched the gauges and all were normal. When a good rock was hit, it did jar the tiller and tractor. However, I am sure that any tractor/tiller the same would be felt.

I guess what I am trying to say is, the tractor was worked but not overworked. I would not hesitate using that implement again.

 

[LD1]

Seems like you got some great soil for tilling.

I think you would certainly "work" it and be bogging down in the dense clay I have up here.

Glad it worked out for you. Tillers do a heck of a job.:thumbsup:

 

[jhasafety1]

Unfortunately I have more rocks than dirt. This year I improved it by tilling in about 8 inches of leaves in the fall. I worked it several times through the winter and tilled in lime 2 months ago. I got some good looking dirt, I'm excited to see if growing conditions are improved. The Max 28 and tiller make this process so easy. The funny thing about it every time I tilling because of my rocks making it sound like a rock crusher my neighbors were clued in that the tiller was on the tractor and they came a running to see if I could till their gardens.

 

[drajj5]

Wow - a rock crusher!!! Guess I do have good soil. The amount of rocks and the size that I tilled were few and far between. I guess the largest was the size of a soft ball, and the quantity of them didn't even make a respectable fire ring. The rocks were not granite either, they looked like some sort of clay that could easily be broken with a hammer. There was a lot of clear quartz stuck to marble too.

I would love to see LD1's soil. I am trying to picture it.... sounds like some super sticky material !!! would love to see what your looks like

 

[LD1]

Wow - a rock crusher!!! Guess I do have good soil. The amount of rocks and the size that I tilled were few and far between. I guess the largest was the size of a soft ball, and the quantity of them didn't even make a respectable fire ring. The rocks were not granite either, they looked like some sort of clay that could easily be broken with a hammer. There was a lot of clear quartz stuck to marble too.

I would love to see LD1's soil. I am trying to picture it.... sounds like some super sticky material !!! would love to see what your looks like

Let me see if I can find a picture.

 

[LD1]

Well, no pictures on my computer that illustrate it well. But I can tell you this, I have no trouble getting half a backhoe bucket packed with the stuff so it wont come out without a shovel. And thats a 3' bucket...

 

[drajj5]

Here is some pic's of the ground I tilled. I did break one of the rocks with another to show you what they look like clean. I think that it is marble? A close up shot and you can see that they (the rocks are all small), tiller did not even wiggle but a hand full of times.

 

[drajj5]

Well, no pictures on my computer that illustrate it well. But I can tell you this, I have no trouble getting half a backhoe bucket packed with the stuff so it wont come out without a shovel. And thats a 3' bucket...

Good lord.....That is sticky!!! Love to see pic's, if you get a chance

 

[LD1]

You have some beautiful looking topsoil. I am jealous.

Here is what my garden spot currently looks like. I have till in about 20-30 yards of mulch (free courtesy of trimmers). And the area is only ~40'x40'



A few shots of what it does to a shovel (note, the shovel is upside down in both pics)



A shovel after banging on the ground, and then into a tree 4 or 5 times



And what the holes look like I just dug, and my boots after about 30 steps in the stuff.

 

[LD1]

Now just to be clear, we did get about 1/2" of rain last night. So that makes sticking to the shovel and boots a little worse. But prior to that, it hasnt rained for 4 or 5 days. And just yesterday I was digging and trust me, it still sticks to the shovel.

This stuff never seems to dry out. EVER. Using a disc is impossible as it just plugs up. (good for counterweight though with 1000# of clay stuck in a 6' disc). You can till this stuff 100 times and it will still be clumpy. Hence adding wood chips.

The stuff also sucks to try to get dry, cause tiling it is all but worthless cause its watertight. The stuff is literally the consistency of modeling clay.

On a positive note, it is excellent for ponds. And it does make good ground once you have some topsoil over it and seeded. IT seems to be a good base for trees and stuff as it retains so much water. But for gardening, and trying to get a yard established, or using for fill dirt, it sucks.

 

[drajj5]

And what the holes look like I just dug, and my boots after about 30 steps in the stuff.

View attachment 370119View attachment 370120View attachment 370121[/QUOTE]


I can see clearly the consistency of your soil in the first image.... Layer upon layer of different types of clay (sticky clay), you are right my friend- Even my Max would cower tilling that.... It looks like that would suck a shoe right off your foot. My cousins house has soil similar to yours, "dig a hole and it fills with water". He has 'a lot' of water running through his land, two creeks run around half his property lines.

Thank you for sharing pic's. Neat to see soil variations

 

[LD1]

.. It looks like that HAS sucked a shoe right off your foot.

Fixed it for you. :confused2: