Tiller Tiller Options: gear/chain; IFE

[snobound]

A lot of nice stuff on this website! I'm looking to buy a tiller for my TC30. Just about everyone here recommends a gear over a chain driven tiller. But LandPride offers a 5 year warranty on their chain drive tillers and it looks like that all of the gear driven tillers only offer a 1 year warranty. Can someone help me understand this? Is gear driven really better then a chain?

Does anyone have any experience with an IFE - Iowa Farm Equipment - tiller? There are a lot of KKII and CCM owners here. Is this the way to go?

Finally, it seems like a tiller that offsets would be good but most of 'em don't. Does it really make any difference as long as the tiller covers the tire tracks?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

A lot of nice stuff on this website! I'm looking to buy a tiller for my TC30. Just about everyone here recommends a gear over a chain driven tiller. But LandPride offers a 5 year warranty on their chain drive tillers and it looks like that all of the gear driven tillers only offer a 1 year warranty. Can someone help me understand this? Is gear driven really better then a chain?

Does anyone have any experience with an IFE - Iowa Farm Equipment - tiller? There are a lot of KKII and CCM owners here. Is this the way to go?

Finally, it seems like a tiller that offsets would be good but most of 'em don't. Does it really make any difference as long as the tiller covers the tire tracks?

Thanks for your help!

This is one of those arguements that may never see resolution..... Simply because there may not be an across the board answer. It depends on WHO'S gear drive and WHO'S chain drive tiller we're talking about. I've got a KKII 6'er. It's been used and abused for going on 8 years now. It's seen enough acreage to wear out one complete set of tines and is well on the way to set #3. Not the first indication of a weakness. I know of several folks who own chain drive tillers of various brands who have simular results. My PERSONAL preference would lean towards gear driven. Do I think chain drive is inherently weak? Not on your life. Do I think there may be a few brands/models of chain drive tillers that aren't up to the standards of SOME gear drive models. Absolutely. Same logic would apply to a weak design of gear driven tillers.

I'd say 99% of the end users of a tiller would be pleased with the results from EITHER type. It's a matter of performance and price once you establish which brands are more than adaquate in strength and longevity.

I've used a Kuhn brand tiller and a Howard Rotovator. Both are considered "upper end" brands. Neither did anything for me personally that I couldn't expect my KKII to do at 1/3rd the cost. And that's about all I can add to this topic.

 

[greenmule]

As long as its wide enough to cover one trac you can make a smooth bed,course boths tracs take less thinking,and if it offset you wouldn't have to worry,and on other hand a little trac showing on each side don't really hurt anything,etc,etc.

Kinda depends on speed you till too,real slow and it covers less trac,faster more trac,[kinda seems to me anyways]

The 5ft kk I got is slightly offset or it seems so to me anyways. Maybe just my eyes.
My kk 5ft works fine with a ck30 with industrial tires,going at a pretty fast clip[for tilling anyways],leaves a little trac maybe,but not much. So unless your tc30 is wider than my ck30,a 5ft kk will work out just fine for you.

Gear verses chain,don't know,know they advertise it like the gear is better but seems like more expensive tillers than kk some of them use chain,so you wouldn't think that would be the case??

 

[john_bud]

Cheap chain drives will break. Cheap gear drives will break. Good chain drives won't break and good gear drives won't break.

After that, it's all just marketing hype and a way of distinguishing one product from another. KK sells a good quality gear drive tiller. LP sells a good quality chain drive tiller. Both good - comes down to price and dealer.

jb

 

[Ray2210]

I've got a Buhler Farm King 48" tiller that's chain drive and have been using it for 4 years. Our soil is sandy and light with no rocks. I till about 1/3 acre of garden and whole buch of shelter belt a few times a year. I bet you be hard pressed to find much for chain stretch or even tine wear for that matter. It's a quality tiller and in my soil conditions with the usage I give it I'll be dead long before it is.

 

[AKfish]

Only consideration that I might add - chain drive tillers (I have one) - require a bit more upkeep. You need to pay attention to the chain adjustment.

If you keep things within specifications; shouldn't have any problems for years.

AKfish

 

[rdbrumfield]

I had a geardrive kuhn and would highly reccommend one to anyone for a tiller.

 

[snobound]

I appreciate all of your comments and ideas. For better or worse price is going to be a big factor. The KKII is priced right and is beefy but the supplier - TSC???

The local dealer for LandPride - Union Farm - is excellent ++ but the equipment is pricey.

The local Kioti dealer near Bangor, ME is going to sell Taylor Way. He doesn't have pricing yet but there is a 5 yr gearbox warranty on it. I'm a little nervous about the dealership, though.

Anyway, I probably have another 6 weeks before the snow goes away and then I'll have to make my decision.

Thanks for your help!

 

[greenmule]

If the newer kk2's are the same as my 6 year old one,you don't need to worry about the purchase.

Just make sure its got gear oil in it,tighten up those little bolts on side of gear cover,grease it good,make sure slip clutch is set right and not rusted tight.