Tiller tines

851 roger · Apr 29, 2013

I purchased a used 5' tiller from a friend several years ago and now it's time for new tines. He doesn't know the brand and we can't find anything to help.
It is light blue and takes 36 tines. 18 tines have 15L stamped on them , the others have 15R. The mounting holes are 7/16" dia..The same hole is 7/8" to the center from the end. The blade is 1 3/4" wide and 7/64" thick where it slides into the holders. Laying a worn one flat with the curve up, it measures about 10 1/8" from end to end.
Any one know what I need????
Thanks

yelbike · Apr 29, 2013

A picture is worth a thousand words!

gwdixon · Apr 29, 2013

See if one of these is close:

Agri Supply - Search

851 roger · Apr 29, 2013

OK here are some pictures of the tiller and the tines which are off the tiller.

/pine · Apr 29, 2013

I recently got some tines for an older BEFCO tiller and I had to do a lot of searching (Google is your friend)...I could have got them from the manufacturer for 6-7 times what I ended up paying from a third party supplier...the tines I got came from Italy and are a perfect match...
Do yourself a favor and spend some time searching before purchasing...

BTW...in my searching I don't recall seeing tines that look like those...long with one bolt hole etc
(or the way they connect to the shaft)...but I'm sure they can be had...it's obvious that it would be better to know the brand/model etc...it's hard to get accurate measurements off of used tines...usually the OEM parts listings give the dimensions which can be cross referenced with third party sources...
One thing I noted is many sources only give dimensions in MM's...This comes into play when trying to measure the old tines...if the OEM tines were sized metrically...

Good luck...

CliffordK · Apr 29, 2013

You might look up Yanmar Tillers and Yanmar Tiller Tines.

spruce Deere · Apr 30, 2013

tillermaxx.com

851 roger · Apr 30, 2013

Whew, I'm beginning to think some aliens left this thing behind!!!
Any one need a boat anchor??

851 roger · Apr 30, 2013

OK I'm posting some tine picture

s. The numbers on the one blade is 15L

CliffordK · Apr 30, 2013

That is a big pile of tines that you have.

If you replace 100% of the tines, then you may have some flexibility in the design, for example using straight tines vs curved. Would straight tines put more stress on the end holder?

I assume the tine must fit tight into the slot where it connects to the tiller, and the bolt should fit tight, but otherwise there may be some flexibility.

Depth of a straight tine vs curved tine might best be measured on the tiller.

You could probably make a reasonable facsimile out of straight bar steel relatively quickly. Mild steel or hardened steel? Although 36 is quite a few to make. But, at $5 to $10 per tine, commercial tines do add up too. Of course, the cost of steel would also add up.

You could also cut and weld a new end to each tine, which then eliminates problems with needing to reproduce the mount.

Perhaps it is time to build a forge

/pine · Apr 30, 2013

Again...that is a very unique tine design/mount setup...But...

...If worse came to worst and you can't find OEM (type) tines...you should be able to adapt the tine mounts on the shaft to accept a common tine of similar size...

There are more sophisticated ways of adapting the tine mounts on your tiller...but it might be worth a shot to buy some really cheap (common) tines and have them welded to the old tines adapted (cut) to make a close match to the OEM tines...

[note to CliffordK]

just noticed the last line of your post :thumbsup:

851 roger · Apr 30, 2013

Such a good idea!!!!
Maybe trade it for a good fishing boat or better yet give up working in the dirt (THAT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN)
There are several missing but there is 36 slots for them. I'll keep looking but no one here seems to know much either!!!
Looks like time for the hoe and rake-----LOL LOL LOL

851 roger · May 1, 2013

Does anyone know who made the Rice tillers???
Someone told me that is what I have.

bjr · May 2, 2013

That looks like grey market tiller. One of the vendors that still do grey market importing may be to help. I had bought two grey market tillers and converted (a lot of work) the single bolt to two bolt flange style that took KingKutter tines. Those single bolt style were use in the Japanese rice paties and just don't do well in any soil that's rocky. bjr

Starman354 · Jun 1, 2013

Hi Roger,
What you got their is a old style Yanmar rice tiller with out the sheet-metal guards or guide wheel .
These tillers are designed for orientals rice fields that were for century hand tilled by human labor.
So they only work well if you have dirt only no rocks and roots . They were included in several package
deals in the US and many of them have set unused as the owners were looking for a small grass cutting
rig for property they own . Just recently I was given one similar to yours . Tines are available but high priced
and they are still designed for wet dirt only . The good news is it tills the dry ground like power ,very fine .
These tillers and the tines they have on them are designed to till flooded fields while semerged in water .
What I would suggest is working your ground with a disk harrow first or making several passes with ripper blades
down on a box blade first before using the rice tiller. This will ensure you don't snag a root or chunk of junk
with the tiller. They don't have any way to protect your tractor PTO gears from damage if you do happen
to snag something . Slip Clutch is the best insurance on the drive shaft. The video is not your tiller but shows what
the rice tines were designed to do. Check out my post on

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/281110-got-free-tiller-today-just.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4x9radR0UU

851 roger · Jul 13, 2013

Hey I did find tines for this old tiller. A company in Canada has them for $18.00 each.
Lets see $18.00 x 36 =$648.00 plus shipping, about $50.00 because of weight so that's a whopp'n $698.00.
Decided not to spend the money on the old unit so I bought a new one and sold the old one the next day. Yippie

Midniteoyl · Jul 13, 2013

Why would you not simply refurb the tines you had? I once took aprts, cleaned, straighten, and sharpened a Bolens tiller I got for free with a tractor 'cause the seller (a big used tractor picker/seller) said they were no good anymore and unfixable (You cant fix tines. You cant sharpen tines!). He also said I would never be able to use it to till my clay yard with a 10hp tractor. But it and the tiller did it just fine... sold the combo for a $300 profit

Not looking at your in person, but they looked like they could be refurb'ed and made to work.

Buying another is also an option

851 roger · Jul 14, 2013

Well to answer that question---- It is not only the money issue of the tines there is also time involved.
Yes I do know one takes great pride in things he fixes or repairs, as I often do!!! However this unit was 5' wide, over half worn and the hook up had been modified to fit a really small tractor. I've got a Ford 851 Power master that is 6' wide and it was really hard to hook up the old tiller and keep it centered. Then there was the time thing, the garden really needed to be in, as here in Oklahoma we had a late real hard freeze that wiped me out then a flood that washed me out. Even though it was late getting it all planted, everything is up and we are now gathering from it, and the watermelons are 2" long---can't hardly wait.