Tiller width and tractor tire width

[hondo964]

I am looking for a tiller and I have read a frequent comment to make sure the tiller covers the width of the tractor tires. I presume that means the "working width" spec given about the tiller and the tire width being simply a measurement of the outside of the treads.

My question is: for those who have used tillers, how much "play" do I have here? If my treads are 75.5 inches and the working width of the tiller is listed as 70.5, will 2.5 inches on each side be covered by shoe skids of the tiller? or will I regret not jumping to something wider?

Thanks, in advance, for the advice

 

[sweettractors]

I am looking for a tiller and I have read a frequent comment to make sure the tiller covers the width of the tractor tires. I presume that means the "working width" spec given about the tiller and the tire width being simply a measurement of the outside of the treads.

My question is: for those who have used tillers, how much "play" do I have here? If my treads are 75.5 inches and the working width of the tiller is listed as 70.5, will 2.5 inches on each side be covered by shoe skids of the tiller? or will I regret not jumping to something wider?

Thanks, in advance, for the advice

I think you can offset the tiller enough(right or left) to work fine by adjusting your sway chains on the tractor 3 point. Ken Sweet

 

[JJT]

I wouldn't worry about 2.5 inches of tire. I'd be more concerned about the high horse power needed by a tiller in tough ground. My tractor is a little over 72" wide, I'm pulling a 6' tiller in creeper mode when the going gets tough. I sure wouldn't want anything bigger. I have HST and 30 pto horses.

 

[Tinhack]

That's the beauty of having TnT hydraulics on the 3Ph. It doesn't matter how wide the tiller is--You can offset each pass to fully cover tractor tracks. The TnT allows you to raise (or drop) one side to compensate for "sink". It doesn't matter whether you're going up one side and down the other. TnT keeps you from having to get off the tractor to level the tiller.

 

[workinonit]

Ok. I'm not being argumentative but I am failing to see how top and tilt aids in offsetting a tiller to cover tire tracks. I read this all the time about covering tire tracks and I've never understood it. No matter what, when you get to the end of a field or plot that you are plowing, discing or tilling you shouldn't have but one tire track that hasn't been covered. Of course having an implement wider than the tractor tire spacing is optimal it sure isn't absolutely necessary.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Seems like this depends on what you're planning to do with the tiller.

I think it's just common sense that, for general garden tilling or "smoothing" ground, you want to leave a smooth tilled surface FREE OF TRACTOR TRACKS behind you. A tiller / tractor combination that is properly sized will be wide enough to leave no tracks behind. One that is offset and leaves only one track would be a pain to use, in my opinion.

Having said that, for my purposes, and general garden tilling and working the occasional acre, I would have no use for a tiller that's over 6' wide. My 5' wide tiller on my smaller tractor works great for my purposes. I want something that's smaller and maneuverable. I've tilled up several acres -- a few times -- but generally it's used to prep a big garden.

Now if you want a really big tiller because you're doing many acres, I guess you could leave a tire track on one side and just constantly work your way across the field from both sides until you've covered every square inch. Is that the intent? How often would you be doing that? A 6' tiller is a little too small to cover your tracks, but that's the minimum that you'd want on that tractor.

I guess my question in response to yours is: What are you planning to use the tiller for and why are you putting one on such a large tractor?

 

[CH4Ohio]

That's the beauty of having TnT hydraulics on the 3Ph. It doesn't matter how wide the tiller is--You can offset each pass to fully cover tractor tracks. The TnT allows you to raise (or drop) one side to compensate for "sink". It doesn't matter whether you're going up one side and down the other. TnT keeps you from having to get off the tractor to level the tiller.

I guess I'm not understanding the TnT thing. How would that help you to SHIFT the tiller to one side or the other.

I wouldn't think that you'd need to help level it for each pass. It would just drop on one side and ride along the skid shoe on the other.

Maybe I'm missing the point . . .

 

[CH4Ohio]

Ok. I'm not being argumentative but I am failing to see how top and tilt aids in offsetting a tiller to cover tire tracks. I read this all the time about covering tire tracks and I've never understood it. No matter what, when you get to the end of a field or plot that you are plowing, discing or tilling you shouldn't have but one tire track that hasn't been covered. Of course having an implement wider than the tractor tire spacing is optimal it sure isn't absolutely necessary.

Probably not "necessary". But it depends on what you're trying to do with the tiller. For garden work, you'd spend as much time trying to clean up your tracks and the mess left behind. A properly sized tiller leaves it perfectly smooth.

I can't really think of any other tillage equipment, other than older turning plows, that aren't the width of the tractor or greater. We don't see any farmers dragging ground-engaging equipment that doesn't cover their tracks.

Most people would have no use for a 7' tiller. I know there are lots of 6' tillers out there, and that's pretty huge. Just wondering what the intended use is . . .

PS -- Curious -- Does the OP have a JD 950? Is it 4WD? Isn't that about 30 HP and 5' wide? If so, wouldn't that be a more suitable size for a tiller? Or is the project too large or the tractor not suitable for some reason? Just curious.

IMHO

 

[hondo964]

My intended use is that I have a good acre of yard to rework and re-seed as it has gotten rutted up. I had also planned to use it to groom trails through the woods - but I'm not sure how it will do there given the tree roots one can encounter. We have heavy ground. I see I had not updated my profile to include a synch-shuttle JD 5055 which is what I had planned to match the tiller with. The 5055 is rated 45 HP on the PTO.

 

[CH4Ohio]

My intended use is that I have a good acre of yard to rework and re-seed as it has gotten rutted up. I had also planned to use it to groom trails through the woods - but I'm not sure how it will do there given the tree roots one can encounter. We have heavy ground. I see I had not updated my profile to include a synch-shuttle JD 5055 which is what I had planned to match the tiller with. The 5055 is rated 45 HP on the PTO.

Thanks. Helps to understand the application!

Well, everyone has an opinion, and you asked for opinions . . .

For "yard" work or "lawn" preparation, I would absolutely want a tiller that covered the tractor's tire tracks. You're trying to get this as smooth as possible and reseeded. The tiller is going to fluff this up a LOT, and you'll leave deep tracks if it's not full width. Even foot prints will leave depressions after you till it.

For a lawn area, I till the area then pull a roller over it to get it compacted enough that it can be seeded. You might need a roller that's as wide as your tractor too.

On the other hand, this might be an application where you can just CARRY the tiller behind you -- don't drop it all the way down -- and just let it till the top couple inches. This is a good way of knocking down the high spots and loosening enough dirt to fill the low spots. Also doesn't create that real deep fluffy seedbed that has to be rolled.

Either way, I still think you're going to end up fighting the tire tracks left behind if you use a smaller tiller on that big tractor. Those ridges that would be acceptable in a pasture area probably won't be smooth enough for your yard.

Still curious -- is the JD 950 4WD? I have a 30 HP tractor with a 5' tiller behind it. It does a GREAT job and would be perfect for an acre of yard. (4WD might not be necessary, but it sure helps keep the tiller from pushing mine forward when I'm creeping along.) (For trail cleanup, I might rough up the occasional trouble spot but a tiller might just make your trails muddy. I'd tend to drag a box blade around in the trail area to knock off the high spots and fill in ruts. You want the trails to be compacted.)

Good luck with it!

 

[CH4Ohio]

Coincidentally, TractorData has a picture of a JD 5055 pulling a tiller. Looks like it just covers his tire tracks.

TractorData also shows the "width" dimension of this tractor to be a little UNDER 60". Is that incorrect or is that with the wheels at their minimum width mounting position? That's a LOT narrower than the width that you measured on your tractor.

If your wheels are set at max width, do you want / need them that wide? Is it feasible to reduce the wheel spread? You might be able to just swap the rear wheels and tires, keeping them both facing forward, and have a much narrower tire track dimension. Of course there are other possible spacings by different combinations of the wheel mount hardware and rim orientation.

Just thinking about options. . . .

 

[Fallon]

I have a 72" track machine & 60" tiller. I really should upgrade to a 72-74", but can't be bothered. The skinny tiller is paid for & works well enough.

I leave partial tire tracks on either side. But it works well enough for the occasional garden or arena job I do.

 

[Smokeydog]

Big difference what a field tiller vs garden tiller can handle with hard ground, roots, rocks and hillsides. Howard Rotovator made thousands of millionaires cropping hillside orchards, vineyards and vegetables. No problem offsetting and leaving a track free plot on a hillside. Hillside farming takes some learning.

 

[Tinhack]

Just like plowing, the tires that drop into the fresh cut ground on the next pass will tilt the tractor. Being capable of leveling the tiller when this happens keeps the cut/depth equal and covers the tracts. I'm sorry you've never used or understood TnT.

 

[hondo964]

Coincidentally, TractorData has a picture of a JD 5055 pulling a tiller. Looks like it just covers his tire tracks.

TractorData also shows the "width" dimension of this tractor to be a little UNDER 60". Is that incorrect or is that with the wheels at their minimum width mounting position? That's a LOT narrower than the width that you measured on your tractor.

If your wheels are set at max width, do you want / need them that wide? Is it feasible to reduce the wheel spread? You might be able to just swap the rear wheels and tires, keeping them both facing forward, and have a much narrower tire track dimension. Of course there are other possible spacings by different combinations of the wheel mount hardware and rim orientation.

Just thinking about options. . . .

I have the R-4 tires on the 5055E. The dealer may have spaced these wide tires wider as he prep'd it for use with a backhoe.

 

[hondo964]

Big difference what a field tiller vs garden tiller can handle with hard ground, roots, rocks and hillsides. Howard Rotovator made thousands of millionaires cropping hillside orchards, vineyards and vegetables. No problem offsetting and leaving a track free plot on a hillside. Hillside farming takes some learning.

That's a great distinction as I wasn't aware of it. I've been looking for a weightier tiller. I have been eyeing the Phoenix T10's but I'm not sure how easy (or long) one can get parts for it.