Yanmar YM2310 tiller problems

[etpm]

Yesterday I picked up a tiller for my YM2310. It is one of those reconditioned ones from Viet Nam. Probably as old as my tractor. I hooked it up today. By using the lowest hole in the ROPS for the top link and screwing the top link ends in as far as they would go I was able to get the top link connected. Connected this way the front edge of the tiller has only 1 inch clearance between itself and the rear tires. If the tires were new with the taller treads there would only be maybe 1/2 inch clearance.
The chaincase for the tiller is not quite vertical, the top is leaning forward a bit, maybe 1 inch more than the bottom. I don't know if that matters.
To make the drive shaft fit I will need to cut off about 4 1/2 inches. This will leave only about 3 inches of overlap because right now there is about 7 1/2 inches overlap.
Right now the tiller tines cannot be raised any more than about 1 1/2 inches above the ground. I can add more height to the right arm by screwing it farther together and the left arm by using the other, higher pin hole. I don't know if raising the tiller will bring the front edge closer to the tires, but I don't think it will. I'm just not sure how the geometry of the arms will move the tiller. Right now, with the tiller raised as high as it will go the front edge is about 4 inches below the tire center height.
Since the driveshaft is so short if I remove enough more length to make it possible to remove it with the tiller in place there would be no overlap left since it looks like about 3 inches would need to be removed.
So right now it looks like the drive shaft will need to be shortened and then it will need to be installed before the arms or the top link are in place. It seems odd that Yanmar would design an implement this way.
Right now I can see that with a shorter top link installed the top of the tiller will be able to be rotated closer to the tractor and hence the front edge will roll back away from the tires. This will tilt the chaincase more forward. I don't think this will be a problem because the front edge of the tiller will still be far from the ground. With the tiller sitting on the ground the front edge is 13 inches above the ground. It looks like the max tilling depth is 6 inches. Or maybe only 5. So the front edge could be tilted way forward, which would add clearance between the front edge and the tires as well as lengthen the driveshaft distance. I don't know though how much the tiller can be rotated forward.
I could also add length to either the tractor's lifting arms or weld a couple plates to the new to me tiller to locate the 3 point pins away from the tiller. This would mean that the driveshaft would not need to be shortened.
Thoughts anyone? I would really appreciate some advice. I thought buying a Yanmar tiller would mean that using it with my Yanmar tractor would be an easy thing to do.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[clemsonfor]

There is a piece you need. I think it's triangular in shape. Several have posted about this pice before in the past and say you really need to use it for the tiller to work and not hit the tires when lifted. I think you can fab up something not cut the shaft as you have said. I can't remember the solutions I have read about in the past though.

 

[winston1]

I added some length on my 3 point pins to get the tiller further from tractor. Made a big difference.

 

[etpm]

I added some length on my 3 point pins to get the tiller further from tractor. Made a big difference.

Though not the same tiller your tiller is quite similar to mine. I can add extensions like yours and they would be exactly the same. This is kinda bad news though. It means burning the new paint on my tiller and that means I gotta find a can of spray paint that matches. Thanks for the post and pics.
Eric

 

[Gunnyb]

Yesterday I picked up a tiller for my YM2310. It is one of those reconditioned ones from Viet Nam. Probably as old as my tractor. I hooked it up today. By using the lowest hole in the ROPS for the top link and screwing the top link ends in as far as they would go I was able to get the top link connected. Connected this way the front edge of the tiller has only 1 inch clearance between itself and the rear tires. If the tires were new with the taller treads there would only be maybe 1/2 inch clearance.
The chaincase for the tiller is not quite vertical, the top is leaning forward a bit, maybe 1 inch more than the bottom. I don't know if that matters.
To make the drive shaft fit I will need to cut off about 4 1/2 inches. This will leave only about 3 inches of overlap because right now there is about 7 1/2 inches overlap.
Right now the tiller tines cannot be raised any more than about 1 1/2 inches above the ground. I can add more height to the right arm by screwing it farther together and the left arm by using the other, higher pin hole. I don't know if raising the tiller will bring the front edge closer to the tires, but I don't think it will. I'm just not sure how the geometry of the arms will move the tiller. Right now, with the tiller raised as high as it will go the front edge is about 4 inches below the tire center height.
Since the driveshaft is so short if I remove enough more length to make it possible to remove it with the tiller in place there would be no overlap left since it looks like about 3 inches would need to be removed.
So right now it looks like the drive shaft will need to be shortened and then it will need to be installed before the arms or the top link are in place. It seems odd that Yanmar would design an implement this way.
Right now I can see that with a shorter top link installed the top of the tiller will be able to be rotated closer to the tractor and hence the front edge will roll back away from the tires. This will tilt the chaincase more forward. I don't think this will be a problem because the front edge of the tiller will still be far from the ground. With the tiller sitting on the ground the front edge is 13 inches above the ground. It looks like the max tilling depth is 6 inches. Or maybe only 5. So the front edge could be tilted way forward, which would add clearance between the front edge and the tires as well as lengthen the driveshaft distance. I don't know though how much the tiller can be rotated forward.
I could also add length to either the tractor's lifting arms or weld a couple plates to the new to me tiller to locate the 3 point pins away from the tiller. This would mean that the driveshaft would not need to be shortened.
Thoughts anyone? I would really appreciate some advice. I thought buying a Yanmar tiller would mean that using it with my Yanmar tractor would be an easy thing to do.
Thanks,
Eric

You can buy new longer or shorter top links. I got a longer one at Tractor supply.

 

[California]

This topic appears here occasionally. You need to buy or replicate Yanmar's special top link assembly. Or modify like Winston did if you want to make it standard 3-point. Likely with a longer top link and driveshaft.

Here are some photos I've posted in the past showing Yanmar's special 'bridge' (my name) bolted to the tractor's 3-point mount point. And the special short top link, that makes the tiller lift without curling into the tires.
First, an excellent picture of someone else's tiller showing the top link details.

... and now, mine. I took this photo to show the driveline was too short. Probably because longer 3-point arms were put on my YM240 after oversize rear tires were mounted.

The VN import house where I bought the tiller gave me a PTO extender free when I showed them this photo. They were great folks! Now everything works as intended.

The setup decal on my RS1400 tiller showing it was specifically intended for YM2000. (My YM240 is the US twin to YM2000).

And my RS1400 / YM240 set up to mach that decal. Note in the decal, and on my rig, the gear case is sloped away from the tractor with the tires and tines at the same level.
(Where's Norm? By now he would have told me I need to paint it!).

Some more decals. 90 wt gear oil into top of center and top of side gear case. For the end of the tine axle opposite the gear end, remove cover and repack the bearing same as a wheel bearing. Lube rear wheel swivel points and axles. Note in particular: the part from swivel down to axle (like half a bicycle fork) goes on the OUTSIDE side of each wheel. That's silly, they gouge my orchard trees. But the wheels won't track with those half-forks on the inner side of the wheels.

And a couple of decals off other models showing setup for tilling a ridge at the center, or at each edge, or something, by moving left/right curved tines around. Anybody here read Kanji?

Here's one of the old threads asking the same questions as you. Caution, there's lots of mis-information mixed in with some right answers.

 

[bmaverick]

This topic appears here occasionally. You need to buy or replicate Yanmar's special top link assembly. Or modify like Winston did if you want to make it standard 3-point. Likely with a longer top link and driveshaft.

Here are some photos I've posted in the past showing Yanmar's special 'bridge' (my name) bolted to the tractor's 3-point mount point. And the special short top link, that makes the tiller lift without curling into the tires.
First, an excellent picture of someone else's tiller showing the top link details.

... and now, mine. I took this photo to show the driveline was too short. Probably because longer 3-point arms were put on my YM240 after oversize rear tires were mounted.

The VN import house where I bought the tiller gave me a PTO extender free when I showed them this photo. They were great folks! Now everything works as intended.

The setup decal on my RS1400 tiller showing it was specifically intended for YM2000. (My YM240 is the US twin to YM2000).

And my RS1400 / YM240 set up to mach that decal. Note in the decal, and on my rig, the gear case is sloped away from the tractor with the tires and tines at the same level.
(Where's Norm? By now he would have told me I need to paint it!).

Some more decals. 90 wt gear oil into top of center and top of side gear case. For the end of the tine axle opposite the gear end, remove cover and repack the bearing same as a wheel bearing. Lube rear wheel swivel points and axles. Note in particular: the part from swivel down to axle (like half a bicycle fork) goes on the OUTSIDE side of each wheel. That's silly, they gouge my orchard trees. But the wheels won't track with those half-forks on the inner side of the wheels.

And a couple of decals off other models showing setup for tilling a ridge at the center, or at each edge, or something, by moving left/right curved tines around. Anybody here read Kanji?

Here's one of the old threads asking the same questions as you. Caution, there's lots of mis-information mixed in with some right answers.

Those 2 last images talks about how to set up the tines for different tiller functions and crops. You can translate the text on Yandex for each of the 6 arrangements.

 

[clemsonfor]

This topic appears here occasionally. You need to buy or replicate Yanmar's special top link assembly. Or modify like Winston did if you want to make it standard 3-point. Likely with a longer top link and driveshaft.

Here are some photos I've posted in the past showing Yanmar's special 'bridge' (my name) bolted to the tractor's 3-point mount point. And the special short top link, that makes the tiller lift without curling into the tires.
First, an excellent picture of someone else's tiller showing the top link details.

... and now, mine. I took this photo to show the driveline was too short. Probably because longer 3-point arms were put on my YM240 after oversize rear tires were mounted.

The VN import house where I bought the tiller gave me a PTO extender free when I showed them this photo. They were great folks! Now everything works as intended.

The setup decal on my RS1400 tiller showing it was specifically intended for YM2000. (My YM240 is the US twin to YM2000).

And my RS1400 / YM240 set up to mach that decal. Note in the decal, and on my rig, the gear case is sloped away from the tractor with the tires and tines at the same level.
(Where's Norm? By now he would have told me I need to paint it!).

Some more decals. 90 wt gear oil into top of center and top of side gear case. For the end of the tine axle opposite the gear end, remove cover and repack the bearing same as a wheel bearing. Lube rear wheel swivel points and axles. Note in particular: the part from swivel down to axle (like half a bicycle fork) goes on the OUTSIDE side of each wheel. That's silly, they gouge my orchard trees. But the wheels won't track with those half-forks on the inner side of the wheels.

And a couple of decals off other models showing setup for tilling a ridge at the center, or at each edge, or something, by moving left/right curved tines around. Anybody here read Kanji?

Here's one of the old threads asking the same questions as you. Caution, there's lots of mis-information mixed in with some right answers.

Good ol Norm!

 

[etpm]

Lotsa good replies here and lots to think about. I could fab up the triangular piece but I decided to instead make up a couple extensions so that the tiller moves back and so that I can use the provided drive shaft without cutting it any shorter. Today the rain and wind lessened enough that I was able to finally take some pictures. I hope they help with identifying this particular model. When I am done with the extensions the tiller will be moved about 5 inches back. If anyone thinks this is a bad idea please chime in. This tiller mod needs to be done soon so that I can get the drainfield tilled and seeded before the winter weather gets too cold.

 

[California]

Five inches sounds like a lot. 'Measure twice cut once'.

And you might want to swap those rear tires side to side to improve forward traction.

That's a nice looking tiller. I can see how they are getting top dollar for them.

 

[bmaverick]

Lotsa good replies here and lots to think about. I could fab up the triangular piece but I decided to instead make up a couple extensions so that the tiller moves back and so that I can use the provided drive shaft without cutting it any shorter. Today the rain and wind lessened enough that I was able to finally take some pictures. I hope they help with identifying this particular model. When I am done with the extensions the tiller will be moved about 5 inches back. If anyone thinks this is a bad idea please chime in. This tiller mod needs to be done soon so that I can get the drainfield tilled and seeded before the winter weather gets too cold.

Nice. I created a folder on my system to start comparing. Yes, the tiller is missing some things. Were you able to see any hints of the old paint or primer on the tiller anywhere? And the side shields are white eh? Were they originally white to begin with? That would really help with knowing the side shield color.

 

[etpm]

Five inches sounds like a lot. 'Measure twice cut once'.

And you might want to swap those rear tires side to side to improve forward traction.

That's a nice looking tiller. I can see how they are getting top dollar for them.

From what I understand the tires the way they are now have more forward traction. My son put them the way they are now, surprise Dad!, to do me a favor. He said I would now have more traction. I would rather have less forward traction. I seem to get stuck going forward more often and then need better rear traction to get out. If they have less traction the way they are now then I'm happy. So why would making the tiller be 5 inches farther back be a problem? I really don't see why it would be so that's why I'm asking. This is my first tractor mounted tiller.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[California]

My comment on '5 inches' was simply to mean measure what the driveline needs at maximum lift and depth, then build to suit.

A full 5 inches seems to be a lot, but your actual measurements are what's important.

If I were doing the project I would copy Winston's design, with dimensions to fit my quick hitch. If you're lucky, that would also match the dimension the driveline needs.

 

[etpm]

My comment on '5 inches' was simply to mean measure what the driveline needs at maximum lift and depth, then build to suit.

A full 5 inches seems to be a lot, but your actual measurements are what's important.

If I were doing the project I would copy Winston's design, with dimensions to fit my quick hitch. If you're lucky, that would also match the dimension the driveline needs.

As things are now I would need to remove at least 4 inches from the driveline. I'm going for the extra inch so that I can put the driveline in after connecting the tiller to the 3 point hitch. I totally appreciate and understand your advice though. It's good advice. Timely too, since I haven't yet started cutting any metal yet. What I will do is set the tiller on the ground and space it where I can put the driveline on. Then measure for the plates to be added on.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[winston1]

When I added my extensions I first used 1/4" plate with no reinforcement. After getting out in my rocky ground and bouncing it around some I then added a little more reinforcement. The further you go out the stronger your addition will need to be. Not hard to cut a drive shaft off but it is sure nuff difficult to add length.

 

[careyo63]

BTDT and shortened the shaft. Wasn't much to it. 3 cuts. 1 cut on the open side. Took about 2-3" off and that made a coupling. 6-8" off the shaft side. Used the coupling to attach the shaft side back together. Didn't take long or anything special. El-cheapo HF. stick welder and a hand grinder I changed to a cutting blade. Maybe 10$ in cost. Being further away from the Tractor made a big diffence to the way Yanmar set it up. Length Vibration cutting Depth Etc.. They have a good Idea how to set them up. They've done a couple over the Yrs.. Still have that shortened shaft and no Attachment has ever needed it to be that short. It's Solid and welcome to it. Used it a few times until they sent the correct one. Last Tiller they had and was told that I better go get it.

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[bmaverick]

BTDT and shortened the shaft. Wasn't much to it. 3 cuts. 1 cut on the open side. Took about 2-3" off and that made a coupling. 6-8" off the shaft side. Used the coupling to attach the shaft side back together. Didn't take long or anything special. El-cheapo HF. stick welder and a hand grinder I changed to a cutting blade. Maybe 10$ in cost. Being further away from the Tractor made a big differnce to the way Yanmar set it up. Length Vibration cutting Depth Etc.. They have a good Idea how to set them up. They've done a couple over the Yrs.. Still have that shortened shaft and no Attachment has ever needed it to be that short. It's Solid and welcome to it. Used it a few times until they sent the correct one. Last Tiller they had and was told that I better go get it.

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Is that you on the machine? Or your machine with the tiller? I've seen this image on the image search engines so much when looking for, Yanmar Tiller It's a popular image.

 

[careyo63]

O8 I believe. What I use to look like. I went down or hurt and lost a lot of weight in early 09. Been told it was highly unusal I survived all the injury's and it didn't do me in by my Doctor. Aneurysm started it. Couldn't remember my password and reset my Org. member on here. Gained some weight back etc. Tight fit back then as you can see so I know to keep the weight off.

 

[Rebeldad1]

You can get a set of longer arms.
Easiest is to add

Pats Easy Change 3 Point Hitch System​

may be all you need. Quite handy too.

 

[etpm]

BTDT and shortened the shaft. Wasn't much to it. 3 cuts. 1 cut on the open side. Took about 2-3" off and that made a coupling. 6-8" off the shaft side. Used the coupling to attach the shaft side back together. Didn't take long or anything special. El-cheapo HF. stick welder and a hand grinder I changed to a cutting blade. Maybe 10$ in cost. Being further away from the Tractor made a big diffence to the way Yanmar set it up. Length Vibration cutting Depth Etc.. They have a good Idea how to set them up. They've done a couple over the Yrs.. Still have that shortened shaft and no Attachment has ever needed it to be that short. It's Solid and welcome to it. Used it a few times until they sent the correct one. Last Tiller they had and was told that I better go get it.

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Thanks for the offer, I'll take it. After tilting the tiller forward to get the shafts parallel I measured the distance and your shortened shaft will work, plus there is plenty of room between the tiller and the tires. Now all I need to do is shorten the top link. If you send me a PM we can work out the shipping details.
Thanks Again,
Eric