Grey Market Tiller?

[kckndrgn]

Did I make a mistake in getting this tiller? Price was just too good to pass up, but it looks like I may have jumped too fast on the deal.

Tiller appears to be a RS1200S, the only other label is too badly worn to ready anything and it's in Kanji or Korean or Chinese or ???

I read in this thread
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2440

That there needs to be an articulated top link, but I don't have one. I have seen on threads in TractorByNet where people have created 3pt exentions for the lower connections, to move the tiller away from the tractor by a foot or so. Would that be my only option here?

It's also missing one tine, would the yanmar tines for a RS1200 work?

When I had the tiller in the air unloading it, the drive system felt good, no play or anything.

i haven't had a chance to hook it up to my BX yet, not sure if I even can.

 

[adventure bob]

Is there such a a thing as a grey market tiller? grey market tractors not meant for the US didn't or don't comply with us import laws. I don't think there's any law on the import of a tiller.

Now finding parts for it, or making parts work for it may be more challenging, but I would think you ca make it work.

I cant imagine it being any more difficult than making really old American stuff work long after people have stopped making parts for it. Lots of creative folks on here keeping old iron running.

 

[kckndrgn]

Bob, yes there are grey market tillers, and I have one

While I thought I would just need the articulated top link, I don't think even with that it will fit on my BX. I had it hooked up tonight (yes, with the wrong top link) and the angle between the tractor PTO and tiller PTO seemed to be greater than 45 degrees (with 0 degree being inline). I know that the wrong top link makes the tiller sit in the wrong position and it really needs to tilt forward more.

Thought about trying to find a shorter TL, but I don't think they make them, so I would have to fab one up. I'm also pretty sure the "factory" TL for the tiller won't attach to the back of the BX.

My other thought was to make a 6-8" extensions. They would attach to the tiller and move the lower 3pt connections away from the tiller. I could attache the extensions with bolts and move the cat 1 pins on the end of the extensions. Not sure of the feasibility of this though.

Thoughts?

 

[kckndrgn]

As an example, this one looks like my tiller with extensions added to the lower pins. My pins are located where the blue arrows are pointed.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yea reworking the mount would be the cheapest route to go.
I would make 100% sure that it spins the right direction as if it was for a B6000 or some other odd tractor it won't spin the right way.

 

[clay45]

Could you just use a piece of chain for your top link? I had a small YM1401 and needed a smaller top link with it. One of these may help:

http://www.agristoreusa.com/collections/mechanical-top-links/products/cat-1-13-20-1-4

 

[Corney]

Keep in mind if you shift it back your PTO shaft might be to short. I have to take off the quick hitch when I put the rice patty tiller on mine because the shaft is to short.

 

[kckndrgn]

Keep in mind if you shift it back your PTO shaft might be to short. I have to take off the quick hitch when I put the rice patty tiller on mine because the shaft is to short.

As it is now, the shaft that came with the tiller is too long, so moving the tiller back a bit may make the shaft fit.

Could you just use a piece of chain for your top link? I had a small YM1401 and needed a smaller top link with it. One of these may help:

http://www.agristoreusa.com/collections/mechanical-top-links/products/cat-1-13-20-1-4

I thought about the chain, I just wasn't sure about using it. I guess since there are the depth wheels on the back of the tiller it might work. Worth a try.

As soon as I figure out the rotation, I might try a couple of different ideas to see which one works the best.

 

[Corney]

As it is now, the shaft that came with the tiller is too long, so moving the tiller back a bit may make the shaft fit.

Might want a quick hitch then, it would be a quick simple solution to your PTO issue. I have one of those pivoting top links that came with my rig. It wouldn't be hard to make said item with some flat steel, a drill press, some spacers and a grinder.

 

[kckndrgn]

Corney,
I thought about a QH, but I don't think there is room between the tiller body and the 3pt pins. I might be able to move the pins to just in front of the body and use a QH. I still need to verify the rotation works and I may not get to that until Sunday.

 

[kckndrgn]

OK, I got the tiller lifted yesterday and verified that the it will turn in the correct direction. Now I can work on fabbing up the 3pt extensions.

Going by where the 3pt pins are now, it's 1/2" thick steel, so I'll go with the same. May just bolt it in place to see if I can get it hooked up, then weld it on if it looks like it will work. If not, I'll unbolt the extensions and try to sell it for what I got it for.

 

[kckndrgn]

Ok, finished up the extensions, hooked the tiller up and all works as it should!

Still some finishing touches to do, painting the extensions for one and doing some spot welds to further secure the extensions to the tiller, and I want to get 1/2" longer bolts for mounting the extensions.

I bought a 1/2" thick, by 3.5" by 24" piece of hot rolled steel. In the center of the piece I cut a hole that was 2.5", which is the approx size of the pipe running accross the tiller. Then I cut it in half, giving me 2 1' pieces with a notch in one end. The old hitch pins were so poorly in place, it looked like someone tried to weld the pins in, but failed. So I bought a new set of cat 1 pins. Drilled holes for the pins, opposite the notched end. Then I lined up the extension on the tiller to see where I needed to drill a hole to line up where the old pins where. Marked and drilled a 3/4" hole.

This resulted in the tiller moving away from the tractor about 8.5", which was enough for me to get use the PTO shaft that came with the tiller and connect my toplink.

I did some tilling to test it out, worked like a charm. So much faster and easier than using a walk behind tiller