We (our hunting gang) just recently purchased a grey market RS2005 tiller to till up some ground for a food plot. The tractor that was used is a Kubota, about 50hp (sorry, I don't have a model number for you). They tried it out but the tiller just wouldn't touch the new ground. Now, this field hasn't been farmed for at least 20 years but there is no clay and the conditions were very damp. What would you recommend in regards to tractor speed, pto speed, etc. We're hoping our purchase wasn't a waste of $$$!! Your advice is greatly appreciated!!
Needing some instruction regards to tilling please!!
- Thread starter Harv
- Start date
I've done a lot of tilling over the years but I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean when you say, "it won't touch the new ground"? I am going to assume that means the the tiller is actually in contact with the ground, but it doesn't seem to be turning the sod over. A 50 HP tractor should either destroy the ground, or the tiller, or both. I am not familiar with that model tiller, but I assume it is designed to work on a 3pt hitch. I know some tillers were not designed for a 3pt hitch. Maybe someone more familiar with that model will chime in.
When I till, I make sure the pto speed is 540 rpm, I lower the 3pt. and use the lowest gear I have and just creep along. On new seed beds (busting sod) I make several light passes going both ways and then one final deep pass.
Is there a way to set the depth of the tiller. Such as runners on each side or even gauge wheels on some. Make sure they are set to allow the tines to dig into the soil.
That's all I can think of right now. I hope some of this helps.
When I till, I make sure the pto speed is 540 rpm, I lower the 3pt. and use the lowest gear I have and just creep along. On new seed beds (busting sod) I make several light passes going both ways and then one final deep pass.
Is there a way to set the depth of the tiller. Such as runners on each side or even gauge wheels on some. Make sure they are set to allow the tines to dig into the soil.
That's all I can think of right now. I hope some of this helps.
Another small tip Harv, check the state of the tines, if they are really blunt they won't be helping matters. Nothing that can't be fixed with a grinder, or if they are really bad, Vic can help you out with a new set (there is an article up here somewhere instructing on how to change them).
Thank you for your responses. L4740, you are correct in that the tlller is in contact with the sod.......just not doing much of anything. I have done some searching for this model RS2005 as well and came up with nothing. It is about 4' wide and looks identical to the model that Vic shows here in the "tiller tune up" section. I will pass on this iformation to the tractors owner and see if he'll give it another whirl.
Ian, that definitely adds to the equation. I'll take a closer look at the tines and see how they are.
Ian, that definitely adds to the equation. I'll take a closer look at the tines and see how they are.
Perhaps I am covering some items here you have already tried.
1 - Is there enough weight on the tiller? Mine has a bar with auxiliary weights to help the tiller sink into the ground. I am assuming here that you have a gravity down system on the 3 point.
2 - Does you hitch linkage allow the tiller to drop far enough? Run the tractor up on some ramps, and test how far below the bottoms of the rear tires the tines will reach.
3 - Is there a slippage problem with the times? Like they turn when above ground but slow down or stop turning when in contact with the ground? Bad clutch, maybe.
4 - What ground speed are you using? Try tilling with the tractor in neutral, see what happens. Too fast a ground speed or too slow a PTO RPM will cause it to skip along the surface.
The tiller on my unit has a lower pivot, then uses the 3 point lift arms for height. There is a chain & block set up to fix the minimum height of the tiller, so I can make a shallow or deep pass, or lock the tiller up for transport.
Stuart
1 - Is there enough weight on the tiller? Mine has a bar with auxiliary weights to help the tiller sink into the ground. I am assuming here that you have a gravity down system on the 3 point.
2 - Does you hitch linkage allow the tiller to drop far enough? Run the tractor up on some ramps, and test how far below the bottoms of the rear tires the tines will reach.
3 - Is there a slippage problem with the times? Like they turn when above ground but slow down or stop turning when in contact with the ground? Bad clutch, maybe.
4 - What ground speed are you using? Try tilling with the tractor in neutral, see what happens. Too fast a ground speed or too slow a PTO RPM will cause it to skip along the surface.
The tiller on my unit has a lower pivot, then uses the 3 point lift arms for height. There is a chain & block set up to fix the minimum height of the tiller, so I can make a shallow or deep pass, or lock the tiller up for transport.
Stuart
Thanks Stuart,
These are all things I will look at. Unfortunately, I wasn't there to witness the tilling but when time permits, I will go over all that was said in this post and experiment. I really appreciate all the suggestions!