Tiller killing tractor

[jeff9366]

I may need to utilize an implement that would discover debris for me before I till. Possibly a middle buster or subsoiler.

Walk the area before you till. Probe suspicious places with an old ski pole, or a stick with a spike in the end.

 

[Fallon]

So the question is how do I adjust it for my PTO hp? Trial and error?

You should be able to find the adjustment instructions in your manual. As a practical matter you may need to tweak it a bit. Same principle as starting from scratch.

There are 2 types of clutches. One with bolts & springs holding the clutch plates together. That's the common type. The other one has a metal shell on 2 of the 3 sides.

The common spring one start with it loose & slowly tighten all the bolts half to a quarter turn at a time. Make sure it doesnt slip under normal tilling in hard ground. If you tighten to much it won't slip when needed.

The other type is non-adjustable. If you tighten the nuts on the one end it loosens the clutch to let slip & clean it. You loosen the nuts all the way & its properly adjusted.

 

[LouNY]

If it's the most common type using bolts and springs normal procedure is too back them off all the way, count the threads or turns back them off evenly, when all the way loosened apply power and a load to make it slip to polish the plates then tighten it back to where it was, use it if it still stalls just back it off till it slips and then tighten back a bit and go.
A slip clutch needs to be burned clean seasonally but it's not difficult.
Once set just count the turns to loosen and slip then return to where it was.
So yes there is some trial and error.

 

[daugen]

thanks for the insight and perspective. Yes, My travel is as slow as I can go @ 540. The tiller has not been under powered, I just think the clutch should have let loose before the stall.

You don't have to go the whole 540 rpm, that's a maximum in many cases. I mow roadsides with my LP finish mower at 460 pto rpm and it cuts perfectly.
So you can slow your engine down if you aren't bogging. Hitting an immovable object is totally different.

 

[TooRow]

Fallon, thanks I sure don't want to just keep getting lucky.

I will definitely make sure I can free up the clutch.

In the case of rust holding the friction of the clutch do you or anyone else recommend a penetrating oil when first slipping the clutch?

 

[Fallon]

Fallon, thanks I sure don't want to just keep getting lucky.

I will definitely make sure I can free up the clutch.

In the case of rust holding the friction of the clutch do you or anyone else recommend a penetrating oil when first slipping the clutch?

That's as bad of an idea as piling your brakes. It would likely permanently contaminate the clutch material. At the minimum create a very inconcist as not baseline for adjustment.

The bang of the clutch letting go when half way cutting through a 2x4 was an indication of how stuck things were. Nothing actually was hurt in that process (other than the 2x4). Try & free it by hand first or maybe a prybar on the tines by hand. But engaging the PTO works too.

 

[TooRow]

Got it no penetrating oil.

Yes, I will be doing this tomorrow morning.

 

[DK35vince]

On my tiller To first slip the clutch to make sure it wasn't stuck, just loosen the adjuster bolts, turn on the tiller and stick it in the ground till I see the clutch slip.
Then I snugged the adjuster bolts some and tilled.
If the clutch slipped to easy I tightened them a little more. Kept doing that till I had it set where I like it.
Once set, each year I loosen the slip clutch adjusting bolts (counting the number of turns). I stick the tiller in the ground to force the clutch to slip (making sure it isn't stuck).
Then I retighten the bolts the same number of turns I originally had them set at and go.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Walk the area before you till. Probe suspicious places with an old ski pole, or a stick with a spike in the end.

Are you saying you would "walk and probe" a 20 acre field???

How do you expect to get ANYTHING done??

SR

 

[4570Man]

Are you saying you would "walk and probe" a 20 acre field???

How do you expect to get ANYTHING done??

SR

I’ve heard plenty of other ideas here that equal getting nothing done. If I couldn’t till any rocks I might as well scrap the thing.