42" Rototiller

[Seon]

I've got a JD 4210 tractor with the rear wheels that's about 62" wide. I'm looking at a 42" rototiller for it...is that too narrow or what? I'm not looking to till much, just a small garden for the wife.

 

[jbrumberg]

Seon:

I would recommend that you get a tiller that is wider than your rear wheel width. It really looks "funky" with tire tracks in a freshly tilled garden. Jay

 

[ronjhall]

My tiller is 52". Tractor tread width is over 60". Tiller offsets to the right. Covering that tires tread. If the tiller you are looking has a offset feature it should work OK on your tractor.

 

[Tom_H]

Seon:

I would recommend that you get a tiller that is wider than your rear wheel width. It really looks "funky" with tire tracks in a freshly tilled garden. Jay

This is significant in that a succeeding pass will mash back down the freshly tilled soil. Having a tiller that is = or > the tractor width will overcome this. One way to manage with a narrower tiller is to get one that can be offset to one side. Making successive passes only on the side of the offset tiller will prevent knocking back down the freshly tilled soil.

 

[Arcane]

In small gardens, a tractor with tiller isn't as useful as you might like it to be, especially if the garden beds are already made and you just want to till the plants under at the end of the season. As mentioned above, driving on the beds can make a mess.

I considered getting a rototiller attachment for the longest time, read all the posts here to figure out the pros and cons, before going to the local HD and buying their rental 8hp rear tine walk-behind rototiller for $800. Honda FRC800, starts on the first pull, has years of life left in it. Its a lot more manuverable than the tractor with the attachment, can be driven up the ramps into the back of the pickup to till someone's garden across town, and can be sold for what I paid for it if I don't need it in the future.

Just a thought.

 

[jeepers94]

I have several walk behind and a 3 pt tiller.The 3 pt will do as nice a job as any walk behind.used correctly! As mentioned above,an offset will cover the wheel tracks.I would go with a 54-58" tiller for your tractor.A 42" would be way too small,in my opinion.If you think that you only need that small of a unit,look at a walk behind or a used garden tractor/tiller combo.

 

[bill177]

I have a 48" tiller on my GC2300. Heavy clay that I am working material into.

I had a 10hp Aerens (sp) rear tine tiller in the past. It used to drag me around the first couple of passes and beat me to death cutting new flower beds for the wife.

Now I just position myself, drop the tiller and ease forward.

For little jobs in the areas that I have tractor tilled, I'll use my little Mantis for weeding etc.

I paid about $1400 (new Massey Feguson) for it and it is worth every dime.

 

[Seon]

Thanks for all replies. Although the price was right, I decided to pass on the tiller.