Almost started a fire with the tiller.. Without hitting a rock

[GREEN FROG]

Yikes .... Almost started a fire tonight using the tiller.... And not by hitting a rock

Had a large area with tall dry grass that I really needed to get smoothed out in preparation for doing some drain work. Because of the huge ruts from using the tractor last winter to keep the barn from flooding .... I decided not to use the brush hog as I would have just pushed dirt around. Also ... With a bum ankle could not walk out to use the new Stihl trimmer

So... My genius idea to use the tiller!!! I knew that the grass would get wrapped around the shaft and while I did see it wrapping on the edges the middle tines were clear.

After a while ... Kept smelling smoke but thought it was from the slip clutch as the tiller was bogging down in the rough and thick stuff. Nope!!!! Turns out the grass was SO wrapped around each side that the heat was building up and I had the beginnings of a small fire on my hands ... YIKES!!!!!

Two things:

1) good warning for the future .... If it had really burst while I was in the long grass ... Might have had a little issue ..... (or a BBQ).....

2) after clearing everything out I ran the tiller for a few mins with no load and shot some grease on the bearings. My question... Do you think I hurt anything on the tiller? Should I change out the gear lube on the chain box and/or gear box?

Thanks and be safe out there this summer

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[Mark Page]

If it didn't stall the engine I wouldn't worry. Might want to check the slip clutch, sounds like it's not doing it's job.

 

[savageactor7]

Close call good thing you investigated that burning odor. Forget about the ruts and use the brush-hog.

 

[gwdixon]

Your tiller is likely just fine. It sounds like the friction of the tightly wound grass against the side of the tiller was causing heating. Luckily no ignition.

My neighbor had the same type of thing happen with a finish flail mower in tall grass. The grass wound around the ends of the shaft enough to bog down the tractor. There was not enough heat in his situation to worry about a fire.

Now that you know of the possibilities you can just check and cut away the wound grass periodically. Just one slice across it with a sharp knife is enough to help it break free.

 

[GREEN FROG]

Savage .... I think you may be right about using the cutter ... Hindsight is always 20/20


Gw ... I tried the knife but ended up using some limb loppers as it was REALLY packed in there. Good point about the flail mower ... Neighbor has one and I would hate to have him start a fire and burn up our places.


Anyone else had this happen???

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[Danno1]

Anyone else had this happen???

Ya, DW did that with the small walk behind a few years back. She was trying to tear up some viney weeds down the back of the lawn so she could plant new seed. They all wrapped around the tines along w a bunch of mud. Even packed w mud it still got hot enough to smoke and she didn't even shut it down!!! :laughing: Almost burned my hands cutting it free.




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