bx1870 and 72" rototiller - IT WORKS!

[TC 40 Chuck]

OK I'm sure that you all think that I'm nuts - but....: I already had a 72" tiller for my TC40A, so thought that I'd try it on the 1870. Had to trim the PTO shaft and move the mounts on the tiller to the max inboard to keep the drive shaft from (length) binding. Having to trim only 1" off of the PTO shaft I can still use the tiller on the TC40 if I need or want to. So - I ran this combination and it WORKS. It's about all the Kubota wants to do, but if I didn't try to be too aggressive with the depth and speed it works. I ran 2000 rpm and of course low range. Moving slowly you could prepare a garden plot from a weedy field, with a couple of progressively deeper passes. I did manage to stall the engine once - was trying to move too quickly. I DID NOT try to operate this with a bare tractor, I had the FEL on. It felt a bit light on the front end, so not sure if it would keep the front wheels down without the FEL on the tractor. If I get crazy next weekend, I'll remove the FEL just to test and will post results. If I had to actually BUY a tiller, for only this tractor, I certainly would NOT buy a 72" - but a 60" would be perfect. Hope someone here finds this info useful!

 

[craSSh]

Anybody else with experience with a Bx18 and tiller? I have a Bx18 and wondered if it was too small for a tiller.

 

[ericher69]

OK I'm sure that you all think that I'm nuts - but....: I already had a 72" tiller for my TC40A, so thought that I'd try it on the 1870. Had to trim the PTO shaft and move the mounts on the tiller to the max inboard to keep the drive shaft from (length) binding. Having to trim only 1" off of the PTO shaft I can still use the tiller on the TC40 if I need or want to. So - I ran this combination and it WORKS. It's about all the Kubota wants to do, but if I didn't try to be too aggressive with the depth and speed it works. I ran 2000 rpm and of course low range. Moving slowly you could prepare a garden plot from a weedy field, with a couple of progressively deeper passes. I did manage to stall the engine once - was trying to move too quickly. I DID NOT try to operate this with a bare tractor, I had the FEL on. It felt a bit light on the front end, so not sure if it would keep the front wheels down without the FEL on the tractor. If I get crazy next weekend, I'll remove the FEL just to test and will post results. If I had to actually BUY a tiller, for only this tractor, I certainly would NOT buy a 72" - but a 60" would be perfect. Hope someone here finds this info useful!

Any video?

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[jesseb3@att.net]

I too would love to see a video, or at least a picture. That tiller has to make the BX look tiny! BTW, what's a 72" tiller weigh? Is there a potential for damage to the 3PT? I'd go slow when driving around with that weight.

 

[ruffdog]

What about potential damage to the tractors PTO clutch? Would the tractor clutch be slipping before the tiller clutch or shear pin?

 

[jesseb3@att.net]

What about potential damage to the tractors PTO clutch? Would the tractor clutch be slipping before the tiller clutch or shear pin?

That's a fair question, but in my experience, the PTO clutch isn't designed to slip. When engaged, it might as well be a solid shaft. However, when engaging slowly, that extra mass likely causes extra slippage during startup. As often as a tiller is used, may not be an issue. I'm not a mechanic, so my take my comments as only my observations. My experience comes from using a post hole digger. When it jammed - which it did at least a dozen times - the tractor either stalled (maybe twice), or it snapped the two 1/2" auger bolts like twigs. I definitely didn't detect any slippage.

 

[C4Ranch]

Why? You already have an appropriate size tractor for that implement. If your tractor can handle the 3pt weight I would recommend removing some tines.

FWIW, you can do anything you want, but should you?

 

[C4Ranch]

Dup post

 

[Gary Fowler]

When I was shopping for a tiller for my tractor, I was looking to put it on the B26TLB, a much more capable tractor than your BX and 550# and 50" width is the max I could use per OEM operation manual. Also per manual max weight at lift arm ball is 800#. So I went with using my LS and got a 72". The 72" that you propose to use is way too heavy (IIRC my KK weighs 850#) for your 3 PH capacity and you WILL break something if you continue to use that large of a tiller. I am really surprised that it would lift it off the ground. PTO HP is not all you have to consider when putting on an implement.

LOOK in your OEM for max weight capacity for the lift, then compare to the weight of different sized implements.

 

[ruffdog]

That's a fair question, but in my experience, the PTO clutch isn't designed to slip.

It wouldn't be the first time that a tractor had to be split to replace the clutch. One guy I know burned his clutch up right away because he always would start the(too big)rotary cutter at full throttle. Pretty soon his clutch would slip all the time.