FarmWithJunk-rototiller question

[LabLuvR]

I'm leaning toward buying a rototiller for my 37hp Kubota. I've read here that the KK is the one to buy for my food plot business. Just curious how well they work in land that has a fair amount of rocks softball size down.

Thanks!

 

[LabLuvR]

Also, are all KK rototillers gear driven? Thanks!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

King Kutter II (The yellow ones) are gear driven. No clue about the orange "compact" models.

A King Kutter tiller will work about as well as any brand in rocky soil. That is, NONE of them will take the abuse on a sustained basis. Have a few extra tines on hand, get used to horrific sounds of rocks bashing into the underside of the tiller, and be prepared for the possibility of broken u-joints, possibly damage to the pto drive train of the tractor, or worse. They will shake the living daylights out of tractor and operator when you hit a good sized rock.

Tillers CAN work in rocks. They don't LIKE to work in rocks.

 

[LabLuvR]

"possibly damage to the pto drive train of the tractor"

WOW, that bad eh? I guess it would take a grapefruit size rock to do that???

 

[Farmwithjunk]

"possibly damage to the pto drive train of the tractor"

WOW, that bad eh? I guess it would take a grapefruit size rock to do that???

Or a BUNCH of smaller ones. I think the tiller or pto shaft would probably go first, but rocks give quite a shock to the tractor too.

 

[LabLuvR]

Thanks,I may see if I can rent one before I buy. Thanks again!

 

[IslandTractor]

Or a BUNCH of smaller ones. I think the tiller or pto shaft would probably go first, but rocks give quite a shock to the tractor too.

I wonder if that is a backhanded argument in favor of a chain driven tiller? You'd certainly expect the chain to break before the PTO shaft.

I've never used a tiller but don't they have any sort of clutch or shear pin protection?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I wonder if that is a backhanded argument in favor of a chain driven tiller? You'd certainly expect the chain to break before the PTO shaft.

I've never used a tiller but don't they have any sort of clutch or shear pin protection?

If the chain drive is of any quality whatsoever, it shouldn't make much difference. I'd much prefer the gear drive, but again, if the chain drive is made well, there's nothing at all wrong with one. Driveline shock loads aren't always discriminatory. A well placed rock hit might break anything from the clutch on back.

All the tillers I'm familiar with do have slip clutches. You'll still get quite a jolt every time you hit a rock.

It's more of a "backhanded argument" in favor of a stout, very substancial TRACTOR.

 

[jbrumberg]

I tend to agree with FWJ. I have been tilling heavy, claybased and rocky NE soil for over 20 years without equipment failure due to rocks and/or immovable objects . A good tiller with a good tractor and a slip clutch should do the trick. A tractor with tiller will bounce around a bit (depending on size) when it hits an immovable object . A forward rotation tiller will tend to "paddle wheel" over it. Jay

 

[bjr]

I got on top of some large roots one time and all but destroyed my converted Iseki rice tiller. I mean I bent the pulling lugs for the draft arms. I had adapted to the original tiller lugs. When I rebuilt the wreck I went to 1/2" plate made everthing very heavy. I made a new shaft and used KK tines. It's a monster now. I've not lost a chain yet. The slip clutch was set to tight. I now back the springs bolts off to make them slip then tighten a small increments to not slip. Just pay attention to the adjustment of the slip clutch. bjr

 

[IslandTractor]

It's more of a "backhanded argument" in favor of a stout, very substancial TRACTOR.

I like that idea!