Help! Tiller attachment to BX1500

[DaveInColorado]

I got my BX1500 a couple of weeks ago off Ebay - it was a great buy and all that - but I didn't get (nor did I ask) any explanation on how to attach the tiller! It is a Land Pride, but I don't think the brand matters. The driveshaft is too long and I read about shortening it but I've so far cut 2" off both sides and it can barely be jammed into the space between tiller and tractor. I put my questions in logical order:

1 - After a couple of hours screwing with it several different ways, I've pretty much concluded that the tiller must first be completely attached before putting on the driveshaft. I came to that conclusion after the impossible task of trying to line up the splines with the tines on the ground. Am I correct?

2 - Driveshaft length - how much "extra" space will probably be along the length? If I get it where it barely fits, is that good enough or should I shorten it another inch or so to make sure nothing binds?

3 - What about this @#$*& plastic shield around the driveshaft? Everything would be a whole lot easier to view/cut/install without that dumb thing. However - I do have small kids and though it would be a terrible idiot thing if they were ever between the tiller and the tractor while either was running (and tines turning on tiller), I guess I'll relinquish my eternal quest for efficiency and keep that thing on the shaft. But - how would I remove it if I wanted to? It has Lock and Unlock directions, but I squeezed, pulled, pried and never got it to budge and come off each half shaft.

4 - I would appreciate some feedback from someone who has put a tiller on a BX tractor. I haven't measured mine but I believe it is only 34" wide.

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif in Colorado

 

[Bird]

Dave, Bush Hog's web site has downloadable manuals for their implements. If you download the manual for their tillers (or their rotary cutters) they include instructions with pictures for cutting the PTO shaft to fit your tractor. Click here and look at the list of downloadable manuals, then download the light duty tiller manual and scroll down to page 9.

 

[DaveInColorado]

Wow! 8 minutes to the first reply on a Sunday evening! This is great - thanks - and I'll head over to that website right away.

 

[RonR]

Hi Dave,

I have a BX2200 and a BH tiller.

Yes, you should hook the 3PT up prior to hooking up the PTO. When you lift the tiller, you can rotate the shaft to align the splines to attach the PTO.

The plastic covers on the PTO shaft are for safety. I've read about people getting clothing caught in a drive shaft (though it should be very difficult on a CUT). Your body will wrap around a PTO shaft before you will realize what is wrong. Farm journals annually report on farm accidents where things like this occur. Learn to deal with the PITA shields rather than remove them.

One thing I discovered running my tiller is to set the depth control at 2". When I had it set at 4", it hopped and bounced in our hard ground. At 2", the angle of the blades hitting the ground was more smooth and multiple passes got to the depth I needed.

Enjoy,
Ron

 

[JWE]

Dave

I have a 44 inch First Choice tiller that I use with my BX2200. Even though my PTO shaft was the correct length it was still a struggle to align the tiller and attach the PTO shaft to the tractor’s PTO. To make the job a lot easier I made a set of casters that fit over the skids. The casters make it easy to roll the tiller into position and they prevent the tines from hitting the floor allowing me to turn the PTO shaft without having the tiller connected to the TPH.

When I attach my tiller, I put the tiller on the lower 3PH arms and then I connect the PTO shaft. The last thing that I do is to attach the top link. That way I have more room to attach the PTO shaft.

I’ve attached a picture of the casters that I made. If you think that you may want to make a set of casters and if you want more information, send me an Email.

John

 

[DaveInColorado]

I like the idea of putting some simple little casters on a frame that I drop the tiller onto when I'm not using it - which is most of the time! That would make it easier to attach. I like having the top link unattached so I can drop the driveshaft down and have a little more room to work. I've made it more difficult by hanging a tool belt on my ROPS to hold my tools. It is great except when attaching a driveshaft.

I did go to the suggested website and download the instructions on how to cut the driveshaft to length. That was extremely helpful. Where I first estimated that it was 2" long, then cut another 2" off and it was still to long, so I cut another 1" off and it is Still Too Long! What a pain in the butt to cut the thing, too. With it hung up inside the crazy plastic anti-terrorist shield I couldn't hold it still enough to run my Sawzall very well. I hope when I get to heaven they won't remember all the nice things I said about this driveshaft. Anyway - thanks to the website I now have a real technique to find the right length. I will try it tomorrow evening - after work.

 

[art]

Dave you should be able to hook your pto up when the tiller is installed. For all your cursing, fear not that you lead the pack as you are just a follower of all those that have been there before you!!! Glad I have the boys in the shop to do it!

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I couldn't hold it still enough to run my Sawzall very well )</font>

When I had to cut mine, fortunately I had a vise to put it in, but I didn't have a sawzall handy at the time so just used the old manual hacksaw; wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.

 

[DaveInColorado]

OK - Got it! I only had to make five (5) more cuts to finally get the @()#*$ thing short enough! But - I'm now an expert and will gladly share my knowledge with others. I didn't have to invent any new adjectives, either. I just used the old ones.

I found the absolutely best way to cut the driveshaft. I put a metal blade in my 10" power miter saw and could cut the shaft in less than one minute. That driveshaft is really, really short between a BX1500 and the tiller! I think there's only about 9" of shaft (plus another 12" in u-joints and connectors) between the two. The driveshaft can probably handle 50hp. I doubt that I'll break it with my 15hp diesel.

 

[Junkman]

Dave...... now that you have it mounted and the driveshaft the proper length, when are you going to be posting pictures of it working?