Tiller Hey Guys...A little help - please!

[veresjwv]

I have searched this forum... searched tillers...tried to evaluate....can't make up my mind. Would love to hear your opinions. I want to buy a tiller, but I haven't a clue as to what kind and size. I own a L3400 Kubota 35 HP. I want the most tiller for my money, I don't care what the cost is I just want to buy my last tiller if you know what I mean. I want something that will fit my tractor of course, cover the width of the tractor, and last me a long, long time. I live in central NC and the ground is easy to till mostly sandy. I tend about an acre of garden and just want the simplicity of making the ground ready for about 4 different crops a year and then the fall cover crop. Never owned a tiller always used two bottom plow and disc harrows, just want to make life easier!
Any and all help would be much appreciated! What should I buy???????
Thanks,
Joe

 

[leonz]

About your tiller needs:

Contact Ken Sweet via the forum here as he is TBN sponsor in good standing
and he will help you purchase the right tiller for your needs he carries at least
two lines of tillers from what I remember and you will be supporting a
TBN sponsor who employs a lot of folks.

Ken also ships from his warehouse in Kentucky as well.

www.sweettractors.com





_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[Haywire]

Check out www.everythingattachments.com They're a sponsor too and in NC to boot.

 

[bilrus61]

First off it would be good to know if your L3400 is gear or hydro. You'll need to go by the PTO power too. I just looked and if your tractor is hydostatic drive you have 28.5 pto horsepower. I tried to find the width of your rear tires and it would appear to be around 52 inches. If your wanting a really nice tiller look at the Befco T50 series. Look at the one that is 58 inches wide and rated for 25 horsepower. It has lots of features. Tills extra deep at 8 3/8 inches. Catagory 4 pto shaft. 100 wt chain drive. Just has lots of little extras on it even has a side shift if you ever get a bigger tractor. That would help you take out one tire which is fine really. Good weight for your tractor also. We've used its economy model, Rotomec, here for years with no issues at all. The T40 series would be good if your watching you dimes. Just about any tiller 60 inches or under will serve you well. I don't know of any "lemon" brands frankly. Tillers are pretty simple and about the only think you need to watch for is to make sure your slip clutch is funtional every spring. If your not going to do that better get a sear bolt protected PTO shaft.

BEFCO - Products - Rotary tillers - Till-rite T50 They are in Stoney Point NC.

A tiller is perfect for what your wanting to do. I leave mine on for ballast when I'm using my loader. There is no need to ever sharpen your blades. I like the standard front rotation as it does a better job in my opinion of tilling under green stuff for "green manures". My two tillers are chain drive and never had any trouble at all. Some say gear drive is better. I think they might be right to some extent but lots of heavy duty chain tillers out there working hard year after year. Most tillers will till slightly wider than they are listed by about two inches. Just the way the soil breaks up. Befco is made in Italy same as most tillers. Sicma and Maschio are other top quality Italian tillers that are sold under names like John Deere, Rhino, Bushhog and a host of other names. Look at them all but look close at the Befco tillers.

 

[Don87]

First off it would be good to know if your L3400 is gear or hydro. You'll need to go by the PTO power too. I just looked and if your tractor is hydostatic drive you have 28.5 pto horsepower. I tried to find the width of your rear tires and it would appear to be around 52 inches. If your wanting a really nice tiller look at the Befco T50 series. Look at the one that is 58 inches wide and rated for 25 horsepower. It has lots of features. Tills extra deep at 8 3/8 inches. Catagory 4 pto shaft. 100 wt chain drive. Just has lots of little extras on it even has a side shift if you ever get a bigger tractor. That would help you take out one tire which is fine really. Good weight for your tractor also. We've used its economy model, Rotomec, here for years with no issues at all. The T40 series would be good if your watching you dimes. Just about any tiller 60 inches or under will serve you well. I don't know of any "lemon" brands frankly. Tillers are pretty simple and about the only think you need to watch for is to make sure your slip clutch is funtional every spring. If your not going to do that better get a sear bolt protected PTO shaft.

BEFCO - Products - Rotary tillers - Till-rite T50 They are in Stoney Point NC.

A tiller is perfect for what your wanting to do. I leave mine on for ballast when I'm using my loader. There is no need to ever sharpen your blades. I like the standard front rotation as it does a better job in my opinion of tilling under green stuff for "green manures". My two tillers are chain drive and never had any trouble at all. Some say gear drive is better. I think they might be right to some extent but lots of heavy duty chain tillers out there working hard year after year. Most tillers will till slightly wider than they are listed by about two inches. Just the way the soil breaks up. Befco is made in Italy same as most tillers. Sicma and Maschio are other top quality Italian tillers that are sold under names like John Deere, Rhino, Bushhog and a host of other names. Look at them all but look close at the Befco tillers.

That is a good bit deeper than the competitors. I think the King Kutter tillers only go 7 inches(on the 60 to 72 inch).
But I agree, most any tiller will work in his ground as long as it's a forward rotation. IIRC someone posted that a reverse tine tiller used in his sandy soil would bury itself and caused him lot's of problems.

 

[veresjwv]

Gentleman - This is exactly the info I am looking for....Thank you! Until now I never heard of a Befco. I will most certainly check them out. Also, I have a hydro and totally forgot about the less power on the PTO......... This is why I come to the PRO'S
Thanks again.

 

[Baby Grand]

When it comes to tilling, I think you are actually ahead with the HST, even though the PTO HP is a little less. HST will let you select any ground speed you want while keeping your PTO speed up. Some gear tractors lack a slow enough bottom gear for certain soil conditions. Work around is you take a shallow cut, then a deep cut. So don't think of the HST as being a limitation to tilling 8^).

I have a King Kutter II 60" which has been a real work horse around here. Very happy with that purchase.

 

[Haywire]

I just bought that KK TG-48-XB tiller in my signature yesterday. Gear drive, even for my little Kubota. Does a great job so far. The sun baked ground definitely let me know it was back there. Big dust cloud. Probably should have waited till it rained to get some moisture in the ground.

It surprised me at how fast the tines turn as compared to a walk behind tiller. I'd say they were twice as fast.

Ian

 

[veresjwv]

Thanks guys, the KK TG 60 is one of which I have been leaning towards, I can't believe how heavy the specs say it is (I think around 700 lbs) I think weight would really help. Again my main concern is this will be my first tiller and I want to buy quality because I also want it to be my last tiller. It will be used many times in a year but not for long periods. Only have about an acre to tend. Also I am now looking at the Befco.

Really appreciate the comments, I trust your opinions!

 

[Haywire]

I can't believe how heavy the specs say it is (I think around 700 lbs)

The XB I have is the 'light weight' version for my sub-compact and the shipping weight is 450lbs. I believe it. Even with my FEL on, I was getting that teeter totter feel if I braked hard.

Ian

 

[2458n]

One more to consider is a Howard. Produce farms use them. I have owned one for 20 years with no problems. It was purchased well used. I also have a 5 foot John Deere product. Have replaced tines once.

 

[nybirdman]

I have had a Bush_Hog branded tiller for six years.I plow then till about 10 acres a year between gardens and food plots.This tiller has held up well considering all the rock in our area.I leave the discharge flap up and it mostly spits the rock out the back.This farm has been used for 150 years ,there are miles of stone fences ,many piles and I still am picking rocks every year.Make sure to service the slip clutch"every year".On the smaller tractors...tiller is the only way to go.

 

[Grandad4]

Gentleman - This is exactly the info I am looking for....Thank you! Until now I never heard of a Befco. I will most certainly check them out. Also, I have a hydro and totally forgot about the less power on the PTO......... This is why I come to the PRO'S
Thanks again.

Being that you must be in the same general area as I am, you might find it worthwhile to take a trip over to Leinbach Implements in East Bend, NW of Winston Salem. They sell both Sicma and Muratori brands (both Italian imports, obviously) and usually have a pretty full inventory of different models and sizes so you can look over several different types. I bought a Muratori tiller from them several years ago, it has been trouble-free in use for us and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.

I'll also speak up for Befco, another NC outfit, by the way, which has very good implements, and it's always good to support the TBN sponsors, as others have suggested.

You'd probably get a fine product from any of these sources, but if none of these work out for you, send me a private message and we can discuss some other alternatives. Welcome to TBN, by the way, and good luck with your shopping.

 

[veresjwv]

Hey everyone, Just wanted to say thanks! Just made my decision and purchased a King Kutter II TG-60-Y Also got a very good price after searching the internet. $1595.70, that includes shipping!
Grandad, thanks for all the info, your PM's where very helpful! It is due to arrive around the 19th, just in time to end the season and prep for cover crop of crimson clover!
Thanks again and God Bless!