Howard 40" PTO tiller and is the chain still good

[Alesandro]

Folks,

I know there is a lot of work to be done on this, but 1st. Is the chain still good or has it been stretched to far? Where do I get a new chain if needed, even if not needed where do I get a new gasket to put the cover back?

2nd, once clean and put together how much do you think I can get for this? I understand every region is different, so just a ball park.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[George2615]

The site below is one place you may get parts if you can find the model #
I'm not sure how much more the chain tensioner can go before needing a chain replacement.

http://www.iowafarmequipment.com/howard-tractor-pto-rotary-tillers.html

I see used 5' tillers occasionally on CL selling for 1000-1500.

 

[jabelding]

Bearings will also be toasted looks like the chain case was full of water.

 

[Alesandro]

jabelding;

I agree, it does look like it was full of water. How does that even happen?

 

[chriswheeler]

I have a Howard HR-8 ( 58" ) that looks like the larger twin to yours. Mine was in slightly better shape when I bought it for $100 from a estate. When found at the estate, it had a bush that had grown around it, had to cut it out first to get it out, hadn't run in years. As far as the chain and sprockets go, they look rusted, but not worn out. The test for this is to use the side adjuster bolt and see if you can still adjust to get the 3/8" slop called for in the manual. If you can, good to go, if not, you need new parts. The thing I'd be concerned about first would be looking in the drive gear box and seeing if it is in the same condition, condition of the gears and bearings. You have it this far down, I'd suggest cleaning out the gear box, fresh 90wt. and also removing the rotor and looking at the bearings on both ends. Bearing on the chain and sprocket end is a larger bearing, bearing on the far end with the grease zerk is smaller. Both bearings can be had from any good bearing house, seam to remember a couple of seals protecting them as well. When I pulled the cover on the drive chain, fully pressure washed the interior removing all of the gunk, I replaced the gasket with the red gasket RTV available from any auto parts store, never has leaked a drop. Good luck with that, mine was a fun project, don't think I spent more than $100 restoring mine. Now I need a new set of tines, and it turns out still available at a good price. Have fun.
Chris

 

[Alesandro]

When I pulled the cover on the drive chain, fully pressure washed the interior removing all of the gunk, I replaced the gasket with the red gasket RTV available from any auto parts store, never has leaked a drop.

You didn't use the gasket that is for the cover, you only used red RTV gasket?

 

[Alesandro]

I forgot to mention I used the tiller for a bit and it seemed to work fine. When I saw the color of the oil from checking it I didn't want to go to far with out looking into it. It's to big for my tractor, 15hp diesel, I can't really move forward without bogging down the tractor here in the clay. I'm seeing them sell around here for $1,000+ so I want to clean it up and sell it.

 

[chriswheeler]

I don't know about the hp. match of your tractor to the tiller. But if it bogs down, slow down, you want to be operating this at very slow speed, low geared to get the full 540 rpm you need at the pto to get good tilling. I think it's very likely that unless your ground is brick hard, your 15 hp is enough to run that 40" tiller. As hard as my ground is here in Nevada, my 58" places very little load on my tractor. ( of course, I have much more hp with mine to draw from ) My tiller goes the full 8" deep in a single pass. On hard unbroken ground it takes 2 or 3 passes to get there and get a nice fine till. And the answer is yes, I just used the red gasket RTV from a auto parts store for the gasket, in my case, seams that was all that was needed. You need to do a good job cleaning the surfaces that the gasket mates to make the red RTV work, but 10 years later, it's not leaked a drop.
Chris

 

[Gregster613]

Perhaps just take one link out will be all you'd need to do for the chain length. Sprocket teeth (from what I can see) look to be okay. Agree with others that it needs a good internal cleaning, but since you ran it and it seemed to run fine I'd just remove one link on the chain. Greg

 

[Alesandro]

Perhaps just take one link out will be all you'd need to do for the chain length.

Woah mama, great idea! I'll do that.