My new toy, er, tool, any mistakes I should avoid?

[Zoom233]

Got a Maletti rototiller this weekend. Some pictures Gallery at True Value Computer :: Yanmar YM1702D and Maletti rototiller. . Anybody know where to find more info on the tiller? Maybe a manual? In the absence of a manual does anybody have a short rundown on the use of the tiller and pitfalls to avoid?

TIA,
Bryan

 

[Zoom233]

PS. I had some trenches dug for plumbing between my well and home last fall, right before it started to rain all winter long. Well I finally got the plumbing in this spring and then the sun baked that earth into what felt like brick walls on each side of the trench. When I got the tiller home I used it to straddle the trench and till up that earth to fill the trenches back in. Worked like a champ and that is one serious earth working machine.

Bryan

 

[Mike120]

Other than rocks, there's not much to using them. I've been using a 4' tiller for years on my little tractor and just bought a six footer for my big one. I mostly use it for reseeding horse paddocks. But it works great for leveling ruts and humps in the ground. I also use it when the riding arena gets wet. If I take my arena rake in there I create a mess, the tiller fluffs up the footing and it dries right up. It's one of the most useful implements I've got. Keep it greased, the oil changed, and out of rocks and it'll work for you for years.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Change the gear oil. If you have slip clutch, adjust it.
Enjoy.
Bob

 

[Zoom233]

I did change the gear oil in both gear cases yesterday. It wasn't milky when I bought it but after running it a little it turned milky. My only thought is that after a few years of sitting that thermal cycling drew cool moist evening air into the vented fill cap and condensed during the night. I was able to pump the oil out of the center case but had to remove the side cover and ended up using silicone to reseal it, seems to be working fine as the sealing surfaces are machined nicely. Also the fill caps both show the oil level and say 3/4", is it reasonable that the gear cases are filled to within 3/4" of the top? All I know is rear differentials on cars and those are not filled anywhere near full. It looks like it has some sort of clutch on the input of the first gear box but I don't think I saw any adjustment, I'll look closer tonight.

It's first job of getting things turned up enough to fill in the trenches is complete. It's next job may be to till up and level my 1/2 acre pasture in preparation to reseed it. The surface is very ruff in areas where a horse must have been while it was muddy and it's about as much weeds as grass while the grass is quite a few different kinds.That job may be a topic for another discussion in another forum though.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Doc_Bob]

I did change the gear oil in both gear cases yesterday. It wasn't milky when I bought it but after running it a little it turned milky.

So the "milky" look is probably air mixed in with the oil. Let it sit overnight and see if it is still milky.
Bob

 

[Zoom233]

I didn't think of that. I'll have to go look in the oil drain pan and see if it's still milky. I didn't run it much after I changed it so I don't know if it turned milky too or not. The oil I was talking about looking milky is the oil that was in it when I bought it. I just figured it was moisture that had condensed inside the gear case.

Thanks,
Bryan

PS. I put in 80W-90 GL-5 Walmart brand gear oil. Since I don't have a manual to look up the spec I figured that wouldn't hurt. Anybody know any different?

 

[LBrown59]

Other than rocks, there's not much to using them. I've been using a 4' tiller for years on my little tractor and just bought a six footer for my big one. I mostly use it for reseeding horse paddocks. But it works great for leveling ruts and humps in the ground. I also use it when the riding arena gets wet. If I take my arena rake in there I create a mess, the tiller fluffs up the footing and it dries right up. It's one of the most useful implements I've got. Keep it greased, the oil changed, and out of rocks and it'll work for you for years.

I use my tiller on the bolens to break up dirt piles into fine dirt for various yard and landscaping jobs.