New machine

[deerseeker001]

I have looked at them for my Tractor i think they call them a heat howser the engine is covered and you have windshield and the heat comes right up by the Driver.

 

[J F]

I never saw this thread originally, what a beautiful beast that Ventrac is. :thumbsup: (you've got a beautiful property there too, Murph ).

 

[murphy1244]

Well the Snow Blower was removed today and I'm waiting for the ground to dry up to roll the Lawn. Any advice on this would be a help.

 

[GolfAddict]

Actually, I find that doing it when the ground is good and wet is better. Allows the roller to get the bumps really squished down good...

 

[murphy1244]

Actually, I find that doing it when the ground is good and wet is better. Allows the roller to get the bumps really squished down good...

Problem is I get ruts if I do it now.

 

[hpc]

After the ground dries, I'd aerate. I prefer the core aerator versus the spike.

 

[murphy1244]

After the ground dries, I'd aerate. I prefer the core aerator versus the spike.

I will rent one. Can I do both at the same time?

 

[GolfAddict]

Problem is I get ruts if I do it now.

The problem I have is if I wait to roll until it's dry, it really doesn't do much of anything. Of course, if it's completely soggy it would rut up and excessively compact the ground, and you don't want that either.

What made the most difference for me was the size of the roller. The first roller I bought was a wide roller made of plastic. For it to make an appreciable difference, the ground had to be pretty much soggy and then the tires left ruts. I think it just had too much "float" with that wide of a footprint. I think it is about 5 feet wide.

The answer, at least for my ground, is a narrow steel one. With the larger circumference it has about the same weight, and it puts much more weight in the smaller area at the ground. At only 3 feet wide (I believe) it won't even cover the wheel tracks but doesn't need to. With the tractor weight on the wheels, and the heavy roller covering the ground between the wheels, you can get a nice flat roll without noticeable wheel tracks. The ground has to still be wet to do a really nice job - but not soggy wet.

I then aerate later, when the ground has dried up a fair amount more to avoid wheel ruts. In my opinion, the best thing you can do for the grass is to core aerate...

 

[JackIL]

Be sure to install the duals on the Ventrac and set the inflation pressures on all tires to about 8 psi. (These pressures are "by the book" in the Ventrac Operator's Manual.) These low inflation pressure will create the least compaction and rutting from the tractor. Still you do not want to be out on "wet" soil with any type of machine, so restrain yourself and wait until the soil is firm but not rock hard.
JackIL

 

[murphy1244]

Thanks much Jack, the Cab trick worked great! I don't think I need Duals as I don't have much hills now.

 

[murphy1244]

Looking at a used KL-483 tiller the guy wants 1900.00 what do you think? I'm no longer mowing the big hill pasture as we planted wild flowers on it.

 

[JackIL]

Murph,

Need to know approximate hours and condition. Photo essential to be able to comment.

JackIL

 

[Raw Dodge]

Do you mean a 480? That's what I have..I absolutely love mine, and they seem to be very well built.I know they are around 3100 msrp, like Jack said, condition is everything. My ventrac dealer says these are very well built units and he never sees them for repairs..unlike the Steiner tiller which is known to break the chain under heavy use, especially when used on a ventrac.

 

[murphy1244]

Well I bought a brand new one instead. The used one was too beat up. 2900.00 or so.

 

[Raw Dodge]

That's what I did too..I wasn't paying 2200 for a beat up unit...

 

[murphy1244]

That's what I did too..I wasn't paying 2200 for a beat up unit...

What speed did you run it?

 

[Raw Dodge]

Wide open, on my machine that's around 3500 rpm..i put up a video of my son tilling with it this spring. ..one other thing, I found by accident, the stock belt is a b66, I used mine on a steiner too, and i needed to go to a b65 because the Steiners pulleys are slightly smaller and the b66 was slipping even with all the adjustment taken up...when input it back on the ventrac i used the b65. .it was a bit tighter and didn't slip the belts in heavy conditions like it did with the b66..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlREXEa3pps&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Raw Dodge]

Here is the same rotoiller on one of our Steiners. ., my dad is running it..only change needed was a belt change to a B65 belt..tiller works great, Kohler Command 25 has plenty of power to run it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1kwDAkM0Nw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[murphy1244]

Any one know of a paint match for Ventrac red??

 

[murphy1244]

Any one know of a paint match for Ventrac red??

Anyone???? Need to touch up my mower.