Tiller Smoking Tiller... Is it pooched or am I lucky?

[Anonymous Poster]

Folks, looking for some tiller education here... I recently purchased a King Kutter II 60" tiller and used it w/o incident the first day. Tonight (a few weeks later, I hooked it up again and went out back to attack our hardpan). After about 30 ft, she was begging for mercy because I notice that she stopped turning. So, I raised her up a bit and re-engaged the PTO and she started to go at it again. For the next 50 - 80 ft (at the higher level) she seemed to work fine but I noticed an increasing smell of something burning like a brake pad. Low and behold, after about 100 ft, I noticed immense smoke coming from what appeared to be the gear box on top. I immediately disengaged to the PTO and started heading back to my garage. When I climbed off the TC35 and examined the tiller, it appeared that a bunch of brown flakes (almost like rust...rust colored at least) were all over the top of the tiller near the gear box). One of the round plates (the one next to the gear housing (that appears to be attached to the drive train) was hotter than a playboy centerfold in heat /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif... Well, long story short, I think I could have easily fried some eggs on that plate and the paint was all pretty much discolored or burned off of it. It looks like there is a clutch type plate between the two round metal plates. While the tiller still seems to function fine (I tried it out), did I do any irrepairable damage and what may that have been? It's a good 45 minutes later and that plate is STILL very warm.

 

[agcomike]

Sounds like several possible things i'm going to give some suggestions on what could be..

too much load on tiller making it slip you may need less depth and more passes?
Possible clutch not adjusted tight enough?
Oil in gear box?

The clutch if it turns colors like a blue or purple on metal it's toast or if friction material is eat up.. I bet the brown flakes is friction material or rust one?

 

[grandad]

Recently purchased... did you check to see if gearbox came with gear oil already included, or were you supposed to add it? It may have been shipped with just a light coating of oil, but not filled.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I didn't hear any mention of gear lube. Please tell me you weren't running your gear drive tiller dry.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

King Kutters are NOT shipped with gear oil. If you didn't add a couple quarts you did exactly as I feared. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The plate is a slip clutch. You took a few years of life out of it, but it will problably be ok, or would need a new inner ring if it chewed it up totally. You should get it adjusted properly, & checked out tho. The manual should have the proceedure for setting it the proper tension.

Now, why did the slip cluch slip for that long? Were you biting off more than it could chew? Or is something bound up on the tines? Or is a bearing seized up? Or did it run without oil & the gears are shot? Or is the slip clutch adjusted too loose & slips all the time?

Yet to be determined, I suppose. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif You are really hoping for the last one, I'm sure - anyhow not a bad bearing or gears.....

 

[Egon]

Working in hardpan is pretty tough going exspecially if it is dry. As the tiller seems to be okay chances are the slip clutch was not set up properly and slipped. The distance you went wasn't that far so all should be well once the clutch is adjusted.

You may find that removing half the tines will help when breaking new ground. Afterwards you can put them back on.

Egon

 

[Chief]

Sounds to me like your slip clutch is well done. My Land Pride operator's manual says to run the slip clutch in after long periods of inactivity or sitting out in weather to protect the slip clutch. It sounds like corrosion or rust could build up and cause problems if you don't. In this case, sounds like you definitely ran the slip clutch in. ;o) I would check the tiller out fully to make sure oil is good, bolts tight, check manual to make sure slip clutch is adjusted properly and try it out again. It may be ok. But I think a few of the 9 lives of that slip clutch are past. <;o)

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Everyone, thanks for all the replies... First and foremost, I did fill the gear boxes (both) with the appropriate gear oils and that is not the issue.

Sounds like (as a couple of you put it) I used up one of my clutches 9 lives. I pretty much know I was asking it to bite down hard on the dry hard pan and that was seriously impeding it's ability to turn. I guess these Tillers are like women... they need us to be sensitive to their needs and not over work them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

If needed, can I get the clutch at TSC or do I need to contact King Kutter for that?

BTW, many thanks to you all for responding so quickly!!!

 

[Chief]

I would think TSC would have or at least be able to get you those parts since they sell KC equip. If not, I would suggest emailing King Cutter directly and see what they can do for you. You may want to have a buddy if you have any farmers close by run a plow and disk throw that hard pan first. Save a little wear and tear on your tiller. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif