The main problem of Yanmar tillers

[EuroYanmar]

I was just wondering, looking the thickness of nails on Yanmar tillers, how it can withstand something else than the deep soft japanese soil.

These nails look very thin and I guess, because of their "crescent" shape, they are very difficult to find (here in Europe).

My supplier who import them new from Japan told me they are VERY pricy.

Any opinion about this ?

Phil

 

[blackd]

If U look on the Hoye tractor site U will find the nails (called tines here) in the appropriate hole configuration, 10 & 12MM. I find that the tines are strong enough, but that the bolts can be broken. I only remember breaking 5-6 tines, but losing many more with broken/loosened bolts. More often than not, I have broken the tine when tilling at high PTO speed and hitting a rock. If tilling in rocky ground the tiller jumps up when it hits something hard, rock or stick, thus saving the tine(s).

 

[flattman]

I have had the same problems with bolts loosening, but it has not been too difficult to control. The soil here in West Central Texas can be rather hard at best, and the Mesquite stumps and roots are extremely hard. I am glad to say that my tiller has done a wonderful job of tackling that problem, and has withstood the test rather well, even after bounceing up into the air from rocks and Mesquite roots.

Thanks to the tiller, most of that difficult stuff and "bouncy" tilling has smoothed out considerably. The only problem I have had is the shaft that came with myne is a "tad" too short and I guess I need to get one a little longer. I guess when I do that, I will be more pleased.

My tiller is 5 feet wide and is pulled by a YM2420.

Ron

 

[EuroYanmar]

Don and Ron,

Thank you for your answer. I think here in Corsica we have a soil looking like yours in Texas and I am happy to learn that Yanmar tillers perform well there, bouncing when tines encounter roots or stones.

Looking on Carter an Carter machinery website I notice that their rotary tillers (SR and CR models for example) are fitted with tines which have a different shape than Yanmar tines. Our tillers here in France are the same as Carter and Carter's ones. Does it mean that our national tillers are designed to do a different work from Japanese ones ?

At least I am sorry for "the nails" instead ot "tines"; it is just the Google translating of the Japanese word for "tines" ....

Phil

 

[flattman]

Phil,

Please do not appologize for the use of the word nails. It is such a pleasure to communicate with you and learn information from another perspective. I am not famaliar with the Carter information, but will look it up.

My tractor came equiped with the tiller and so that is what I use. I will say one very positive thing for these machines and apparently all greys have this feature and that is the variable PTO speeds. What an aid in making the soil look nice and mix different manure into it to enrich it.

I have an apple/peach orchard and plant a garden between the trees and this tiller has been a huge blessing for keeping it looking nice, weed free and putting humas back into the soil.

Enjoy the day...

Ron

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Like flattman, I enjoy hearing from someone from far away places. Keep posting EuroYanmar.

This thread is just what I had in mind to start this AM. Hope Euro doesn't mind in if I jump in.

Have been giving thought to purchasing a tiller for my Fx24D and was wanting to hear from other about their experience, good or bad, of these imported used tillers for our Yanmars.

Euro, the area where I live in Oregon has growing conditions very similar to some of the finer wine growing regions of France. Soil is always packed in the spring from all the rains but with a little work it loosens up very well.

For forum regulars, Earnie, Tractor Ernie, is my dealer and he told me he has a real decent tiller in now that is suitable for my model. Thinking about going over to take a look today.

Like has been stated the tines do looks pretty weak as compared to the ones on my tiller on my old Bolens GT.

Euro's statement about translation mix-ups reminded me of a story about a friend. His wife is Japanese and once when talking to his in-laws he used the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" and his in-laws started laughing. He asked what was funny and was told the phrase translated to "blind and crazy".

 

[Eddie]

They may look fragile but I can testify as to how strong they are. Part of the yard for our new house was an old crushed limestone driveway for a recreation building. I put some top soil over it then worked it up about 4" deep with the tiller. Every now and then the tiller would jump out of the ground from hitting a large rock. I did this in several places, probably 5 hours running time, and haven't broken a tine yet. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

E

 

[kayssupply]

One point to make at this stage of the post, the original tines and as far as that, all the metaL in these tractors and tillers, is as fine a quality as I have seen. The replacement tines that I have came across so far are all Chinese copys. They look the same but snap like twigs. I lost 3 on one tilling job. If you can get nice original tines or boxed and marked OEM you will be fine.

 

[HomeBrew2]

That's good to know! I will need to re-tine mine soon. Do you happen to have a source for OEM tines?
Cheers!

 

[EuroYanmar]

Thanks to everybody for answers.

My personal opinion about Yanmar tillers is that they are exactly designed for Yanmar tractors. As far as I know, in Japan, compact tractors (Yanmars, Iseki, Hinmoto, Kubota..) are always sold, new or used, with their own tiller. The reason why they are often imported as grey without their tiller is mainly a question of room in the containers. More than this, I have good reasons to think that they are sold to importers the same price with or without tiller. Maybe our friends dealers will confirm this point.

In my personal situation, I bought 6 month ago a (grey)Yanmar AF22 (1995 model). The dealer told me he has left his tiller in Japan but if needed he could import the missing device in his next container and sell it to me for around 200$. This lead me to understand he got it for free.

I will pick up this original tiller next saturday and post some pictures of it.

At the beginning of the part catalog for my tractor there is a list of around 100 models of Yanmar compact tractors with the corresponding references of optional tillers fitting to them. Each tractor can accept one, two or three models of tillers. The differences between these models is mainly they width and the fact they are or not "UFO" equiped (UFO = Yanmar automatic system for control of horizontallity of working = Kubota's "Monroematic" ).

Phil