Tilling with the tractor in reverse

[OhioTractor44065]

Hi:

I recently bought a JD2520 with a 647 tiller (not a reverse tiller). I found that backing up the tractor when tilling allows for a better and deeper till (we are adding some large gardens in rows in virgin soil). As I am new to this, is there any mechanical danger in doing to the tractor/tiller in doing this?

Thanks!

 

[greenmule]

Well don't know for sure,but it don't sound like a good idea to me,I wouldn't do it anyways. But since your new to this it might just work for you.

 

[Bird]

Chances are that you'll get away with it, but no way I'd do it. If you hit a rock, big tree root, etc. while going forward, the tiller will most likely just bounce over it. In reverse, it may hang and hopefully either shear a pin or slip a clutch (depending on which you have) instead of bending or breaking the lower links of your 3-point hitch. And of course tilling in reverse means your driving over the tilled soil packing it down again with the tractor wheels. Personally, I just much rather go with a slower ground speed or multiple passes.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I can't come up with any real "technical reason" why you shouldn't, but it sounds like a recipe for disaster! I've "back filled" a few spots with a tiller by reversing the tractor into already tilled (and loosened) soil with no ill effects. Not sure I'd be game for trying that in untilled virgin soil though.

If you continue to do so, let us know how it works out. Kinda got my curiousity up.

 

[LBrown59]

Hi:

I recently bought a JD2520 with a 647 tiller (not a reverse tiller). I found that backing up the tractor when tilling allows for a better and deeper till (we are adding some large gardens in rows in virgin soil). As I am new to this, is there any mechanical danger in doing to the tractor/tiller in doing this?

Thanks!

I don't think it's the best idea.

 

[OhioTractor44065]

Thanks every one for your thoughts.

Just a quick clarification point. I tilled in the "traditional" way the first pass. It was just on the second pass that I noticed it wasnt getting much deeper (maybe 4-5 inches)..by backing up, it seemed to dig in deeper and seemed to really break up the soil similar to the reverse tine tiller. The problem is that the way we are putting in this particular garden is 4 100ft rows at 4 ft wide with grass between the rows. The skids on the tiller are still on higher vigin ground and the tractor tires as well so its not getting deeper on multipe passes like it would in a larger traditional garden. Any thoughts then on how to get the tiller to go deeper in this particular applications?

 

[deere755]

I don't think it's the best idea.

I second that.

 

[wedge40]

Thanks every one for your thoughts.

Just a quick clarification point. I tilled in the "traditional" way the first pass. It was just on the second pass that I noticed it wasnt getting much deeper (maybe 4-5 inches)..by backing up, it seemed to dig in deeper and seemed to really break up the soil similar to the reverse tine tiller. The problem is that the way we are putting in this particular garden is 4 100ft rows at 4 ft wide with grass between the rows. The skids on the tiller are still on higher vigin ground and the tractor tires as well so its not getting deeper on multipe passes like it would in a larger traditional garden. Any thoughts then on how to get the tiller to go deeper in this particular applications?

I would say an old fashion 2 bottom or single bottom plow, or a middle buster.
Just my 2 cents.
OR make one more pass to make it a little wider so the tractor and tiller fit between the un-tilled area.


Wedge

 

[LBrown59]

I can't come up with any real "technical reason" why you shouldn't, but it sounds like a recipe for disaster!
*I've "back filled" a few spots with a tiller by reversing the tractor into already tilled (and loosened) soil with no ill effects.
**Not sure I'd be game for trying that in untilled virgin soil though.

If you continue to do so, let us know how it works out. Kinda got my curiousity up.

*That's one of the primary uses of my tiller.
**In some such conditions I break the dirt up with the BH before tilling.

 

[MarkV]

Someone else was talking about tilling in reverse not long ago. They were saying that one of the problems is that the tiller will throw rocks toward the tractor. As I recall they had added a plastic shield to the ROPS for operator protection.

MarkV

 

[greenmule]

Yeah,theres your problem,your skids are staying on untilled ground,so,it won't go no deeper.

So,since thats the problem,you need to make the tilled area wider,like wedge said,than your skids will be in soft tilled ground and go down and you can till deeper,etc.

Its one of those things a fellow don't think about untill you go to next step.

 

[Baby Grand]

Would it be okay to remove the skids to get deeper tillage?

 

[greenmule]

Yeah,guess you could do that,but wouldn't put it in float till you see whats going to happen[who knows might start bounceing up and down],but thats a thought.

 

[LBrown59]

Someone else was talking about tilling in reverse not long ago.
***They were saying that one of the problems is that the tiller will throw rocks toward the tractor. As I recall they had added a plastic shield to the ROPS for operator protection.

MarkV

***
Not a problen with mine .

 

[MarkV]

***
Not a problen with mine .

LB do you till in reverse often? What kind of results do you get? Does it till deeper and finer? I had honestly never thought of it until a few recent posts. Not much rock here so I don't think it would be a problem for me either. Do you have much rock?

MarkV

 

[Baby Grand]

Yeah,guess you could do that,but wouldn't put it in float till you see whats going to happen[who knows might start bounceing up and down],but thats a thought.

Hmmm. I think you may right about the bouncing. The skids on the soil might provide enough damping to keep the whole business well behaved.

 

[xlr82v2]

Yeah,guess you could do that,but wouldn't put it in float till you see whats going to happen[who knows might start bounceing up and down],but thats a thought.

Unless your tractor is a Belarus or something strange/awful like that, your tiller is always in "float"... there's no down pressure on the 3PH on 99.7% of the small tractors out there. Maybe by "float" you mean to put all the weight of the tiller on the ground?

Hmmm. I think you may right about the bouncing. The skids on the soil might provide enough damping to keep the whole business well behaved.

Removing the skids will help a bit to get you deeper... but when you remove the skids, you lose any protection they may provide to the gearcase/chaincase on the drive side of the tiller. Your best bet, as mentioned earlier, would be to make a second pass just a bit offset from your first pass... that will let the tiller work a lot deeper.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I have a good sized mountain of topsoil that got stockpiled after building our outdoor riding ring. When I need some soft shredded topsoil for landscaping around the place, I'll scoop and spread some out next to the pile, then shred it with the rototiller first before dumping it where I need it.

I'll do this by rototilling over what I spread in both directions. Works really well. Sometimes I'll add some nicely composted horse manure to it and make my own "triple-mix".

You have to remember to raise and secure the tailgate on the tiller as high as it will go so it doesn't dig in. Otherwise I've had no problems tilling in reverse. If you are working in close quarters like a smallish vegetable garden, you are likely going to be backing over what you just tilled anyway if you are making more that one pass. Might as well be working in both directions. You get done twice as fast!

 

[greenmule]

No,the three point is not always on float,by what I mean is what I mean.

On most tractors,if you push three point lever all the way down,thats float,it lets it float not only up but down as well.

I said,I wouldn't put it on float till he saw how the thing might act without skids[so's it wouldn't go down as far as it might if it was on float,]any questions now?