Only thing I can add is that I built a wooden frame to set my tiller on and added caster wheels. It’s so much easier to put on and remove from tractor. I keep mine on a concrete floor. Just roll it into position while the tractor sets.
I learned many many years ago to break ground with a field cultivator to the desired depth, then use a tiller to pulverize the soil to achieve the right plant bed. By using the cultivator first the tiller can be advance at a much faster speed and it’s a ton easier on your tiller by not breaking hard ground
Gene, I am sure your are correct, but No more than I use my tiller, it will last me a lifetime. I also service it plenty more than it is need. We also have very favorable soil. I think I will turn this over in the fall. Still not sure if this will be the permanent garden locations.
The most important thing for the longevity of a tiller (besides regular maintenance) is cutting off wrapped grass on each end bearing as soon as it builds up. If you don't, it will continue to wrap forcing its way past the oil seal and damage it....about a $400 repair. It also causes a bunch of heat that will ruin a seal. If it's grassy, I check at the end of each row.....Tillers are expensive!! 💸💸
The easiest way to get around that is to mow the grass very short before tilling. I mowed this last year and, I didn't have any issue this year. Small clippings can't wrap up. Still, your point is valet and I hope many people read it.
You ever need something and you look everywhere for it and are exhausted by the time you find it??? lolol I have looked at who knows how many videos with misleading titles or 10 minutes fluff and 1 minute instruction trying to find the information you presented. It was such a marvelous relief to hear you go through everything I needed to know about how to use my tiller. I liked. I subscribed. What a terrific video. And the star of the show----Gizmo!! Thanks for helping me and Jesus bless.
When I start tilling I slowly lower the tiller and conversely when reaching the end of the field I slowly begin raising the tiller so it is no longer cutting by the time I reach the end. This results in a much smoother bed without divots
I've been tilling for a couple years. Used disc all my life but decided to get a tiller when I bought my 22hp emax for the homestead. Taught myself but since I had been used to discing, it wasn't to hard to figure out. I like your last tips on adjusting the pitch to get a deeper bite. I need to go grease mine this week. Thanks for the video.
When you start the pass the dirt gets thrown back 6 inches like you said, but the next time you till start at the other end of yourn field so that you throw it back where it was before, or you 'll end up with a dip at one end and a hump at the other end. If you start on the right SIDE of your field then the next time star.t on the left side
You explained things well Tony. I'm a 1960 model and I am still learning. Thanks buddy. I never considered greasing the plastic sleeve of the PTO, nor thought about lubricating the override clutch. I will now, thats pretty good info to know.
I've had a tiller for several years and know most of the things you suggested, but this a good refresher and I learned a couple of things. One is the position of the rear deck. I have always kept is in the closed position. Not anymore for the first pass in the spring.
Great video Tony. I purchased a new tiller at auction and only got a parts brochure with it. Your vid gives me a good feeling about prepping it for use and maintaining it. Looking forward to a great garden in retirement and making some dough with it!
Lots of great info Tony. I have a 445 JD with a 47" tiller on it. I cannot get a nice smooth finish. There is always a ridge between passes. My soil is medium heavy clay so it is chuncky when wet and powder when dry. Do you set your skids in a particular way? How deep do you go?
Hi there, I'm stuck in a bit of a predicament. Got a few acres in alfalfa and can't find anyone reliable to cut the crop for me and I won't spend thousands of dollars on buying haying equipment so thought of using my rototiller to only cut and pulverize the plant portion of the crop without touching the ground. I'd make sure my tiller is lifted at least 2-3 inches off the ground at all times so it's not damaging the root and only mowing/mulching the stalk/plant. I'd do that over the course of the summer 3 times and just let the cut field rot and decompose over the winter. I know this is not ideal but would you think a HD rototiller can give nearly as good of a finished product as a flail mower or not? Thanks for your time and hope to get your insights on this.
So, evidently one can till with a 25hp tractor. We have a 2515 and some heavy, rocky soil and didn't think our tractor would be enough to work with a tiller.
Thanks again. I have seen this video before, but watching it a second time helped me pick up some tips I had not forgotten. May need to come back and listen to the greasing section again.. after I can find my grease gun that has been absconding ..
Great video, I have a 6 foot tiller on my TYM T450. I have added a 3 row maker to the rear of it so I can do gardens all in one motion. It does a better job and is faster and easier. If I knew how to add a picture I would just in case someone else does gardens. 21:45😅
Excellent job of explaining the how/when/what on maintenance and set up. It is not something that everyone understands, truly helpful stuff. I have yet to use my new to me tiller package. A YM 226D, power shift. I assume just fixed throttle and lowest gear. Will go from there. Bought it with it locked in 4 wd, hoping for a bent fork? Will be fine to till for when it thaws.
Great teaching video! Just bought a tiller and never done any tilling in the past the tiller I bought is a Frontier and didn’t get a manual for it thank you for sharing
Thanks all. I don't have extensive experience tilling, everything you said makes perfect sense though. We had an old Howard Rotavator and it was a useful piece of kit.
Thank you for your very informative instructional. I am a new compact tractor owner which is equipped with a tiller. I will be beginning a project to plant pasture and will be tilling our property. Everything you noted is helpful to us and I appreciate your efforts. All my best.
Tractor safety is really important. Just as a reminder to any new tractor owners out there if your going to do any sort of maintenance work on any tractor attachments behind the tractor, shut the tractor engine off and set the PTO switch from 540 to neutral.
Jack. I did a video yesterday where I credited you for pointing out these safety things. It still has to be edited, but it should be out next week. Thank you for keeping safety fresh. Tony
I figured out that my sub soiler works good for breaking new ground and then till it not as much work on tiller. Good video didn't know about lubricating the slip clutch thanks for the tip.
Great video! Wondering if you might be able to tell me why my tiller has gotten to where it bogs down and stops turning when tilling. When I first got it, it would till through concrete (kidding), now with the least resistance it stops.
I’ve watched your videos back to back all day. I have probably saw 25+ videos . After the 5th one, I subscribed! You explain everything to a “ T “. Excellent job BTW! I was born and raised on a farm and have never moved residence. Been around almost everything that you do it videos on excluding the sawmill. The first video was about the flail mower and after seeing it work, I want one!! I want everything that you “show-off”! I’m no expert and I have learned a few things that I didn’t know that I didn’t know.. You must have been a Teacher in a past life or something because you do an excellent job explaining and not getting in a hurry to the next subject. Good job 👍 and looking forward to more videos.
When using say a 4foot tiller that is less width than the tractor you may like to bring it it one side in order to cover tyre track. Great video. Great bloke.
When you hit the clutch with the PB Blaster you woke up a spider. Best video I’ve seen yet on preventive maintenance. I have to stock up on brake cleaner fluid.
i have a old land pride 7 food wide have replaced the digger 4 times it's turns counter clock wise and really tears up the dirt. i have found it never good to spary any thing on the clutch you will cause it to slip and burn up. take care, be safe and well.
If you spray the clutch, and it slips and burns up, you don't have your clutch set correctly. Loosen all the bolts and re-torque the bolt according to your required slippage. All the information is in the clutch manufactures manual. I have been doing for years on everything I own, and I have never burned one up. Another possibility, is the clutch is undersized for the application. There are many sizes for every horsepower range.
Thanks for showing this I had a long drawn out question but I will try to make it short. I came across a deal for a John Deer 5045E , with 3hrs and a new MX6 rotary mower, and a 72 inch Frontline tiller. Now I bought 21 flat acres and 8 was in corn. The farmer before picked the corn and left stalks. Should I mow the stalks down and then use the tiller and like you said go over it twice or maybe 3 times I don’t have a plow or harrows and I won’t be planting anything on it except grass. Even though my grandfather had a large farm where I spent my summers I am not a farmer.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Thanks for the advice. I really enjoy your videos. They helped me make my decision to buy a T25. This purchase was a downsize, so I am having to deal with some implements that are too large for the new tractor. I've been running a 40 year old MF 240 with the British made Perkins diesel, and it handles my larger implements without a problem. I'm only working about 12 acres so I think the T25 will be ideal for me except for the headache of having to downsize some implements now. I may still see if the T25 can handle my 6 ft box blade since there is no PTO issue. Thanks again. I think you are making a real contribution to the small farm community. FYI I am in middle Tennessee between Nashville and Knoxville, so similar climate and topography. Blessings.
Sorry for the short answer. I was riding in the car and my thumbs are to fat for my phone. LOL! Hello fellow Tennessean. I love the T25 and it is still my favorite tractor. Still, I would go with 5 foot everything. I have a nice 5 foot tiller for sale. It is a RK tiller. Good rig. Iron craft is sponsoring our channel. They are sending me a new tiller for the channel. Crazy world. Reach out on my web page if you are interested.
If the surroundings allow, I like to till the second time 90 degrees from the first time. Especially if I am tilling ground that has much growth on top. Also, I have an older gear-driven tractor. I like tilling with it as it is easy to maintain a constant speed. I just put in the creeper gear and “let it eat.” Thanks for the great video.
Liked and sub'd. We have 25.5 acres of "harvested" forest. We have pulled and burned a TON of stumps, and raked out the debris, and tilled the soil. About to plant some fruit trees in "hardiness zone 6". (The most fun part was pulling the chain harrow around with my Can Am side by side. Running back and forth across ground that was nearly impossible to walk through? With my Maverick Trail in low and with the pedal on the floor, flying back and forth? EPIC). It's now flat, smooth, and ready for Grandkids on dirt bikes to blast back and forth between Bumpah's fruit trees. Glad I found your site.
Welcome aboard! We seem to have a lot in common. If you look back at videos we put out a few months ago, we were clearing ground. We still have a good bit to clear. LOL! We have put in a three gardens of corn, and we are going to plant beans soon. No food shortages here I hope!
two small things: a second (or third) pass not only fines up the dirt but lets it ride lower on the skids for a deeper bed. Second, I leave the tiller on the back for loader ballast.
Can't hide the money, can you bob? just kidding. Tiller is a too expensive piece of equipment to leave on back for weight. Give me something cheap. I don't trust myself.
Great video. I just used my tiller a week ago to loosen the sod up to remove it for a building project. I used a blade to scrape it away and then set it aside to be mixed in to the waste hay and horse manure. One quick note; it's easier to grease the U-joint at the tiller end before you hook it up.
Due to my adult kids living with me and my bad back. My 3 point tiller is sitting idle this year. The kids all have dogs and those 4 dogs tore my garden up last year. But who knows I may still till an area even though I am doing raised beds in a 50ft by 46 ft area. I have found that it is easier to disc cut then till the soil with any organic matter added to get a good mix.
I have damage to my spine, eight knee surgeries, both knees replaced, two shoulder surgeries, one TBI, and a few other things. Near 30 years in the Army is tough on the body. I may sit down, but I never give in. I adapt and move on with life. I love the journey.
I rented a 6' John Deere rototiller one time and after watching this I realised that just about everything I did was wrong. I had the tiller set as deeply as I could but it only went down about 2-3" I didn't tilt it forward at all. I went way too fast too. I was used to using disc harrows that you travel quite a bit faster than a tiller. I have an old Troybilt walk behind tiller that I've used for years and years so you would think I'd know better than travel so fast with the tractor. Sure wish I saw this video before I rented that tiller. I'd have probably done a better job. The company that I rented it from didn't know any more than I did. If I ever need to rent that again, I'll know better. Thanks for explaining things so well.
Gizmo dog will eat you out of house and home. He expects a chicken strip from our local store every time we go to work. He knows exactly where the country store is and starts whining as we get near. 😁
.... With aging ,, a knee problem and joints talkin' to me ,, I moved to a sub-compact tractor Yanmar 165D and all the implements I think I'll need for at least the next 5-6 years .. Getting a little more particular on what's planted in the garden ,, but the garden size (row spacing) is growing to make the tending a little easier .. Excellent instructional video ,, great tips , hit areas of question needing to know ,, Thanks ...
Enjoyed your video. Learned some things. I have a 55hp case mf with a 6ft tiller that's been used a lot for 5 years on a 100 x 100 foot garden and a 1 and 2 acre deer plot. Run tractor at between 1500 and 2000rpm in 4 wheel drive low 1st or 2nd . Tills great but have never been sure what rpm to run. I use a bigger JD on my 5,8 and 12 acre deer plots but broken tandem disk stopped me last year so finish it with tiller. Worked good so used tiller and MF for all plots this year. Cannot see any ware or damage but still wondering about rpm.
BRO...What a great video. Just got a 6 foot IGN 180 for my john deere 1070 compact tractor. Ive never used a tractor tiller before and you answered every single question i had. Funny story: last year my walk behind tiller died. I had to finish off some rows by using my little bulldozer!! I worked great!! (Not really) the rows were 6 feet apart and very rough, so i gave both kids some rakes and said to start breaking all the clumps up! I'm so so glad to have this tiller and i think the kids are as well. he...he... One question for you. My three point hitch wont go as high up as it has in the past with the tiller on. Any suggestions?
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks for the fast response tony. i took of the lift rods (or whatever they are called) and when no weight was present the lift arms on the tractor still didnt go up as far as they should, fluid is exactly at the right level. so its probably some simple adjustment.
Nice job reminding us all to do the maintenance to keep our equipment in good functioning condition!! I see so many neglected pieces of equipment on rundown farms it is staggering to think someone paid so much money just to let it rust into the ground!!
I always use a scribe to push in on the ball valve to ensure it moves before trying to put the grease coupler onto the zerk fitting. If the ball doesn't depress, it will NOT accept grease.
I have a valpandana tractor with a tiller and not that experience. Anyway thanks for the tips very very helpful in fact excellent advise.Thankyou so much. Fab video .😊
Gizmo loves you! lol This may help a little. I keep my tiller on a rolling pallet I made so I can store/move it around easily. I haven't actually used the tiller yet, but greasing it while it isn't on the tractor will undoubtedly make things easier to access. I never thought about tilling up or downhill till now! Good information.
rocks aren't so bad, boulders and 20+ year old tree roots will break gear box teeth in the trans pto and in the implement box pto U joints are sealed, if you over fill them you force the roller bearings into an angle, if this happens, your U-joint in your drive axel shaft or PTO shaft with be shot in about a year. 1, maybe 2 pumps once every 700 hours, i've had them fail from too little, but too much they usually fail in a year every single time. cutting knives are like mower blades, sharpen the blade to pull media into the interior on one side, the inside towards the center shaft, sharp knives make smaller chunks, less hack and tearing at the ground, more slicing and dicing smoothly, this equals less wear on all your machines internal parts and decreases stress for improved fuel useage. not noticeable for small gardens, but for a half acre garden, you will see over a half a gallon to almost a gallon difference at 2 passes to 5-6" finished depth. timing is everything, best tilling is 3-5 days after a rain on virgin soil, always wait 24 hours after a rain before tilling unless you are one of those people trying to head to an early gravel from stress and piss poor results. another useful tip, let the tiller push the tractor, just a tiny bit of creep forward and inch per rotation is ideal, thin sliced ground produces no clods or clumps/chunks. if you till in the spring and the fall, after ground breaking the first time, it means your garden only needs one pass to keep it nice and loose and fine grained. the fall till i like to throw lawn clippings, leaves, fire pit ash, compost, and animal waste (pet droppings and fish or deer or chicken carcasses and egg shells, these can also be dumped into the compost as they are generated thru out the year until it is time to add the compost in the fall) in to enrich the soil. 6th months of material brake down before seeding really does wonders for a gardens health, just don't go over board on the animal waste, leaves, ash and if it all broken down to nothing noticeable the year before, increase the amount in the next fall. mulch and lawn clippings, go over board just so long as there is still 1/3 part dirt. as long as there is no wet slimy mess, all is well. old rotting mulch is near absolute perfect, it's right on the verge of becoming pure dirt, still has tons of nutrients it's releasing and still holds incredible amounts of moisture to keep your garden from turning into a hardpack/brick like dried clay. don't go over 1/3 dirt to soil amendments or you'll start to develop diseases and mold that will kill your garden plants, especially in wet climates, if you see mushrooms you went overboard, the more mushrooms, the more you went over the threshhold, dial it back 50% on the mulch/woodchip. saw dust is great! chain saw or woodshop, doesn't matter. the smaller the media, the less time it takes to break down due to increased exposure and it retains moisture at the right level so as not to over saturate ever! my first rototiller was a john deere model 33 with both extensions mounted on a 140h3, using the rear shaft stub extension with the vertical double belted pulley. belts are better than a slip clutch by the way
Good information until the end. You should never tilt the machine forward or back. The two u-joints should always move at equal angles to avoid chattering and wear. The adjustable skid shoes are there to adjust the depth.
I am watching your video And reviewing the manual for my Frontier RT3062 Tiller. They recommend tilling uphill on a slope. You recommend tilling downhill. Just wondering why the difference. I'm tilling a pretty steep slope. Thanks
It depends if it is. Forward rotation or a backwards rotation tiller. This may sound bad, but I have met some of the people that write the manuals. I doubt they have ever set foot on a tractor. You want to throw the dirt towards the hill top. Gravity pulls it back the other way.
The 4ft is fine. You will need to adjust it off to one side to cover one of your tire tracts. Each time you till, you will till a little of side to keep get good tilling coverage. A working tiller for $800 right now seems like a fair price.
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks I did learn I can shift it to one side. I've videos 9f 5ft working fine but was told 4ft recommended. Thanks for all you helpful videos
Jim, I think a disc might be better for my new planter in a bigger locations. I only need to till down about 3" to 4" for the planter to work best. It will take me a few seasons to figure out how to use the planter in the best way. I defiantly will not till as deep when I plant beans.
Each tiller is different based on the length of there tines. Mine will till about 6"-8" down on the first run. I may get down to 10" on second run. There are also skid height adjustments on both sides.
Good video sir! My first time seeing one of your videos and I’m impressed! You’re a natural in front of the camera and seem to be pretty knowledgeable as well
I really enjoy your videos, I just got a TYM T25 and I am working on setting it up like yours. I have messed with farmalls and fords a few times but the T25 is my first tractor purchase and my goal is to have a small productive farm! I don’t know mechanical work like you but your videos give me more than enough information to guide me in the right direction! A tiller and grappler are next on my list 👍 Thanks Again!
With the small planter we just got, and this tractor setup, we are almost to the small productive farm status. We are gardening 3/4 acres in two locations. We will expand it to two acres once we set the land up.
I have a reverse rotation tiller, works much better than a forward rotation tiller as it will dig itself into the ground rather than skipping across it when you have hard soil. The reverse rotation tillers also give you a much finer soil finish in the end as well. Either tiller is good, its just a matter of preference. A reverse rotating tiller doesn't shove the tractor forward either which gives a better finish and smoother operation.
I wonder why the forward rotation till outnumbers the reverse rotation tiller by such a high degree? I have always suspected the reverse tiller would dig in well.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Cost, and availability, and everybody has a front rotation so that's what their friends buy too not knowing any different. The only thing you gotta be careful with on a reverse rotation tiller is rocks, if you are in a rocky area it'll pick them up and throw them against the top of the tine housing, where a forward rotation tiller will push them into the ground. The reverse rotation tillers won't shove your tractor forward like the front rotation tillers do when they hit something. I've been learning a lot with my 1st tractor, and haven't touched my 40 year old Troy Bilt walk behind tiller since LOL.
I HAVE DRILLED tiny weep holes in the side seals of a bearing before -- on my John Deere 265. There were a couple of bearings somewhere on it that were installed in a tube with a grease fitting in between them. But there was no way for the grease to get into the bearings because of the seals! JD genius!
Only thing I can add is that I built a wooden frame to set my tiller on and added caster wheels. It’s so much easier to put on and remove from tractor. I keep mine on a concrete floor. Just roll it into position while the tractor sets.
I learned many many years ago to break ground with a field cultivator to the desired depth, then use a tiller to pulverize the soil to achieve the right plant bed. By using the cultivator first the tiller can be advance at a much faster speed and it’s a ton easier on your tiller by not breaking hard ground
Gene, I am sure your are correct, but No more than I use my tiller, it will last me a lifetime. I also service it plenty more than it is need. We also have very favorable soil. I think I will turn this over in the fall. Still not sure if this will be the permanent garden locations.
Plowing first gets those rocks up and like you said it’s easier on the equipment.
The most important thing for the longevity of a tiller (besides regular maintenance) is cutting off wrapped grass on each end bearing as soon as it builds up. If you don't, it will continue to wrap forcing its way past the oil seal and damage it....about a $400 repair. It also causes a bunch of heat that will ruin a seal. If it's grassy, I check at the end of each row.....Tillers are expensive!! 💸💸
The easiest way to get around that is to mow the grass very short before tilling. I mowed this last year and, I didn't have any issue this year. Small clippings can't wrap up. Still, your point is valet and I hope many people read it.
I am a new tractor owner and will be tilling the first time this year. Thanks for all the valuable information that I did not know.
👍🏼👍🏼
You ever need something and you look everywhere for it and are exhausted by the time you find it??? lolol
I have looked at who knows how many videos with misleading titles or 10 minutes fluff and 1 minute instruction trying to find the information you presented.
It was such a marvelous relief to hear you go through everything I needed to know about how to use my tiller. I liked. I subscribed.
What a terrific video. And the star of the show----Gizmo!! Thanks for helping me and Jesus bless.
Gizmo is my buddy for sure. Thank you so much.
When I start tilling I slowly lower the tiller and conversely when reaching the end of the field I slowly begin raising the tiller so it is no longer cutting by the time I reach the end. This results in a much smoother bed without divots
Keep on tractoring!
I've been tilling for a couple years. Used disc all my life but decided to get a tiller when I bought my 22hp emax for the homestead. Taught myself but since I had been used to discing, it wasn't to hard to figure out. I like your last tips on adjusting the pitch to get a deeper bite. I need to go grease mine this week. Thanks for the video.
You are welcome! I hope to have corn coming up soon.
@@TonysTractorAdventure mine is about 2 inches tall. You have a great channel. Glad I found it.
Good point spraying the slip clutch... I missed doing that last fall.
One of my dealer friends told me about spraying the slip clutch. His is smart on tractors.
When you start the pass the dirt gets thrown back 6 inches like you said, but the next time you till start at the other end of yourn field so that you throw it back where it was before, or you 'll end up with a dip at one end and a hump at the other end. If you start on the right SIDE of your field then the next time star.t on the left side
You explained things well Tony. I'm a 1960 model and I am still learning. Thanks buddy. I never considered greasing the plastic sleeve of the PTO, nor thought about lubricating the override clutch. I will now, thats pretty good info to know.
Dean, I had a tractor dealer teach me about the slip clutch years ago. As always, I enjoy your comments.
I do thanks
I've had a tiller for several years and know most of the things you suggested, but this a good refresher and I learned a couple of things. One is the position of the rear deck. I have always kept is in the closed position. Not anymore for the first pass in the spring.
I learn more everyday. As I get older, I get to learn the same things two and three times. 😜
Great video Tony. I purchased a new tiller at auction and only got a parts brochure with it. Your vid gives me a good feeling about prepping it for use and maintaining it. Looking forward to a great garden in retirement and making some dough with it!
Thank you. I am pleased it helped. Tony
Lots of great info Tony. I have a 445 JD with a 47" tiller on it. I cannot get a nice smooth finish. There is always a ridge between passes. My soil is medium heavy clay so it is chuncky when wet and powder when dry. Do you set your skids in a particular way? How deep do you go?
Just added you to my very short subscriber list. This video is a year old and still helping people out. Good job!!!
Awesome, thank you!
Hi there,
I'm stuck in a bit of a predicament. Got a few acres in alfalfa and can't find anyone reliable to cut the crop for me and I won't spend thousands of dollars on buying haying equipment so thought of using my rototiller to only cut and pulverize the plant portion of the crop without touching the ground. I'd make sure my tiller is lifted at least 2-3 inches off the ground at all times so it's not damaging the root and only mowing/mulching the stalk/plant. I'd do that over the course of the summer 3 times and just let the cut field rot and decompose over the winter.
I know this is not ideal but would you think a HD rototiller can give nearly as good of a finished product as a flail mower or not?
Thanks for your time and hope to get your insights on this.
Not close. The flail mower is turning a lot faster. 1000rpms
So, evidently one can till with a 25hp tractor. We have a 2515 and some heavy, rocky soil and didn't think our tractor would be enough to work with a tiller.
Absolutely, it will till!
Nice work Tony
Thanks
Thanks again. I have seen this video before, but watching it a second time helped me pick up some tips I had not forgotten. May need to come back and listen to the greasing section again.. after I can find my grease gun that has been absconding ..
It helps to have someone with you too. I thought I had the angle correct until I let my daughter drive. I still had the angle off
Over time I have learned to judge it myself. I love tilling the ground.
Great video, I have a 6 foot tiller on my TYM T450. I have added a 3 row maker to the rear of it so I can do gardens all in one motion. It does a better job and is faster and easier. If I knew how to add a picture I would just in case someone else does gardens. 21:45😅
It sounds like a nice setup. Unfortunately, you two will not allow comments to add pictures any longer.
Excellent job of explaining the how/when/what on maintenance and set up. It is not something that everyone understands, truly helpful stuff. I have yet to use my new to me tiller package. A YM 226D, power shift. I assume just fixed throttle and lowest gear. Will go from there. Bought it with it locked in 4 wd, hoping for a bent fork? Will be fine to till for when it thaws.
I had a YM1500 years ago. Great tractor and tough as nails.
Great teaching video! Just bought a tiller and never done any tilling in the past the tiller I bought is a Frontier and didn’t get a manual for it thank you for sharing
You are welcome. I am getting ready to till Monday. We are planting a half acre of heirloom corn this year. Chicken Food.
Very good video Mr.Lay saw yualls right up in the news paper
Randy. Thank you. It was humbling to see ourselves in the paper. I appreciate your support.
Thanks all. I don't have extensive experience tilling, everything you said makes perfect sense though. We had an old Howard Rotavator and it was a useful piece of kit.
I think I could sit on a tractor and till all day. Something rewarding about it.
Awesome video and thanks for all the information. New tiller owner and this was great👌
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for your very informative instructional. I am a new compact tractor owner which is equipped with a tiller. I will be beginning a project to plant pasture and will be tilling our property. Everything you noted is helpful to us and I appreciate your efforts. All my best.
Thank you
Hello Tony,
Great Video. Smart Dog He followed the hand signal that you gave him to go under the tiller and your arm. Very Smart Dog. LOL!
Good video…..but……more Gizmo!
Tractor safety is really important. Just as a reminder to any new tractor owners out there if your going to do any sort of maintenance work on any tractor attachments behind the tractor, shut the tractor engine off and set the PTO switch from 540 to neutral.
Jack. I did a video yesterday where I credited you for pointing out these safety things. It still has to be edited, but it should be out next week. Thank you for keeping safety fresh. Tony
Excellent tutorial style video Tony, I'm looking at getting a tiller. Very informative. Have a great day.👍🏝🌴🪵🍁
Glad it was helpful!👍
Pay attention green horns. Carrying a Leatherman at all times is the most important part of this video.
That's right
💥Great tips!
*Keep on tractoring!*
Thanks! Will do!
I figured out that my sub soiler works good for breaking new ground and then till it not as much work on tiller. Good video didn't know about lubricating the slip clutch thanks for the tip.
I have a ripper. I may bust the hardpan next year. Thank you for your support.
Great job again thank you for the great video and we enjoyed your dog.lthink you got some good points out there and again thank you.
Our pleasure! Gizmo dog is my buddy. He is sleeping in my office floor right now. If I am here, he is here. LOL!
Great video! Wondering if you might be able to tell me why my tiller has gotten to where it bogs down and stops turning when tilling. When I first got it, it would till through concrete (kidding), now with the least resistance it stops.
Sounds like your PTO shaft shear bolt has broken.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Ok, when it gets light enough to see I will check that. Thank you, Ed
I’ve watched your videos back to back all day. I have probably saw 25+ videos . After the 5th one, I subscribed! You explain everything to a “ T “. Excellent job BTW! I was born and raised on a farm and have never moved residence. Been around almost everything that you do it videos on excluding the sawmill. The first video was about the flail mower and after seeing it work, I want one!! I want everything that you “show-off”! I’m no expert and I have learned a few things that I didn’t know that I didn’t know.. You must have been a Teacher in a past life or something because you do an excellent job explaining and not getting in a hurry to the next subject. Good job 👍 and looking forward to more videos.
This is one of the nicest comments I have ever had. Thank you. Welcome!
" I have learned a few things that I didn’t know that I didn’t know." I like the way you worded that. I am sure it applies to all of us.
Art from Ohio
Tony, I have a Kubota 26 hp tractor. Do I need a 4 ft or 5 ft tiller?
What model of 26hp tractor?
When using say a 4foot tiller that is less width than the tractor you may like to bring it it one side in order to cover tyre track. Great video. Great bloke.
Thank you and point made!
When you hit the clutch with the PB Blaster you woke up a spider.
Best video I’ve seen yet on preventive maintenance.
I have to stock up on brake cleaner fluid.
Thank you. It is hard to keep up with all the maintenance, If I don't, it will keep up with me.
Hey Tony. I want to purchase a tiller. 4 foot or 5 foot? 2022 tym 264. Thank you sir. Love your videos!!
For my soil conditions, I use 5ft.
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks man. Your awesome.
Thanks for the many reminders of using a tiller behind the tractor. I saw a couple I'd forgotten. Have a Safe Day
Thank you. God Bless
i have a old land pride 7 food wide have replaced the digger 4 times it's turns counter clock wise and really tears up the dirt. i have found it never good to spary any thing on the clutch you will cause it to slip and burn up. take care, be safe and well.
If you spray the clutch, and it slips and burns up, you don't have your clutch set correctly. Loosen all the bolts and re-torque the bolt according to your required slippage. All the information is in the clutch manufactures manual. I have been doing for years on everything I own, and I have never burned one up. Another possibility, is the clutch is undersized for the application. There are many sizes for every horsepower range.
Thanks for showing this I had a long drawn out question but I will try to make it short. I came across a deal for a John Deer 5045E , with 3hrs and a new MX6 rotary mower, and a 72 inch Frontline tiller. Now I bought 21 flat acres and 8 was in corn. The farmer before picked the corn and left stalks. Should I mow the stalks down and then use the tiller and like you said go over it twice or maybe 3 times I don’t have a plow or harrows and I won’t be planting anything on it except grass. Even though my grandfather had a large farm where I spent my summers I am not a farmer.
I would mow it down first. Corn stalks take a long time to rot down. The mower chops them up.
Today I bought a new T25 and I want to do some tilling. However, my tiller is a 6.5 ft tiller. I want to be extremely careful. Any advice?
Yes, get a small tiller. Sorry.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Thanks for the advice. I really enjoy your videos. They helped me make my decision to buy a T25. This purchase was a downsize, so I am having to deal with some implements that are too large for the new tractor. I've been running a 40 year old MF 240 with the British made Perkins diesel, and it handles my larger implements without a problem. I'm only working about 12 acres so I think the T25 will be ideal for me except for the headache of having to downsize some implements now. I may still see if the T25 can handle my 6 ft box blade since there is no PTO issue. Thanks again. I think you are making a real contribution to the small farm community. FYI I am in middle Tennessee between Nashville and Knoxville, so similar climate and topography. Blessings.
Sorry for the short answer. I was riding in the car and my thumbs are to fat for my phone. LOL! Hello fellow Tennessean. I love the T25 and it is still my favorite tractor. Still, I would go with 5 foot everything. I have a nice 5 foot tiller for sale. It is a RK tiller. Good rig. Iron craft is sponsoring our channel. They are sending me a new tiller for the channel. Crazy world. Reach out on my web page if you are interested.
If the surroundings allow, I like to till the second time 90 degrees from the first time. Especially if I am tilling ground that has much growth on top. Also, I have an older gear-driven tractor. I like tilling with it as it is easy to maintain a constant speed. I just put in the creeper gear and “let it eat.” Thanks for the great video.
All sounds like "sound" advice! LOL! I appreciate you taking the time to make a comment and share your knowledge.
Pat my Kubota has a creeper gear to. It’s called cruise control. Never used it till I got a tiller. It’s a game changer tilling.
WHAT'S THE BRAND NAME OF THAT TILLER , THANK YOU TONY .
I got it at rural king
Very well done sir
Thank you kindly
What's the deepest a tiller will go.... On average? Thank you
Liked and sub'd.
We have 25.5 acres of "harvested" forest.
We have pulled and burned a TON of stumps, and raked out the debris, and tilled the soil. About to plant some fruit trees in "hardiness zone 6". (The most fun part was pulling the chain harrow around with my Can Am side by side. Running back and forth across ground that was nearly impossible to walk through? With my Maverick Trail in low and with the pedal on the floor, flying back and forth? EPIC). It's now flat, smooth, and ready for Grandkids on dirt bikes to blast back and forth between Bumpah's fruit trees.
Glad I found your site.
Welcome aboard! We seem to have a lot in common. If you look back at videos we put out a few months ago, we were clearing ground. We still have a good bit to clear. LOL! We have put in a three gardens of corn, and we are going to plant beans soon. No food shortages here I hope!
I can definitely see the resemblance to my Mahindra Max 26 and Mahindra tiller. Great video. Thank You
TYM makes a lot of the Mahindra tractors. Thank you.
two small things: a second (or third) pass not only fines up the dirt but lets it ride lower on the skids for a deeper bed. Second, I leave the tiller on the back for loader ballast.
All great points, my friend.
Can't hide the money, can you bob? just kidding. Tiller is a too expensive piece of equipment to leave on back for weight. Give me something cheap. I don't trust myself.
Great video. I just used my tiller a week ago to loosen the sod up to remove it for a building project. I used a blade to scrape it away and then set it aside to be mixed in to the waste hay and horse manure. One quick note; it's easier to grease the U-joint at the tiller end before you hook it up.
Thank you. I love to run the tiller. I love the smell of freshly turned dirt.
Due to my adult kids living with me and my bad back. My 3 point tiller is sitting idle this year. The kids all have dogs and those 4 dogs tore my garden up last year. But who knows I may still till an area even though I am doing raised beds in a 50ft by 46 ft area. I have found that it is easier to disc cut then till the soil with any organic matter added to get a good mix.
I love gardening. I hope you can get back at it.
I learned something. I never thought of lubricating the slipper clutch. I thought it was like brake pads that could be contaminated with oil.
Tricks of the trade.
Why do you have to be sitting in a chair to do this service ? Are you disabled or hurt ? Just wondering. I've never seen it done like this before.
I have damage to my spine, eight knee surgeries, both knees replaced, two shoulder surgeries, one TBI, and a few other things. Near 30 years in the Army is tough on the body. I may sit down, but I never give in. I adapt and move on with life. I love the journey.
I rented a 6' John Deere rototiller one time and after watching this I realised that just about everything I did was wrong. I had the tiller set as deeply as I could but it only went down about 2-3" I didn't tilt it forward at all. I went way too fast too. I was used to using disc harrows that you travel quite a bit faster than a tiller. I have an old Troybilt walk behind tiller that I've used for years and years so you would think I'd know better than travel so fast with the tractor. Sure wish I saw this video before I rented that tiller. I'd have probably done a better job. The company that I rented it from didn't know any more than I did. If I ever need to rent that again, I'll know better. Thanks for explaining things so well.
Thank you. I appreciate your comment
good tips
Thank you
Zip tie as dipstick. Brilliant.
Great video, Tony. But what does it mean to teal the ground? 😄😉
LOL
I can't help if y'all don't know good speaking. 😉
What about... BELT DRIVE... lol. Great video. Good instructions and clear walkthrough.
I have walked behind a bunch of belt drive tillers. LOL!
@@TonysTractorAdventure Nothing tills like a two stroke haha.
I got yanmar 155d with a 4ft yanmar tiller I keep mine in 4x4 and in low 1st does good
I some how cut my last post off! Great tough tractor. I had a Yanmar YM1500 years ago. I couldn't kill it.
Just bought a used tiller, got a great deal. Just like yours $500 so I'm gonna go thru it and do maintenance
Nice 👍 I love tilling for some reason.
Great job Tony really enjoy your videos.
Thank you. I hope we all learn something.
If your buddy boy Gizmo gets in your way too much he is welcome at my farm! Great video
Gizmo dog will eat you out of house and home. He expects a chicken strip from our local store every time we go to work. He knows exactly where the country store is and starts whining as we get near. 😁
Very informative Sir... Dang, Gizmo's a good boy...😆😆😆
Gizmo is sitting on gold this morning. He is ready to go to the farm.
.... With aging ,, a knee problem and joints talkin' to me ,, I moved to a sub-compact tractor Yanmar 165D and all the implements I think I'll need for at least the next 5-6 years .. Getting a little more particular on what's planted in the garden ,, but the garden size (row spacing) is growing to make the tending a little easier .. Excellent instructional video ,, great tips , hit areas of question needing to know ,, Thanks ...
Enjoyed your video. Learned some things. I have a 55hp case mf with a 6ft tiller that's been used a lot for 5 years on a 100 x 100 foot garden and a 1 and 2 acre deer plot. Run tractor at between 1500 and 2000rpm in 4 wheel drive low 1st or 2nd . Tills great but have never been sure what rpm to run. I use a bigger JD on my 5,8 and 12 acre deer plots but broken tandem disk stopped me last year so finish it with tiller. Worked good so used tiller and MF for all plots this year. Cannot see any ware or damage but still wondering about rpm.
BRO...What a great video. Just got a 6 foot IGN 180 for my john deere 1070 compact tractor. Ive never used a tractor tiller before and you answered every single question i had.
Funny story: last year my walk behind tiller died. I had to finish off some rows by using my little bulldozer!! I worked great!! (Not really) the rows were 6 feet apart and very rough, so i gave both kids some rakes and said to start breaking all the clumps up! I'm so so glad to have this tiller and i think the kids are as well. he...he...
One question for you. My three point hitch wont go as high up as it has in the past with the tiller on. Any suggestions?
I am at a lost as to why you tiller will not go up as high as before. I wouldn't think you would be maxing out the JD1070's lift capacity.
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks for the fast response tony. i took of the lift rods (or whatever they are called) and when no weight was present the lift arms on the tractor still didnt go up as far as they should, fluid is exactly at the right level. so its probably some simple adjustment.
Very useful tips! Thanks for sharing Tony! 👍🔧🚜
You are welcome. I hope it helps new tractor owners
Excellent video. Thanks. I was just thinking of getting a tiller and this helped understand a few basics.
Great to hear!
Nice job reminding us all to do the maintenance to keep our equipment in good functioning condition!! I see so many neglected pieces of equipment on rundown farms it is staggering to think someone paid so much money just to let it rust into the ground!!
I agree. I have a passion for maintenance.
Thinks for video some of those I really didn’t know, like slip clutch. Nice to know.
Thank you. Glad it helps
Very well spoken in understandable English. Love the video and subscribed.
Thank you very much!
I always use a scribe to push in on the ball valve to ensure it moves before trying to put the grease coupler onto the zerk fitting. If the ball doesn't depress, it will NOT accept grease.
I have a valpandana tractor with a tiller and not that experience. Anyway thanks for the tips very very helpful in fact excellent advise.Thankyou so much. Fab video .😊
Gizmo loves you! lol This may help a little. I keep my tiller on a rolling pallet I made so I can store/move it around easily. I haven't actually used the tiller yet, but greasing it while it isn't on the tractor will undoubtedly make things easier to access. I never thought about tilling up or downhill till now! Good information.
I will build a rolling platform after the shop is finished. I need concrete floors. LOL!
rocks aren't so bad, boulders and 20+ year old tree roots will break gear box teeth in the trans pto and in the implement box pto
U joints are sealed, if you over fill them you force the roller bearings into an angle, if this happens, your U-joint in your drive axel shaft or PTO shaft with be shot in about a year.
1, maybe 2 pumps once every 700 hours, i've had them fail from too little, but too much they usually fail in a year every single time.
cutting knives are like mower blades, sharpen the blade to pull media into the interior on one side, the inside towards the center shaft, sharp knives make smaller chunks, less hack and tearing at the ground, more slicing and dicing smoothly, this equals less wear on all your machines internal parts and decreases stress for improved fuel useage. not noticeable for small gardens, but for a half acre garden, you will see over a half a gallon to almost a gallon difference at 2 passes to 5-6" finished depth.
timing is everything, best tilling is 3-5 days after a rain on virgin soil, always wait 24 hours after a rain before tilling unless you are one of those people trying to head to an early gravel from stress and piss poor results.
another useful tip, let the tiller push the tractor, just a tiny bit of creep forward and inch per rotation is ideal, thin sliced ground produces no clods or clumps/chunks. if you till in the spring and the fall, after ground breaking the first time, it means your garden only needs one pass to keep it nice and loose and fine grained.
the fall till i like to throw lawn clippings, leaves, fire pit ash, compost, and animal waste (pet droppings and fish or deer or chicken carcasses and egg shells, these can also be dumped into the compost as they are generated thru out the year until it is time to add the compost in the fall) in to enrich the soil. 6th months of material brake down before seeding really does wonders for a gardens health, just don't go over board on the animal waste, leaves, ash and if it all broken down to nothing noticeable the year before, increase the amount in the next fall. mulch and lawn clippings, go over board just so long as there is still 1/3 part dirt. as long as there is no wet slimy mess, all is well.
old rotting mulch is near absolute perfect, it's right on the verge of becoming pure dirt, still has tons of nutrients it's releasing and still holds incredible amounts of moisture to keep your garden from turning into a hardpack/brick like dried clay.
don't go over 1/3 dirt to soil amendments or you'll start to develop diseases and mold that will kill your garden plants, especially in wet climates, if you see mushrooms you went overboard, the more mushrooms, the more you went over the threshhold, dial it back 50% on the mulch/woodchip.
saw dust is great! chain saw or woodshop, doesn't matter. the smaller the media, the less time it takes to break down due to increased exposure and it retains moisture at the right level so as not to over saturate ever!
my first rototiller was a john deere model 33 with both extensions mounted on a 140h3, using the rear shaft stub extension with the vertical double belted pulley. belts are better than a slip clutch by the way
Thank you for your insight
Good information until the end. You should never tilt the machine forward or back. The two u-joints should always move at equal angles to avoid chattering and wear. The adjustable skid shoes are there to adjust the depth.
I appreciate your opinion, but I stand by everything I said.
Hi, good, informative video...where is the slip clutch located?
On the PTO shaft by the gear box
I was thinking about buying a tiller for my tractor. Glad I watched this.
Thank you. They are an awesome tool.
I am watching your video And reviewing the manual for my Frontier RT3062 Tiller. They recommend tilling uphill on a slope. You recommend tilling downhill. Just wondering why the difference. I'm tilling a pretty steep slope. Thanks
It depends if it is. Forward rotation or a backwards rotation tiller. This may sound bad, but I have met some of the people that write the manuals. I doubt they have ever set foot on a tractor. You want to throw the dirt towards the hill top. Gravity pulls it back the other way.
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks, ill try a bit of both, see if I notice the difference
Hey Tony we are having a very nice Sunday here PR I hope that you and your family are doing good
Thank You. Hope you are doing well too.
Good info I just got a 4ft for my RK 25 it's a used befco I got for 800 is that good or bad. Thanks for the video I need all the education I can get
The 4ft is fine. You will need to adjust it off to one side to cover one of your tire tracts. Each time you till, you will till a little of side to keep get good tilling coverage. A working tiller for $800 right now seems like a fair price.
@@TonysTractorAdventure thanks I did learn I can shift it to one side. I've videos 9f 5ft working fine but was told 4ft recommended. Thanks for all you helpful videos
Always look forward to your videos. Do not have a tiller yet. Still using disc in my bigger patches. Tips will come in handy. Thank you for sharing.
Jim, I think a disc might be better for my new planter in a bigger locations. I only need to till down about 3" to 4" for the planter to work best. It will take me a few seasons to figure out how to use the planter in the best way. I defiantly will not till as deep when I plant beans.
Thanks for the video! How deep do most tillers go?
Each tiller is different based on the length of there tines. Mine will till about 6"-8" down on the first run. I may get down to 10" on second run. There are also skid height adjustments on both sides.
Good video. I’ve had both forward and reverse rotation tillers. I like the reverse rotation much better.
I have heard other people say that. Thank you
Thanks for the informative video 👍
Thank you for your comments
Don't change the angle of the tiller. You set your top link so both universal joints maintain the same angle. It's called phased.
Thank you for your point of view.
Good video sir! My first time seeing one of your videos and I’m impressed! You’re a natural in front of the camera and seem to be pretty knowledgeable as well
Thank you. We enjoyed making the video. I have learned to be more at ease with the camera, but it is not natural.😁
Great tips!
Thank you.
Thanks for the video. Gizmo is a real scene-stealer.
He is my buddy.
Thanks for the video I really enjoyed it. I think you covered everything really well.
Glad it was helpful!
A good review on the tiller maintenance and tilling. Now all I need is a tiller for my tractor. Enjoyed.
I love having a tiller.
I really enjoy your videos, I just got a TYM T25 and I am working on setting it up like yours. I have messed with farmalls and fords a few times but the T25 is my first tractor purchase and my goal is to have a small productive farm!
I don’t know mechanical work like you but your videos give me more than enough information to guide me in the right direction!
A tiller and grappler are next on my list 👍
Thanks Again!
With the small planter we just got, and this tractor setup, we are almost to the small productive farm status. We are gardening 3/4 acres in two locations. We will expand it to two acres once we set the land up.
glad you showed up in my feed! I'm a subscriber now!
Thank you, Jason. Glad to share our journey.
There's a tshirt for you....Till Down Hill!
Dang! That's not bad. Send me your information on our website contact page. I will send you the first one! I like it.
Fantastic video. Would it make sense to plow first and then till? That way the organic matter gets buried
I only plow if I need to break a hard pan. The tiller does a much better job mixing.
I have a reverse rotation tiller, works much better than a forward rotation tiller as it will dig itself into the ground rather than skipping across it when you have hard soil. The reverse rotation tillers also give you a much finer soil finish in the end as well. Either tiller is good, its just a matter of preference. A reverse rotating tiller doesn't shove the tractor forward either which gives a better finish and smoother operation.
I wonder why the forward rotation till outnumbers the reverse rotation tiller by such a high degree? I have always suspected the reverse tiller would dig in well.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Cost, and availability, and everybody has a front rotation so that's what their friends buy too not knowing any different. The only thing you gotta be careful with on a reverse rotation tiller is rocks, if you are in a rocky area it'll pick them up and throw them against the top of the tine housing, where a forward rotation tiller will push them into the ground.
The reverse rotation tillers won't shove your tractor forward like the front rotation tillers do when they hit something.
I've been learning a lot with my 1st tractor, and haven't touched my 40 year old Troy Bilt walk behind tiller since LOL.
I HAVE DRILLED tiny weep holes in the side seals of a bearing before -- on my John Deere 265. There were a couple of bearings somewhere on it that were installed in a tube with a grease fitting in between them. But there was no way for the grease to get into the bearings because of the seals! JD genius!
”Everything which man builds will fail at some point.” My grandfather always said that.
@@TonysTractorAdventure Usually when you need it the most!
I agree 😁
Great video. Just bought a new tiller. Good info.
Thank you