4' tiller for BX2370 - centered - not offset

[EllisB]

I've been looking around at 4' tillers for my BX2370 (17hp PTO) and it looks like most are offset, i.e., the 3pt is not welded onto the center of the tiller. The tires on the tractor are 44" wide so even a couple inch offset will leave tire tracks untilled. The LandPride 1250 series has the right PTO rating and has an adjustable offset, but it's much more expensive.

Can anyone confirm that the 4' fixed offset tillers designed for subcompacts (like the KK XB: http://www.ruralking.com/king-kutter-48-tiller-tg-48-xb-0.html or Taylor 4': http://www.ruralking.com/taylor-pittsburgh-4-sub-compact-gear-driven-rotary-tiller-923-gdt-48.html) do not cover the tracks of the BX23XX series?

Assuming they do not, can anyone point me to a subcompact tiller that's adjustable, like the Land Pride, but less than $2K? Or to one that's not offset?

Many thanks in advance for any helpful comments.

 

[OldeEnglish]

I've been looking around at 4' tillers for my BX2370 (17hp PTO) and it looks like most are offset, i.e., the 3pt is not welded onto the center of the tiller. The tires on the tractor are 44" wide so even a couple inch offset will leave tire tracks untilled. The LandPride 1250 series has the right PTO rating and has an adjustable offset, but it's much more expensive.

Can anyone confirm that the 4' fixed offset tillers designed for subcompacts (like the KK XB: http://www.ruralking.com/king-kutter-48-tiller-tg-48-xb-0.html or Taylor 4': http://www.ruralking.com/taylor-pittsburgh-4-sub-compact-gear-driven-rotary-tiller-923-gdt-48.html) do not cover the tracks of the BX23XX series?

Assuming they do not, can anyone point me to a subcompact tiller that's adjustable, like the Land Pride, but less than $2K? Or to one that's not offset?

Many thanks in advance for any helpful comments.

How much do you think the offset is from the centerline of the tractor? You may have enough play to offset your 3pt hitch by adjusting the stabilizers to center it.... I've been looking for one also but never have noticed an offset. Are you sure it's not an optical illusion of the picture because I'm not finding any answers in the specs you provided?

 

[ShaunRH]

Just overlap your runs by about 6" (which isn't horrible practice anyway) and the narrow tire ruts are mostly irrelevant as the greatest pressure is on the middle of tire. If you are going to row crop your plot anyway, you're going to be putting ruts into it regardless, so it's not a huge deal...

(Which is why I never really understood the need to offset...)

I think it's more cosmetic than anything else, I could be wrong. It's never seemed to bother the crops I've seen done with narrower centered units.

The reverse drive feature does seem to add some better function though...

 

[EllisB]

How much do you think the offset is from the centerline of the tractor?

Thanks for the replies. I haven't actually laid eyes on any offset 4' tillers yet and as was mentioned the spec sheets on these things lack a lot of helpful info - like tilling depth and offset - LandPride again being the exception. Honestly, if it wasn't for people's comments on this and other forums I wouldn't have even realized they were offset.

I know I can drive 1.5 hours to a RuralKing and figure this out, but I was hoping someone with a 4' offset tiller could say just how much off center the 3pt is.

ShaunRH, like you said, for all the large flat plots I do the offset will be fine. The issue is that I also do a number of 4' wide "raised" beds (no wood sides, just topsoil and compost that have piled up higher than the surrounding lawn over the years) for gardens and flowers too. Unless I drive right down the middle of these the tiller is not going to hit the ground flush.

 

[EllisB]

I ended up going with the Phoenix (Sicma) from everythingattachments - it has sliding lower arm connections so it can be offset or centered.

I'll be happy to post about how it tills when central OH thaws and dries out, but my question for now is about storage. When I set the tiller on the floor on its tines it want to lean in the opposite direction of the stand. So I set a short piece of 4x4 under each end flange, which keeps it upright, but then all of the weight through the center of the tiller is not supported. Anyway, and tips for setting it on the tines and keeping it upright are appreciated.

 

[OldeEnglish]

Nice! I bet that will work great on your bx. I always put my stuff on dollies to make it easy to move around the garage. These cheap wooden Dollies make it easy building a stand of some sort to hold it on.
http://www.newark.com/grip-on-tools...plid|&CMP=KNC-GUSA-GEN-SHOPPING-GRIP_ON_TOOLS
Just an example...I have found them less expensive than that, Just a thought. Let us know how the new tiller works!

 

[skeets]

My self I would put it back on the pallet it came on and maybe some caster wheels to move it around, other wise back it in set it down and forget about it until you need to till again,,, that is of course after you hose it off first

 

[virginiavenom]

I intend to have nice pallets for every implement I have so if I need to move them for a bigger job I can just load them easily.