Tiller Help

[MRudy86]

New to PTO equipment…I have a 72” King Kutter on my L4701. One day while tilling my field I noticed the tines were just rolling with the tractor and no longer engaged at full speed. I shut down cleaned the tiller tines thinking I found some old fencing or something. Fired it back up and when I put it to the dirt it immediately stopped spinning. This brought me to pulling apart the slip clutch. Discs were pretty burnt, so I replaced them. Tried again and the tiller is stopping whenever I hit hard ground and the clutch doesn’t seem to be slipping. Pick it up and it spins at full rpm, touch down it stops but doesn’t slip. Not sure what else to try?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Sounds like you need to replace the slip clutch discs, then properly adjust for correct tension.
Similar to 'riding the clutch' in a car.....

 

[MRudy86]

Sounds like you need to replace the slip clutch discs, then properly adjust for correct tension.
Similar to 'riding the clutch' in a car.....

Appreciate the suggestion, I did switch out the discs already.

 

[forky]

I would tighten the slip clutch bolts all another 1/2 turn and see how it goes.

 

[MRudy86]

I would tighten the slip clutch bolts all another 1/2 turn and see how it goes.

I thought about that but wouldn’t the clutch just slip if they were loose? Right now the tines stop, pto is still spinning and it’s not slipping.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

do th efollowing to eliminate the slip clutch...

if YOU ( tractor off ! ) ,disconnect PTO, and spin the input to the tiller right angle gear box, the tines should rotate.
if you block the tines(prevent from moving) and spin the input to the tiller gear box,the tines won't move and you cannot actually turn the input shaft.
if you can, then either the bevel gears in the right angle gear box or one of the 3 drive gears is busted, broken.....
You can get the manual from King Kutter,online, I looked at the TG-72 series

 

[Russell King]

There might be a sheared bolt or pin on the horizontal bar that holds the tines.

How does the power get to the tines? Gear, chain or what?

Take a look and see what still spins when the tines stop.

BUT DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING ON THE PTO OR TILLER IF THE PTO IS SPINNING!

 

[MRudy86]

do th efollowing to eliminate the slip clutch...

if YOU ( tractor off ! ) ,disconnect PTO, and spin the input to the tiller right angle gear box, the tines should rotate.
if you block the tines(prevent from moving) and spin the input to the tiller gear box,the tines won't move and you cannot actually turn the input shaft.
if you can, then either the bevel gears in the right angle gear box or one of the 3 drive gears is busted, broken.....
You can get the manual from King Kutter,online, I looked at the TG-72 series

I’ll give it a try…Ty

 

[bird dogger]

On my old Howard Rotavator, the poor factory welds connecting the main rotor tube to the drive shaft had finally let loose. It had the same symptoms you describe. Here's some pics to show the odd event:

Rotor shaft removed from tiller body



Poor weld (almost no penetration) allowing the drive shaft stub to spin within the main rotor tube:


The old faulty weld was cleaned up and prepped for rewelding:


As suggested in the above posts: block the tines from turning and then turn the pto shaft by hand while looking for the faulty welds or broken connections on your tiller. I would've never guessed that this was the reason for my Howard tiller not spinning.....until the poor factory welds had let loose and exposed themselves.

 

[Grandad4]

"new to PTO equipment"...

You may or may not know that PTO accidents are resposible for many injuries and fatalities on the farm.

Please be super careful around the PTO. Engine off and keys in your pocket when you are working on it, for example.

That said, there are 3 possible sources for your problem:
1. Tiller - gearbox, chain, etc.

2. Slip clutch - must be properly adjusted (usually annually). Tight enough so it tills the ground, loose enough so it slips if it eats a big rock.

3. The tractor has some kind of damage to the PTO.
1 and 2 are easier or less costly; you hope it's not #3.

 

[MRudy86]

"new to PTO equipment"...

You may or may not know that PTO accidents are resposible for many injuries and fatalities on the farm.

Please be super careful around the PTO. Engine off and keys in your pocket when you are working on it, for example.

That said, there are 3 possible sources for your problem:
1. Tiller - gearbox, chain, etc.

2. Slip clutch - must be properly adjusted (usually annually). Tight enough so it tills the ground, loose enough so it slips if it eats a big rock.

3. The tractor has some kind of damage to the PTO.
1 and 2 are easier or less costly; you hope it's not #3.

I just don’t understand how it can spin at full speed and then stop dead when it hits the ground and the clutch doesn’t slip. Tractor pto continues to spin fine when the tiller stops spinning. If the gears in the tiller were shot it shouldn’t spin at all when pto is engaged. If tractor was the issue the pto wouldn’t spin when engaged.

 

[SDT]

New to PTO equipment…I have a 72” King Kutter on my L4701. One day while tilling my field I noticed the tines were just rolling with the tractor and no longer engaged at full speed. I shut down cleaned the tiller tines thinking I found some old fencing or something. Fired it back up and when I put it to the dirt it immediately stopped spinning. This brought me to pulling apart the slip clutch. Discs were pretty burnt, so I replaced them. Tried again and the tiller is stopping whenever I hit hard ground and the clutch doesn’t seem to be slipping. Pick it up and it spins at full rpm, touch down it stops but doesn’t slip. Not sure what else to try?

After purchase, did you ever adjust the slip clutch for the PTO HP of your tractor?

Few folks do, and multiple problems can result.

 

[MRudy86]

After purchase, did you ever adjust the slip clutch for the PTO HP of your tractor?

Few folks do, and multiple problems can result.

Negative…it seemed to work great out the box. Had a couple issues picking up wire from old fences but I shut down and cleaned them out. Ran good after.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

OK,
remove entire PTO shaft
1) with tiller in the air...rotate the tiller input shaft, do the tines spin ?
2) with tiller on the ground,rotate the tiller input shaft, do the tines spin ?

these tests eliminate the PTO shaft and clutch ....process of elimination.

if #2 is true, tiller 'drive train' has a problem.

this is one of those 'would like to be there, to SEE what's going on' problems....
tillers are simple though...just a few gears and axles to look at.....
'stiction' can make unpinned stuff spin until friction occours....

I still think it'll be a bad slip clutch.....

 

[MRudy86]

OK,
remove entire PTO shaft
1) with tiller in the air...rotate the tiller input shaft, do the tines spin ?
2) with tiller on the ground,rotate the tiller input shaft, do the tines spin ?

these tests eliminate the PTO shaft and clutch ....process of elimination.

if #2 is true, tiller 'drive train' has a problem.

this is one of those 'would like to be there, to SEE what's going on' problems....
tillers are simple though...just a few gears and axles to look at.....
'stiction' can make unpinned stuff spin until friction occours....

I still think it'll be a bad slip clutch.....

Spins free by hand when up. Does not spin by hand when it’s down.
I’m gonna tighten up the slip clutch and see what happens.

 

[MRudy86]

so I tightened up the slip clutch and changed out the gear oil while I was in there. Seems to have helped. Not sure it’s 100% but it’s definitely better than it was. I appreciate all the input. We’ll see how she runs when I take her back into the field.

 

[Grandad4]

Sounds like you are making progress. Adjusting the slip clutch is a trial-and-error process... and you have to make adjustments under working conditions in the ground. You are trying to find the sweet spot where it churns the soil but slips when you catch a rock or other large object. Raised vs. lowered on your concrete drveway is a start, but refine the settings in the soil you are tilling.

The clutch plates usually sieze up over the winter and need readjustment each spring, especially if the tiller sits out in the elements.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'd have thought King Kutter would have 'how-to-adjust-slip-clutch' instructions in the manual or online ??
it IS a critical adjustment. too little---burned out clutch, too much --- busted tiller

 

[BAP]

Read your owners manual. King Kutter tells you what to adjust your slip clutch to. It’s not as well written as some brands, but is in there.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I know from rewiring electric PTOs on riders that there's an important sequence of tightening the tension nuts ! It's very important to use feeler gauge and follow the instructions. You just can't 'go round the clock and snug up the nuts'.....