Hello all. I have a 3301 with a small woods 42" tiller. What speed do i run this thing at? I was told i needed to have the rpms up high so that it busts up the dirt better and finer, but when i do that im flying across my yard. Even when i try it in low range first gear its still way to fast. Im only doing 3 strips in my backyard about 20 ft long so when i left off the clutch im almost to the other end and it doesnt seem like its tilling very good.
Tiller Speed?
- Thread starter Ironheadchop
- Start date
Guessing gear drive by your post. Yes 1st gear low range is the slowest you’re going to get. You sure it’s in low? 1st Low shouldn’t be able to “fly across the yard”, even at full engine rpm.
It doesn’t have to be ran at 540pto speed but I wouldn’t have the engine rpm too low either.
Are you tilling sod/grass or plowed soil? A tiller can go over sod but will take multiple passes to reach a desired result.
Also it’s dependent on the height of the skid shoes on the tiller. I like to run mine shallow if doing multiple passes. Especially with a gear drive tractor.
It doesn’t have to be ran at 540pto speed but I wouldn’t have the engine rpm too low either.
Are you tilling sod/grass or plowed soil? A tiller can go over sod but will take multiple passes to reach a desired result.
Also it’s dependent on the height of the skid shoes on the tiller. I like to run mine shallow if doing multiple passes. Especially with a gear drive tractor.
Yes im sure its in low but i will double check again tonight. Yes it is the gear driven model.
My soil is a fairly hardpacked original ground red clay. As far as the shoes go i dont have maybe not quite half of what they will go down if that makes any sense.
GreensvilleJay
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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Wrong implement for the job !
Your soil sounds like the 50 years of notill land I was asked to 'just till it up' for 1/2 acre of veggies.
5', 700# tiller bounced off the soil even in low-low-slow.
So..... made several passes with single shanked subsoiler, about 2 1/2' deep.
next day, ran 3F plow N-S then E-W, several times.
Day 3, pulled 7' cultivator(9 teeth) N-S then E-W a few times.
Day 4, actually rototilled the soil,again N-S then E-W,then N-S
That was 5 years ago and compost is added every fall, LOTS of compost. Each spring I can 'feel' the difference in tilling. Though not needed, I still plow first though...love seeing if I can make nice straight,even furrows.
Your soil sounds like the 50 years of notill land I was asked to 'just till it up' for 1/2 acre of veggies.
5', 700# tiller bounced off the soil even in low-low-slow.
So..... made several passes with single shanked subsoiler, about 2 1/2' deep.
next day, ran 3F plow N-S then E-W, several times.
Day 3, pulled 7' cultivator(9 teeth) N-S then E-W a few times.
Day 4, actually rototilled the soil,again N-S then E-W,then N-S
That was 5 years ago and compost is added every fall, LOTS of compost. Each spring I can 'feel' the difference in tilling. Though not needed, I still plow first though...love seeing if I can make nice straight,even furrows.
Yotekiller
Active member
Equipment
Kubota L2502, LP 60" BB, LP pallet forks, 60" KK Tiller, 55" HSI root grapple
I have a 2502 with a 5' tiller. I run my RPM up to about 2300. I just creep along and it does an excellent job! My soil is heavily packed red clay and have zero issues.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
The faster the tiller spins and deeper it digs, the more it will try to push the tractor. You'll need to try different combinations of engine rpm and digging depth to find what gives the best results with your tractor and soil conditions. In hard ground, multiple passes yield better results
Looks like it should be about the same speed as my L225. You should be able to hop off and have a smoke before it get to the end of the garden...LOL And yes run it at 540 PTO RPM. It helps a lot if there s fair amount of moisture in the soil too.
What condition are your tiller blades?
Clay eats tiller blades like kids eat candy.
www.bcsamerica.com
Clay eats tiller blades like kids eat candy.
Time for Tines?
Depending on the speed at which you run your engine, each of your tines is passing through the soil between 250 and 290 times per minute!
www.bcsamerica.com
If I'm reading the original post correctly, his / her garden is only 20 feet long.
The length of the tractor plus a couple feet.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Lifetime Member
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Yes and it should take about 12.5 sec to traverse 20 ft. if he has 12.4x24 R1 tires. Even longer if smaller tires.
That is if the OP is using low gear and low range. To be honest I often am in a higher gear than low when tilling better soil, but hard clay and rocks it is low gear and takes many passes.
As I said at my first response. Killing ants with a hammer. OP has a large compact tractor with the ability to rototill acres. Acres. ACRES!
And he's rototilling three 20' by 4-foot patches. And he/she says it goes too fast.
20 by 4-foot patches is what is usually just waste on the side of the field, considering what your tractor can do. And a 42" rototiller on a L3901 is like planting grass seed with a backhoe.
I would not be shocked if your L3901's HP PTO spec is over spec for the rototiller PTO MAX spec. Sounds like a BX tiller on a large L. You might blow up that tiller.
Check your blades, OP.
You brought a machinegun (your tractor) with the wrong ammunition (too small a tiller for your tractor) to a fist fight (small area to till}. And then wonder that it doesn't work right.
I wish you all the best OP. Good luck.
And he's rototilling three 20' by 4-foot patches. And he/she says it goes too fast.
20 by 4-foot patches is what is usually just waste on the side of the field, considering what your tractor can do. And a 42" rototiller on a L3901 is like planting grass seed with a backhoe.
I would not be shocked if your L3901's HP PTO spec is over spec for the rototiller PTO MAX spec. Sounds like a BX tiller on a large L. You might blow up that tiller.
Check your blades, OP.
You brought a machinegun (your tractor) with the wrong ammunition (too small a tiller for your tractor) to a fist fight (small area to till}. And then wonder that it doesn't work right.
I wish you all the best OP. Good luck.
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The OP states he has a L3301 so 27.7 advertised PTO HP. not a L3901. So not really a bad match up for the 42" tiller although it should handle a slightly larger tiller. Besides size of tractor has nothing to do with ground speed which seems to be his inquiry.
I have a RTA1550 and it works equally well on my L225 or my L4310, But I would not try to till acres upon acres of land with it even if I had a wider tiller. In that case I would plow and fit the land before I tilled it.
I have a RTA1550 and it works equally well on my L225 or my L4310, But I would not try to till acres upon acres of land with it even if I had a wider tiller. In that case I would plow and fit the land before I tilled it.
A respectfull word from experience.... and age...
I tilled medium and large grandma's gardens in the 1970's. I tilled large lots and acres of land for commercial lots.
All in the 1970's and 1980's. All with a Kubota B7100, which is 16 HP. And a 48" PTO rototiller.
If it was a small garden, say 20 feet by 20 feet. ( OPs situation). I passed on bidding the job. That is too small for a tractor. To fully get results you need a walk behind tiller.
The L3301 and L3901 are the same sized tractor. HP is different, but not much else. The model number was a mistake on my part.
Bottom line is I have experience rototilling for myself, my family, and commercially over decades. If 1980 in your forum moniker is your age, well I was tilling with Kubotas before you were born.
If so, I have kids your age now and they think, even at 40 y/o, that they know Everything.
They don't, and I don't know everything.
The difference is that I would not argue with my Dad about what he knew. He lived it, I didn't. I had respect for lived experience. Young folks these days are Hi and Mighty. Not respectful or intelligent in things that they have no experience with.
I know some things very well. And tractor PTO rototillling is something I know. I lived it as a job for decades.
You can probably fix my computer or tell me how to install an app. Thank you. I sometimes need that.
But to suggest that I don't know something that I lived through. Lol. That's what my 40 y/o kids do.
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BAP
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2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Who cares how long you been tilling gardens? There are many others on here who have lots of experience. Has nothing to do with the OP’s question and problem if you don’t help them with advice that helps them get the results they are looking for. Doesn’t make you know it all. All it’s doing is blowing your own horn and making you feel better than anyone else on here and driving away the new people from asking questions like this.