36" Rototiller installation

[HyperPete 924]

20 hours ago, Razorback said:

Yes, you are going to really love running that tiller. 

One thing I had found very handy is to lock those "latches" in place on the rear of the tractor when you mount the tiller. That will keep them from opening up while you are tilling. I found that when tiling uneven ground, the latches can open and leave the tiller kind of dragging caddywampus behind the tractor......  I think I had to drill some holes in my latches to match up with holes in the adjacent bracket, then used pins and clips to lock them in place. (I think the newer tractors had those already??? Mine's a 1974 model year)

 

On edit: Mine has alift assist spring.... Yours has that, right???

 

Mine has all 4 holes - I need to head to my local Tractor Supply store to get pins for them.

It also has the lift assist spring which I have cranked down all the way for now.  I'll see if it kicks up when tilling and adjust as needed.

 

I got the loop welded.  Even grinding couldn't make me the welder I ain't! 🤪

Now I need to wait for the correct spring to arrive because the temporary one I was using is far too short!

 

 

 

[HyperPete 924]

My Wheel Horse Parts and More order arrived on Saturday.  Stellar shipping and nice quality parts!

I cleaned things up a bit, painted a few parts, and got it mostly assembled today.  Tomorrow I will put the back fenders and seat back on, and, weather permitting, get tilling!

Then apart again to paint the parts I sandblasted last autumn.

 

[HyperPete 924]

I finished reassembly and took it out for a test run. The first issue is that I am unable to lower it far enough. It grazes the surface. The adjustment knob is adjusted "down" enough that it is loose.  I plan to adjust the spring to see if that has any effect.

I also tried moving the clevis on the chain one link, but that loosens it so much that it prevents me from lifting it.

 

Edit: it occurs to me that there are three "slots" on the other end of the chain, where it connects to the lift lever.  It is in the lowest.  I'll try the middle & the top to see if that makes a difference.  (I saw no adjustment info in the tiller user guide.)

 

The second issue is that it is not level. I took a look, and the only thing that I can see that might make a difference would be how the actual tiller unit attaches to the frame. Meaning, the bars that attach to the back and connect to the axle. There appear to be two bolts on each side holding them in place.

I will try loosening them to see if there is any play in them that will allow me to adjust it. If not, I have no idea of how that would be adjusted.

 

I'm looking for input.

Thank you.

 

Edited May 12 by HyperPete

[ineedanother 2,300]

Well @HyperPete, you're a bit like me. Nothing is plug and play but you've got the bones in the right places so you'll just have to tune it up. Make sure the axle bracket is in a good place. The casting on the uni-drive has some good and bad places to settle on. I think you're fine with where you're bolted in to the lift lever (lowest) but chain length and attachment to the tiller from the rock shaft is what you need to dial in.

• Check the axle bracket placement.
• Get rid of the spring assist until you have it all settled, it could be rocking the tiller off level.
• Make sure the tiller attachment isn't bent or twisted (I doubt it is, but eyeball it)
• Tune in the high and low on the lift (with the slots on the rock shaft) and then put the lift assist spring back on.

It probably won't lift exactly level depending on wear because it doesn't lift from center.

[HyperPete 924]

Hmm, I would not have thought of removing the spring entirely.  I'll give this all a shot tomorrow.  I'm done for the day after tearing out a big patch or forsythia, digging a pond (with the front end loader), and creating a mountain of soil.  Thank God for tooth bars!

[Moparfanforever 930]

https://wheelhorsepartsandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tiller_Instructions.pdf

 

Maybe this will help if you haven't seen it already. 

 

I can't remember how many links are in my chain, but I almost always use the next to the last link,and the last link to go deeper. 

 

When I use the last link, I have to leave the tiller down and shorten the chain to lift it higher. 

[HyperPete 924]

 

On 5/13/2026 at 5:42 PM, Moparfanforever said:

https://wheelhorsepartsandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tiller_Instructions.pdf

 

Maybe this will help if you haven't seen it already. 

 

I can't remember how many links are in my chain, but I almost always use the next to the last link,and the last link to go deeper. 

 

When I use the last link, I have to leave the tiller down and shorten the chain to lift it higher. 

 

Yep, I'm using the next to last link.

-----

 

Tilling complete!  It was the spring adjustment.

 

Question:  who here has put weight atop their tiller to better till hard packed soil?

After 8 (!) passes with no weight, I still had barely broken the surface.  The spring assist was not installed, and there was slack in the chain, and free-play at the adjustment knob.

I temporarily strapped a 50# bag of sand to the top, and it made a big difference. 

Before I build a tiller-top weight box, are there concerns about parts breakage?

 

Edited Sunday at 03:28 AM by HyperPete

[ineedanother 2,300]

Hey Pete, glad that worked for you. I thought the spring was suspect and best to remove for testing since it's the one piece that is nice but unnecessary. w/regards to weight, I would choose to go with heavy watering of the ground first and maybe consider what the edges of the tines look like. You want them to cut the soil and they won't do that very well if they're too blunt. I think adding weight could just add stress the shafts and pins for the tines and those are valuable and can be difficult to find replacements. 

[c-series don 11,895]

One of the first things I think of is the condition of the tines. If they are worn and come to a point they are not going to work well, they will want to just bounce along and not bite in. Tines in good condition will be more squared off. Also as stated above, till moist soil, not dry hardened soil. I’d be careful about tilling with weight on the tiller. Maybe for a short time but definitely would not add a weight box on top. If the ground you’re tilling will be tilled again next year or again in the fall, it should be much easier next time. 

[jshks 3]

You guys got some good pictures and info there. It’s gonna be a while before this one is up and running. I see how the belts run now. 
This being engine swapped may cause me some grief. I may well end up doing something like a hand clutch to put tension on the belt. Still looking to see how to hook up the PTO and make it work properly. 

[HyperPete 924]

On 5/17/2026 at 8:39 PM, c-series don said:

One of the first things I think of is the condition of the tines. If they are worn and come to a point they are not going to work well, they will want to just bounce along and not bite in. Tines in good condition will be more squared off. Also as stated above, till moist soil, not dry hardened soil. I’d be careful about tilling with weight on the tiller. Maybe for a short time but definitely would not add a weight box on top. If the ground you’re tilling will be tilled again next year or again in the fall, it should be much easier next time. 

 

The times are not rounded off, and although they might benefit from a little sharpening, they ought to be adequate for a tiller.

The soil is in a field (front yard) that likely NEVER been aerated.  (I've only lived here 3 years, and my little spike aerator just rides on the surface.)  While it had rained 2 & 3 days earlier, it was still pretty dry.

I just gave up on the hard sections at the edges of my garden.  In the video you can see the tiller just hopping across the surface.  In the middle it digs in a bit.  I made 6 passes, two passes in three different directions.

By next year my body ought to have healed enough to try my walk behind on the hard sections to see it does any better.  If it does, I'll try sharpening the blades a bit.  45 degrees?  Surely not shallower...

 

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by HyperPete
Compressed & uploaded video

[Moparfanforever 930]

When you get to the really hard ground, you can push your clutch in and let the tractor/tiller set there and just dig in. Unless you think the ground is to hard and it will damage something. 

 

Not ideal i know, but I have done it before. 

 

Not sure if your walk behind will do any better, unless you start high and lower your tines a little on each pass. 

 

Do you have a friend with a compact tractor and tiller?? May have to use something like that to break your ground up for the first time. 

[HyperPete 924]

29 minutes ago, Moparfanforever said:

When you get to the really hard ground, you can push your clutch in and let the tractor/tiller set there and just dig in. Unless you think the ground is to hard and it will damage something. 

 

Not ideal i know, but I have done it before. 

 

Not sure if your walk behind will do any better, unless you start high and lower your tines a little on each pass. 

 

Do you have a friend with a compact tractor and tiller?? May have to use something like that to break your ground up for the first time. 

 

I have a tractor, and I borrowed my son-in-law's disk harrow, but it was unable to break it up either. These are very short runs as you can see, and each time I get to the edge I had to lift the three-point hitch and stop turning the soil over.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by HyperPete

[c-series don 11,895]

@HyperPete this might sound crazy but it looks like the tines are on backwards? Maybe it’s just the video making it appear that way? Did you or someone replace the seal’s and perhaps put the tines on backwards? Can you post a video of the tiller turning lifted at an idle? 
 Now that you have the first inch or two tilled up I’d do it again after a good rain. That loosened soil will help hold the moisture so the rain doesn’t just run off. 

[pfrederi 20,491]

Welcome to PA and clay...at least you do not have lots of rocks. Used my WH tiller and a Troybilt horse  to make a much smaller patch.  Used  two bottom plow and a 40 HP Case DC3 the clay was about all she wanted  the ntried to use two gang disc with weights  on another patch. The disk just bounced along.    When the neighbor farmer discs with a 100+ hp tractor you can hear the screeching. .Sometimes a raised bed is good idea

Edited 1 minute ago by pfrederi