860 ford

[mjsnodgrass]

kinda new with this tractor / farming thing, but am trying real hard to learn. is a 860 ford tractor geared low enough to rototill with? thanks

 

[Ed Hotaling]

I have an 850 which is the same tractor without live PTO. Just to find out, last year I put my father's 5 foot tiller on it and it did OK. I found that I had to make 2 passes to get a smooth surface. but I like to till twice anyway, going at right angles so as not to miss any spots.

 

[Hollis**TN]

I have a 641 4 speed, 4 cylinder gas and in first gear with enough RPM's to turn the tiller at proper speeds it was way-way to fast. had to go over the same ground 4/5 times.

Installed a combination shermam and cut the speed by 50%. Not dry enough to try it but I'm happy
with the speed reduction.

 

[Dean]

No, except in IDEAL conditions.

Dean

 

[Larry NCKS]

(quoted from post at 22:24:43 03/16/12) I have a 641 4 speed, 4 cylinder gas and in first gear with enough RPM's to turn the tiller at proper speeds it was way-way to fast. had to go over the same ground 4/5 times.

Installed a combination shermam and cut the speed by 50%. Not dry enough to try it but I'm happy
with the speed reduction.

1st gear on a 4 spd is much faster than on a 5 apeed. However, I'm with Dean. 1st on a 5 speed is still too fast. If you want a real roto tiller tractor, you need a 10 speed SOS.

Now as to your Sherman, Hollis; sorry, but it won't help your roto tiller. Your PTO is transmission driven. When the transmission slows, so does the PTO.

 

[RodinNS]

It'll do the job. The 860 is as slow as most other tractors in it's class in low gear. Like others have said... there will probably be situations where you need to make a second pass.

Rod

 

[NoNewParts]

not ideal, but a 860 will get it done,
due to its two stage clutch.
hard on the clutch, but you can creep it along with the first stage
with the roto-tiller still at full speed.
Borrowing/renting a modern HST tractor would
be much better of course

 

[oldtanker]

I roto tilled for years then after doing some research found that roto tilling creates hard pan. Bad. I'm in sandy loam and when I went to plow instead of tilling I had to make 3 passes to break up the hard pan and I have sandy loam soil. I now do my garden with a 2 bottom plow, disk and field cultivator. Garden has never been better.

Rick

 

[Hollis**TN]

Tell me it ain't so!!! If it is you guys come to visit or at least write me in prison as there's a murder about to happen [the guy that sold me the
Sherman]