Howard Rotovator

[Gord William]

Hi Folks,
I have a Howard Rotovator Tractor Attachment I am wanting to run with my 1954 TEA tractor but I have some questions and I would appreciate any feedback or experience anyone reading this has. The Rotovator is a centred, not offset and has a 1 3/16 square drive pto shaft but no matching tractor tube for the tractor. So I attached the Rotovator to my tractor to get some driveshaft dimensions (it's a 4 point hook up not a regular 3 point hitch.) Anyway I will have to make up some new brackets that attach the Rotovator arms to the bottom side of the tractor axle, (one on each side and close to being under the fender mount). The original brackets don't match all that well and it seems the ears on them are not long enough to allow proper mounting. They interfere and don't sit proper not to mention the Rotovator sits a 1/2 away from the tires and the tire tread is almost non- existent. The drive shaft which is about 7 inchs long also touchs the end of the tractor pto shaft and I don't yet have the tube or yoke or cross bearing in place. I think the Rotovator needs to be at least another foot away to allow new brackets and the new driveshaft. The lift arm swinging brackets on the Rotovator look like I could maybe move out another 8 or 10 inches. I can make up the needed brackets to move the Rotovator out 8 or 10 or 12 inches but I'm wondering if this is proper or how can I make up a shorter drive shaft without cutting the original square shaft. I'm pretty sure the tractor and Rotovator are close in age and my tractor does have the proper gear reduction so what am I missing? I've looked at pictures and the Rotovators appear to run very close to the tires but mine is way to close. Maybe the end brackets on the arms aren't orginal or perhaps they were for a different tractor of the day. I will try and load pictures. Thanks
Gord

 

[Gord William]

More Pictures that didn't load before.

 

[Matt in Oz]

Hi Gord

That looks wrong to me. It is missing the three point hitch. Should have a headstock for the top link and those bolts are not where the left and right link should go. I had a 90 inch rotorvator or what we call a rotary hoe here in Australia. Mine was an AR model which meant regular duty. They also made an AH or heavy duty models. We work on a PTO horse power per inch and it worked best in chiselled ground. By adjusting the rear cover you could recycle and really fine up the soil structure. No weeds can survive this machine just be careful what it does to your soil structure. Suggest you find the model or a serial number and search for images on the net. The Howard company may still exist, they started in Australia and moved to the UK. I tracked down info on mine which was a big help in sourcing parts. Keep the drive chain at correct tension don't go to fast and make sure the drive boxes have enough clean oil that the seals will keep there.

 

[Gord William]

Hi, I did find a manual on line and downloaded it. It does show the Rotovator being attached as I am attempting to do. This particular Rotovator is a 4 point hitch from everything Ive read and by looking at pictures Ive seen. The 3 point hitch top link on the tractor isnt used for this particular tiller. This tiller attaches to the two lift arms and to two pins called stabilizer pins which are on brackets directly under the back axle. Im fairly sure Im on the right track with the hook up , mind you Ive said that before and was wrong sooo. , (I suspect this Rotovator was maybe run with a Ford 8N tractor as I saw one listed after the fact at this farm auction.)
I have brackets almost made up and have a drive shaft now that just needs shortened so hopefully over the next week I can get it running. I will post pictures if and when I get it running.
Gord

 

[Gord William]

How old is your rotary hoe? 90 inches is pretty big, what tractor are you running it with? Im located a few hours drive north of Toronto Canada where the farmland has a lot of bedrock and large stone. On a Saturday morning its common to here the clang of mower blades on rock in the distance as people mow their lawns, lol. This neck of the woods is hard on equipment. Gord

 

[Gord William]

Hi, how old is your tiller and what tractor are you running it on? 90 inches is a fairly large tiller.

 

[Matt in Oz]

Hi Gord

Never seen a set up like that before with a 4 point hitch. Everything I have seen here in Aust is 3pl. Live and learn. I have not had the rotovator in a long time. I got it to try to control nutgrass (cypress rotundus, probably got the spelling wrong) That didn't work ended up setting the ground like concrete, too much tillage. I used it behind a Ford 7700 so around 100 engine hp and about 90 at the PTO. Sold the hoe and ended up using a combination of herbicides, tillage and crop rotation to manage the nutgrass. Good luck with yours don't over do it and you will be fine.

 

[Gord William]

Thats a lot of H.P, my tractor doesnt come close lol. I was wanting to use my 1954 28hp Ferguson TEA tractor with the Rotovator but the lever to disengage the gear box on the Rotovator is missing ( Ill have to make one). Because its not a live pto tractor its difficult to use the Rotovator without a lever to disengage the gearbox, anyway so I used my 1955 Massey Ferguson TO35 as it also has brackets in place for a 4 point hook up. Its supposed to be 35hp but Im sure after all these years its maybe only 20 or 25 hp lol. But I did get the garden done and the Rotovator did a great job. Hopefully by fall I will be able to try it on my Old Gray Ferguson. I have tried to load pictures, not sure If theyll load from my phone but Ill try.