How to properly use and maintain a rotary tiller?

Proper use and maintenance of the rotary tiller can enhance the efficiency of your farming and prolong the lifespan of the machine. Below, I have outlined the key operational and maintenance points for you:

1. Installation and disassembly
Installation: The rotary tiller is fixed to the rear cover of the tractor's gearbox using five double-headed studs, and two locating pins on the mating surface ensure correct gear meshing. During installation, if the gears inside the gearbox are touching, you can engage the rotary tiller, push the plow shaft or rotate the clutch pulley to rotate one of the gears by a certain angle, allowing them to align and mesh with each other.
Plowshare installation: Generally, there are three installation methods for the 22 or so curved blades of a rotary tiller, which can be selected according to different agricultural techniques:
Staggered installation: Install the left and right machetes in a staggered manner to ensure a flat ground after tilling, which is suitable for plains.
For external installation: Install left-curving blades on the left side of the blade shaft and right-curving blades on the right side. After tilling, a shallow furrow will be formed, suitable for strip tillage or combined rotary tilling and furrowing operations.
Install inward: Install right-curving blades on the left side of the cutter shaft and left-curving blades on the right side. After tilling, create ridges in the middle, which is suitable for soil preparation before border cultivation.
Disassembly: When dismantling the rotary tiller, simply unscrew the four nuts that are fastened to the gearbox. After the rotary tiller is dismantled, the plow blade and gearbox should be properly covered to prevent soil and dust from entering the gearbox.
II. Adjustment
Farming depth adjustment: The farming depth is adjusted by controlling the tail wheel. By adjusting the height position of the tail wheel, the farming depth can be adjusted. For some rotary tillers that can be used both in water and dry conditions, a larger adjustment range of the tail wheel is required to meet the operational requirements. During adjustment, the farming depth can generally be controlled by rotating the handle of the tail wheel. If the farming depth still fails to meet the requirements after this adjustment, the tail wheel sleeve can be raised to increase the farming depth.
Chain tension adjustment: After a certain period of use, the chain of the rotary tiller will wear and become longer, so it needs to be adjusted in time, otherwise the chain is prone to breaking.
III. Operating Instructions
Rotary tilling operation: Generally, the first gear is used, but for medium tilling and weeding operations with lighter loads, and for the second rotary tilling operation in paddy fields, the second gear can be used to improve production efficiency.
Removing weeds: When tilling, avoid allowing weeds to become excessively entangled with the plow blade, as this will increase the power consumption of the tractor and wear on parts. To remove weeds, reduce the throttle, place the clutch lever in the "off" position, and rotate the rotary tilling claw out to its disengaged state. Then, use an iron hook to pull out the weeds.
Troubleshooting: During cultivation, if muddy water is found to have entered the plow blade transmission case, cultivation must be stopped immediately to troubleshoot the issue. Otherwise, the chain and gears will inevitably wear out too quickly, and may even break.
Operation method: During operation, you can shuttle back and forth or perform circular operations according to the shape of the plot. For back-and-forth operations, a 1-meter space must be left at the edge to facilitate turning in place. When turning, the rotary tiller must be lifted to avoid damage to the plow shaft due to excessive torque. When transferring in the field, do not use reverse to cross field ridges or areas with significant elevation differences.
IV. Repair and maintenance
Thoroughly remove the soil and oil stains from the machinery.
Check whether the connecting bolts are tightly connected, and inspect the wearing parts such as blades, pins, and split pins for any defects or excessive wear. If there are any defects or excessive wear, they should be replaced promptly.
Check the transmission case, universal joint, and bearing for oil shortage, and refill the oil in a timely manner if necessary. If the oil or grease has deteriorated, replace it with new lubricating oil or grease.
Check whether the machine cover, carriage, etc. are deformed, conduct a comprehensive inspection of the appearance of the machinery, and replenish the paint.
V. Safety operation instructions
The tractor must be inspected and qualified according to the operation and maintenance manual before it can be used to hang a rotary tiller. The rotary tiller must be carefully inspected before use and maintained according to the operation manual before it can be used.
Before starting the tractor, the power to the rotary tiller should be cut off, and the clutch handle should be moved to the disengaged position. Before operation, all components should be inspected, especially whether the rotary tiller blades are installed correctly, and whether the fixing bolts and universal joint lock pins are secure. Operation can only be carried out after confirmation that everything is in order.
To engage the power in the lifting state, the unit can only start after the rotary tiller reaches the predetermined speed, and the rotary tiller should be slowly lowered to allow the rotary plow to penetrate into the soil. It is strictly prohibited to rapidly lower the rotary tiller, and once the rotary plow is buried in the soil, reversing and turning are strictly forbidden.
When turning at the field edge without cutting off the power, the rotary tiller should not be lifted too high, and the rotation angle of both ends of the universal joint should not exceed 30 degrees. At the same time, the engine speed should be appropriately reduced. When transferring to another field or traveling over a long distance, the power of the rotary tiller should be cut off, and it should be lifted to the highest position and locked.
When the rotary tiller is operating, it is strictly forbidden for anyone to approach the rotating parts, and no one is allowed behind the rotary tiller to prevent the blades from being thrown out and causing injury; before checking the rotary tiller, the power must be cut off; when replacing parts such as blades, the tractor must be turned off.
The forward speed of tillage is 2-3 kilometers per hour for dry land; for land that has been plowed or harrowed, the speed should be 5-7 kilometers per hour; tillage in paddy fields can be done slightly faster, but remember not to exceed a certain speed to prevent damage to the power take-off shaft due to overload of the tractor. During operation, if the blade shaft becomes excessively entangled with grass, the machine should be stopped immediately for cleaning to avoid increasing the load on the implement; when the rotary tiller is in operation or in transport mode, it is forbidden to stack heavy objects or stand people on the rotary tiller.
When using the hand-guided tractor rotary tiller unit, the rotary tilling gear can only be engaged when the auxiliary transmission lever is placed in the slow position. If reversing is required during operation, the auxiliary transmission lever must be placed in neutral before engaging the reverse gear. During rotary tilling, try not to use the steering clutch. Instead, use the push-pull armrest to correct the direction. When turning at the end of the field, reduce the throttle first, lift the armrest, and then engage the steering clutch. Avoid making sharp turns to prevent damage to components.