I posted this in Farming section with no response and figured you guys would chime in quicker...

My dad just recently bought a new tiller and told me I could have his troy bilt rear tine tiller. Being both of us have bad backs this thing beats the crap out of us. I was wondering what would be a good way to attach it on the front of the Sportsman and use the winch to raise it up and down. I'm sure it can be done and has been and I'm wondering if any of you guys have done it or seen it down b4. Thanks for the help!!

He just bought a mantis for himself, and I'd hate to see the other one go to scrap. Figure I could use it for some food plots or something.

 

I think the engineering required to pull this feet off would be expensive. I think you would be better off hiring a landscaper to do your tilling or buy a tiller that is made for the rear of an atv. To me, this sounds like an accident waiting to happen. The forces that a rear tine tiller put to the handle bar are excessive. The front of the ATV would not be heavy enough to withstand the abuse while trying to push the tiller. You would have to have a frame that went high enough to incorporate a shock absorbing mount. The frame would have to be heavy and mounted rigidly to the wheeler. You would probably hurt your back worse trying to take the heavy frame off and put it back on, than you would if you just tilled it by hand. JMO. They make a nice pull behind food plot maker for ATV's and sell them at Gander Mountain.

 

I'm thinking that even if you had a perfect mounting system you would still have a problem pushing the tiller slow enough. I'm not sure low gear would be slow enough . Seems to me that you would be burning the belt constantly to keep moving . My XP lunges when you give it the throttle . I think a machine with a real low low gear and wet clutch would be a better choice.

 

i think if youd make a tow behind frame it work. use a actuator or something so you could set the depth and or raise it. if the frame was alaso heavey ehough it might stay right behind you and almost push you. this way you might not evon need the low gear. just the brake. pics of the tiller be nice. i made my own grader and snow plow. if you have a welder and spare time along with scrap metal or money to buy the steel. id say try it. whats the worst thats gona happen. it dont work. least you tryed. people didnt learn anything by sitting on there butt.

chuck

 

Actually, if the tiller is able to turn the tines in neutral you could pull it backwards. This would give it a reverse tine effect. This would turn the tines in the reverse direction of travel making it pull deeper into the soil.

 

that would work also......

 

Thanks for the help guys. My buddy is building a garage for his metal working stuff and when he gets it built this will be one of our projects. I will let you know how it goes when we get it going...