How to properly adjust the rocker on a power tiller

Types and application technology of hoeing tools

There are different kinds of tools that are used for rocking potatoes. They can be discs or wedges, which are mounted on a single-axle tractor with special mounts. The units have their own design features and differ from each other in the principles of operation.

Disc

The discs attached to the frame lift the soil as it passes over the bush.

Important! To achieve the correct height of the ridges, the furrow width and inclination angle are adjusted accordingly.

The disc coulter provides:

• uniformly covering the plant with soil on both sides;
• formation of even high ridges;
• looser soil by shredding it.

The unit is easy to use and low power consumption.

The machine is easy to use and low power consumption:

• the position of the discs relative to one another, determining the nature of the ridge by widening the lower part and narrowing the upper part;
• the distance between the discs, depending on row spacing;
• the angle of the frame in relation to the horizontal plane.

Set the implement to work in such a way that the furrow is always between the cultivator discs and the bushes are not disturbed.

Attention! Because the disc coulter only works on one central row, it must be able to work two passes between the rows after turning.

Plough-shaped

Machines of this type can be one-row or two-row.

Single-row

The design of the single-row hoe is very simple: 2 plates arranged in a wedge. It is easy to assemble, but there is no adjustment, and only one groove is made in one pass. The device is used for light soils.

• The machine is equipped with wheels with the shortest possible outside edge, so that it requires a short distance to pass between the rows.
• Adjust the furrow width.
• Beginning of ploughing.

Two-row

The machine has an advanced design: it can be adjusted in width and depth, and also simultaneously makes furrows on 2 sides of the planting, which greatly simplifies the process.

First adjust the machine:

• Depending on the soil, choose and set the ploughing depth, keeping the single-axle tractor on an even, horizontal surface.
• Adjust the angle of inclination by tilting the prop forwards if it is too deep and backwards if it is too shallow.

The two-row plough unit ploughens the whole central row and halves the side rows. When returning it is guided through one inter-row so that the wheel passes between the rows only once.

Propeller-type

On the crossbar of this device are propellers with teeth standing in parallel. These attachments allow the single-axle tractor to be used not only for potato hoeing, but also for planting and harvesting.

For quality work of the propeller tractor, a universal rocker arm and stabilizer (keel) made of 4 mm thick sheet metal are attached to the hitch.

In the process, the active propeller-type oscillator:

The universal rocker arm on the hitch:

The keel stabilizes the machine’s movement, ensuring that it passes evenly between rows and facilitating the machine’s steering.

Lister

The unit design is simple, without adjustment, with an initially set fixed width of 25-30 cm. Attached to the thin posts, the plow has even wedges and does not put much strain on the single-axle tractor when it sinks into the ground. Using concave wedges prevents the soil from turning too much and drying out.

First, the wheels and hitch are installed on the single-axle tractor, and then attach the hoe. The machine is placed on a level surface, and the tip of the device is lowered below the soil level to a predetermined depth, which is set with the help of a retractable leg located in the rear of the device.

During operation, the machine picks up the soil. Its wide blades distribute the soil from the center to the edges, forming a ridge. It is not recommended to work too wet soil with a leafplow to avoid soil sticking.

Help. Use the listerplow to work narrow row spacing on devices up to 3.5 liters. с.

Preparing for work

Mowing potatoes with a power tiller. it means to facilitate the work on the beds. To do this without harming the vegetables, the tool should be carefully prepared.

Each step should be carried out carefully to avoid damaging the tool or the crop. Let’s consider in detail each stage.

Adjustment

General rules of adjustment, are described in manuals for beginner dacha owners. However, there are certain peculiarities. These include:

It is necessary to take into account the specifics of the tool that will be used for mowing. To test, operate the machine on a small patch of similar soil.

Adjusting

A properly adjusted device, should move in a straight line of mowing line. When mowing potatoes with a disc mower, the tool must be parallel to the furrow, at the right angle and the width of the bed. Pre-adjusted tool, will help avoid difficulties with plowing.

• Set the furrow width (depending on the model).
• The lower area of the discs should extend 40-70 cm, the distance depends on the width of the back row. All adjustable symmetrically arranged.
• the machine is placed so that the furrow is exactly between the discs. This way, the unit will not damage the plants.

Installing

Consider how to position the machine correctly. Rules:

• Attaching the headstock with the frame: put the stand in the lock, fix it using bolts.
• A hitch is attached to the device. Often, a similar one is used for the plough.
• The resulting system is attached to the tiller. The tilt is adjusted with the clutch screw.

It is possible to use clear instructions on how to install and assemble a power tiller.

The first furrow and the angle of the mouldboard

Once the previous steps have been done, it is the turn of the last adjustment, so that the subsequent cutting of the furrows is easy. To do this, the single-axle tractor is placed on the edge of the plot, drive the plow into the ground and pass the first furrow

At this stage, it is important to keep the line straight, so that the following passes will also be straight. A peg string or other reference point can help

At this stage, it is best to check how deep into the ground the plow goes. put a ruler or a tape measure into the furrow. Adjust the plowing depth if necessary.

Then with one wheel the single axle tractor is placed in the furrow and the plow is oriented so that it is perpendicular to the ground, to do this accurately, use an angle piece. If you are uncomfortable doing this in the ground, set the single axle tractor on a level surface, placing a base under one wheel corresponding to the depth of the furrow. After that, the plow adjustment is considered complete and you can proceed to the second, third furrow.

Making a ploughshare

As experience shows, such a part should be taken off and sharpened from time to time before use to make it work better. To make ploughshares effective in the work, it is necessary to use 9XS steel, which is used for making circular saws. As an alternative you can use steel 45, but it will need to be hardened. It is also not forbidden to use ordinary steel that cannot be hardened, such as St. 5. But to work properly, it needs to be carefully tapped out with a hammer and sharpened.

Semi screw

If you do not need to loosen the soil, but only need to lift the soil layers, then the semidigger shape of the working part of the plow will be an excellent option. It penetrates deep into the soil, but has almost no ripping effect. It is usually used for heavy soil.

How to hoe potatoes with a tiller

Every gardener knows that the hardest job after planting in the process of growing potatoes is to plow. Such work can be performed both manually, when using a hoe or hoe, and with the help of special mechanisms. power tillers. Regardless of which tool you have on hand, it’s important to remember that hilling is a must in growing potatoes. This is done to increase the flow of oxygen to the fruit, accelerate tuber growth and kill weeds.

Features of hilling with a power tiller

Hillering is a labor-intensive process, and in this opinion of dacha owners is unanimous. The single-axle tractor makes it much easier to care for plants in large areas. And it’s a good idea to use it for potato care.

On thematic forums one can meet such recommendations as “to prevent the single-axle tractor from driving, dip in a row”, or “it is enough to carry out one dip per season, otherwise you can damage the tubers”. Often you only need recommendations like this if you do everything half-heartedly.

If you take into account all the subtleties to mechanize the process, then the plowing of potatoes with a power tiller can be done according to all the rules and without derogation. After all, it is important not only to reduce the time spent on the potato field, but also to create optimal conditions for the formation of a good harvest.

Plan the method of mowing must already be at the time of planting, because for the passage and quality work of the device requires a width of 65-70 cm between the rows (for manual treatment, the row spacing can be less. from 50 cm). For a more accurate calculation, take the width between the wheels on your power tiller and add another 10 cm.

If the planting is too thick, it may cause problems with the passage of machinery, as well as increasing the risk of injury to the potato bushes. For the disc coulter, in order to save space on the plot, you can narrow the row spacing so that the single axle tractor goes back in its track.

First mowing should be done when the plants have grown to 15-20 cm. In doing so, the ridge should be set so that the soil ridge is narrow and not too high. Don’t worry if some bushes are planted close to the top. they will quickly come up in a couple of days. This early action also clears the soil of fast-growing weeds.

Correctly carry out the first mowing will make it possible to do the second and, if necessary, even the third one. Further on the setting of the mowing head should give a wider and higher ridge. In this case, you will never damage the growing tubers, and an optimal 20-centimeter soil cushion will be formed around the bushes.

As advised by experienced tillers, the first time you should mow at a slower speed in order to notice any mistakes and to loosen the soil in between the rows. There’s no need to be in a hurry.

Disc coulter for power tiller device and application

The most common on farms are fixed or variable width planters and disc planters. The first and second types differ only in the design of the moving wings that set the working width.

Design of fixed and variable width planter on tillers

Fixed width weeders are usually mounted on lightweight tillers weighing up to thirty kilograms with engine power up to 3.5 horsepower. These kinds of planters differ in their thin 12mm diameter legs that act as overload protectors for lightweight power tillers.

The variable width planter is the most common type of planter used by farmers because of its comparatively low cost and ease of use. One disadvantage of this type of planter is that some of the soil rolls down into the furrow after being placed on the rows of plants.

This disadvantage is to a large extent eliminated by the T.called. the “Dutch” share, which is a different subtype of variable width rocker arm. Their wings not only have the ability to move sideways, but also up and down. These rocker arms are designed for use on power tillers weighing more than thirty kilograms with an engine power of 4.0 hp or higher.

Setting the working depth of the scarifier

The rocker arm has a side bolt that locks the working depth of the tiller arm on the tiller. In vertical position, set the rocker arm with the bolt2, located with the head to the rocker arm to prevent crushing of the threads. two bolts B on the coupling bracket and secure with locknuts D.

Setting the working width of the planter bar

Adjust the working width of the rocker arm with bolt B and the nut.

Universal hitch differs in that it does not have a screw mechanism for adjusting the angle of attack of the rocker arm, but instead uses a vertical slot in the hinge bracket, so that the hitch will not bobble during rocking.

Before setting the arrow angle, first set the arrow to the proper depth and then look at the bar. If the top end is angled forward, the share tip will push lumps of wet soil to the surface, causing the tiller to brake and go from side to side.

To prevent this, loosen the two bolts on the hitch bracket and move the ridgeline vertically upwards, which will cause the single axle tractor to “fall backwards”, while the rocker arm stands upright. If, on the other hand, the rocker arm is sloped back, the rocker arm will not go as deep as it should go. So move the ridgepole up and down in the vertical groove until the arrow bar is in an upright position.

Check the uprightness of the stand by the heel of the rear hoe, which is between the wings at the bottom and slides on the bottom of the furrow. After installation tighten the nuts on the bolts securing the ridge to the hitch bracket. The angle of attack is set in the same way for the other attachments.

Disc coulter for tillers: Design and use

The disc coulter has a T-shaped lever, two tines, two discs and two turnbuckles. The discs are steadily angled forward and the angle of the discs is adjusted around the vertical axis with turnbuckles.

It will be pleasant to work with a disc opener if you first meet one condition. to install the discs so that the gap between their lower points is equal to the width between the rows (with the track width from the wheels of the power tiller is also equal to the width between the rows).

Disc coulter for tillers

To set the gap between the lower points of the discs, move the C-pillars of both discs and the bolts B in the different holes on the armrest.This changes the width between the rows from 35 to 70 cm. Second: to prevent dragging the mower to the side, we will set the same rotation angles of discs by turning the turnbuckles.

Setting the spacing of the coulter discs

To make it easier to turn the turnbuckles, we use the following method of securing the turnbuckle lugs: put a nut or thick washer 1 between the lug bar and the turnbuckle lug, and thread the bolt through the turnbuckle lug, nut and lug. Tighten all this with nut 2. Then loosen this nut by 0.5-1 turns and secure with nut 3.

Eye bolt and bar attachment

The disc coulter is attached to the tiller on the hitch bracket, which does not have a ridge. Like the ridge, the headstock is attached to this bracket by a stopper and two bolts with flat washers. The square tube of the bracket is put on the stopper, and the bolts hold the arm lever firmly to the outside of the square tube.

Then, with two bolts B, the hitch arm pivots until the arrow bar is positioned perfectly in line with the longitudinal axis of the trailed implement. In this position, the leash is secured with G-nuts.

Attaching an arbor for a disc-type power tiller

It’s best to work with the tiller to decrease gear 1. When the progressive speed of the walking tractor is low it is much more convenient for the operator to work, and the traction of the walking tractor increases accordingly. If your power tiller has only one front gear, try pairing the wheels to prevent them from slipping.

Methods of planting potatoes with a power tiller

When the plot is prepared, you can proceed directly to planting potatoes. With a power tiller, the crop can be planted in a variety of ways:

• Semi-automated method. Mounted on a single-axle tractor is an arrowhead, which allows you to form and then cover the furrow with a layer of soil. Potatoes are planted manually.
• Automated method. All the work is done with a power tiller fitted with a special potato planter.
• Planting potatoes with a power tiller under a plow.

The choice of method depends on the equipment included in the set of a motor-block, and the area of the cultivated area. To understand the difference, let’s take a closer look at the features of each of these methods.

Planting potatoes with a power tiller

If potatoes are planted on a small plot, the most common method is to use an outrigger, which is attached to the tiller. The task of this device is to lift the ground, creating a furrow and forming ridges on both sides of the pass.

With the help of a power tiller form furrows for planting potatoes

There are several varieties of rocker arms:

The first two are very similar in appearance and resemble a knife of two curved wings connected together in front and spread apart in the back. The difference lies in their functional features.

Fixed width tiller

This planter is quite rudimentary and does not let you adjust the row spacing. It is not very good for planting potatoes, because. к. This one has a working width of only 20 to 30 cm. Better suited for planting vegetables with narrow row spacing.

The non-adjustable planter is best suited for narrow row spacing

Adjustable working width coulter

The second option is the most popular among gardeners. The design of this attachment allows you to adjust the width of the ground. So it is possible to set the desired distance between the rows. However, the adjustable ridger also has a number of disadvantages:

• To use it, a bigger and heavier single axle tractor is needed (at least 4 litres of power). с. and weighing more than 30 kg).
• This design gives a slightly lower output, because the soil penetration rate is better compared to the soil penetration rate. к. When working with it, some of the soil from the ridges can fall back into the furrow.
• Increasing the distance between the mouldboards increases the load on the single-axle tractor and improves fuel consumption.

Adjusting the working width of the rear tip allows you to change the width of the row spacing

Disc coulter

This tool is more productive than the previous ones, but also several times more expensive. The disc coulter is a platform with two discs that are attached to it and turn as it drives. Space between discs and disc tilt angle can be adjusted. Among the advantages of this kind of planter are the following:

• It is less energy-consuming and easier to use;
• Creates flatter and higher ridges;
• Discs rotate on the go, crumbling and loosening the soil in the process.

It is recommended to use the disc set with implements that have at least two forward gears. The movement at the lowest speed provides an optimal degree of power utilization of the power tiller.

Experienced landowners consider the disc coulter for the power tiller to be the most effective.

The performance of the scarifier can be improved by adjusting the steering angle and the width of the disc spacing

Regardless of the type of planter, the potatoes are planted as follows:

• Attach an implement to a single axle tractor, set the minimum working width and fit it with wheels.
• Form furrows with power tiller.
• In the rows obtained, the seed potatoes are manually placed at the same distance.
• The wheels of the tiller are replaced by regular rubber ones, the width of the wings of the planter is changed to the maximum.
• The furrows with potatoes in them are covered with soil using a power tiller.

So, when planting with an arrow you need to make at least two passes by the tiller along the plot. To put the planting material in the ground you will need a helper.

Planting potatoes with a tiller with a mounted potato planter

If the planting area is significant, a hinged potato planter can be used. As standard it consists of the following elements:

POWER TILLER ROCAR ADJUSTING

• A furrow former, which creates a furrow in the ground;
• A hopper in which potatoes are put for planting;
• of the tuber laying mechanism;
• disc coulter for subsequent furrow filling.

Parameters of mounted potato planters can be different, and they are selected for a specific model of power tiller

The potato planter lets you do the whole process of planting potatoes in just one pass. This saves a great deal of time, fuel and effort. Before using this device, it is necessary to adjust the parameters:

Potato planter. a device is quite expensive and, as a rule, the average farmer simply can not afford. Used most often in farms.

Easy planting under the plough

If there is no possibility to buy the described devices, you can use the so-called dacha variant of planting potatoes. with a power tiller under the plow. This method consists of the following:

• Tines and a plow with tines are mounted on a single axle tractor.
• A furrow is formed, where the potatoes are immediately placed.
• When turning, the machine forms a new ridge, simultaneously covering the previous ridge with earth.

In this case, the operator of the power tiller also requires the help of a second person, who will put the planting material in the recesses. This method is also more time-consuming.

How to mount a planter on a single axle tractor

Mounting the planter on a single axle tractor requires the correct setting of the angle and depth, which must be lower than on a plow.

Before you can work with the rocker, you need to do the following work:

• Mount the wheels and hitch to the single axle tractor, then attach the rocker arm.
• The single-axle tractor is placed on a level surface, and the rocker is lowered to the ground and secured to the hitch.
• When installing the equipment, it is necessary to make sure that the butt stand vertically, which will ensure the setting of the desired angle of attack.
• Next, the equipment is lowered to the level of the ground or slightly deepened into it, so that it is below the supporting surface of the groundhogs.

Carry out a test-tillage, and if the implement sinks into the ground, tilt the stand forward with the toe slightly raised. If it comes out of the ground, the stand is deflected back by lowering the toe. It is important to consider the width between the rows by adjusting the active parts of the machine.

Nuances of potato hilling with a power tiller

In order for the mowing process to proceed properly, some nuances must be observed.First of all the device is adjusted and adjusted. Each setting should be made on a site-specific basis, depending on the soil conditions, weather conditions, construction and quality of sharpening of the working parts. The technical characteristics of the power tiller also matter, so before trying it out on potato seedbeds, conduct a test on soil with similar parameters. Setting up a test bout lets you know how deep to plunge the machine, the angle of the bout, the speed and other important settings.

When all the setting steps have been completed, the single axle tractor will drive straight ahead without hitting the potatoes. Before adjusting the disk eradicator, the single-axle tractor is positioned along the furrows at the desired angle and the width of the bed. The lower parts of the discs are extended to a width of 50-70 cm, depending on the parameters of the planted row.

In addition, the angle of inclination is important. Set the adjustable parts symmetrically in relation to each other. The equipment is placed on the plot so that the furrow runs evenly between the discs, and the plants themselves remain untouched. When all the preparatory work is done, you can start the actual working.

Mounting the planter on a single axle tractor begins with mounting the plough leg. It is inserted into a special lock and secured with two bolts. A hitch is attached to the assembled unit and after that, the finished structure is attached directly to the motorblock.