Rototiller won't lift

[2acrefarm 9]

I have a 416 HT Wheel Horse mid 90s.  I put the rototiller that came with it on today got everything going except it won't lift.  It sounds like it wants to but no movement. I know I'm offering little detail so ask away or offer any advice. Thanks

[Rick3478 428]

1 hour ago, 2acrefarm said:

I have a 416 HT Wheel Horse mid 90s.  I put the rototiller that came with it on today got everything going except it won't lift.  It sounds like it wants to but no movement. I know I'm offering little detail so ask away or offer any advice. Thanks

 

Cable lift with big honkin' helper spring?

[lynnmor 7,307]

Neighbor!

 

Does the tractor have the rock shaft kit installed?  Check that the cable is pulling.

[c-series don 8,710]

It should lift without the helper spring. That is really more for manual lift. Can you please post pictures? Especially where the cable is hooked up under the tractor. 

[2acrefarm 9]

It has big honkin spring with a chain I will get pics tomorrow. Thanks

[2acrefarm 9]

4 hours ago, c-series don said:

It should lift without the helper spring. That is really more for manual lift. Can you please post pictures? Especially where the cable is hooked up under the tractor. 

There is no cable

[2acrefarm 9]

4 hours ago, lynnmor said:

Neighbor!

 

Does the tractor have the rock shaft kit installed?  Check that the cable is pulling.

Hello, I don’t know what the “rock shaft kit” is….

[Blasterdad 2,692]

9 minutes ago, 2acrefarm said:

Hello, I don’t know what the “rock shaft kit” is….

 Click on the red underlined "rock shaft kit" in the above post. It's a link with a pic of it. 

[Pullstart 62,905]

 

We really need pictures to see what’s going on.  Hydro lift?  Electric lift?

[c-series don 8,710]

It has to have a cable to lift! 

[peter lena 8,632]

@2acrefarm agree with @lynnmor and others on having the correct / complete lift set up . dare I  say it ?  lubricate every mount / movement area , get some red spray grease into the cable slide tube , also look up picture mountings on this site . what does the " oil " look like in that unit? is there any ? pete

[lynnmor 7,307]

10 hours ago, 2acrefarm said:

Hello, I don’t know what the “rock shaft kit” is….

Download the manual here.

 

If you continue to have problems, I am at New Bridgeville, just send me a private message.

[Rick3478 428]

15 hours ago, 2acrefarm said:

Hello, I don’t know what the “rock shaft kit” is….

If the tractor has never had a rear implement before, it may not have all the necessary parts.  IIRC, steel cable goes from main rockshaft through a tube to a smaller rockshaft under the seat, and your chain hooks to that.  Disagree with whoever said the spring is not needed, tiller is very heavy and will wear out cable real fast, like first time used, if you don't have the helper spring.  Been there.

[c-series don 8,710]

That would be me. I’ve been running a tiller on my Work Horse GT-1800 since 1984 doing gardens for my lawn customers for years. NEVER HAD THE SPRING. No rear rock shaft, just a straight cable. Yes I’ve probably been through 5-6 cables over the years. However I’ve done A LOT of tilling, I’m on my third set of tines now. As a matter of fact I didn’t even know that there was a rear rock shaft and spring option until Red Square came along. 

[2acrefarm 9]

Attached are pictures. Again ask away or offer what you can. I know the tiller worked before and it did lift and go down….,

[c-series don 8,710]

Is the other end of the cable attached to the rockshaft under the tractor? If it is does everything work if it’s not hooked to the tiller? 

[2acrefarm 9]

If the rock shaft is a plate with notches on it, then yes. I use no other parts on the tractor. I know in the past it worked.  It sounds like it wants to move or is moving except nothing moves. 
 

[c-series don 8,710]

Up underneath the middle of the tractor there’s a cable that runs to the rear of the tractor. I can see one end of it in your picture. With the tractor running and the brake on actuate the lift lever and you should see the rockshaft underneath the tractor moving. That’s what the cable should be attached to. 

[Rick3478 428]

That hitch pin attaching the chain to the tiller isn't the way to do that.  You should have a yoke there.  And you may need to shorten up a link or two on the chain.  But another thing occurred to me that may or may not be relevant - you didn't by any chance leave the mower lift arm on the tractor, did you?  If that's pulled up tight against the bottom of the tractor, it won't let the lift move any farther.  Tryin' to think inside and outside the box.

[2acrefarm 9]

On 4/10/2023 at 11:20 PM, Rick3478 said:

That hitch pin attaching the chain to the tiller isn't the way to do that.  You should have a yoke there.  And you may need to shorten up a link or two on the chain.  But another thing occurred to me that may or may not be relevant - you didn't by any chance leave the mower lift arm on the tractor, did you?  If that's pulled up tight against the bottom of the tractor, it won't let the lift move any farther.  Tryin' to think inside and outside the box.

 

[2acrefarm 9]

Got it working.Combination of things. Chain was in the wrong slot on the shaft. Chain was probably not the correct length. 
Thanks fellas, 

I love this tractor…..