Built my own mid-mount tiller drive

[jetmandan 29]

About a year ago scanning my local craigslist, I found a newer Toro / Wheel horse 36" roto tiller for $50. Mounted up to my 74, C-160 after I had to trim off a bit of the rear axle mount locking bracket (it's length was bumping into idler pulley). Now I needed the mid mount belt setup, I have a well equipped shop at home so all I needed was some measurements. Built my drive setup close to member "Lost Pup" and his post here 

 

The mostly finished bracket, waiting for  141 x 1/2" belt to arrive, bought off greed-bay. Will tack the set-screw shaft locks in place after belt fitted.

 

Pic from underside, spring is probably from an old bed mattress. It was just in my junk pile and looks close to being correct size.

 

Side pic of my over powered C-160 

 

Tiller mounting shot, the electric lift is getting weak, has to work pretty hard to lift roto tiller. Plans are to remove and sell it off then replace with my own linear actuator setup.

 

Dan

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,175]

Nice Job!!!     Just gives me a few ideas too...

[jetmandan 29]

New 141 x 1/2" drive belt arrived, with perfect gardening weather for next few days could not get it mounted quick enough! The belt is a tad long, so I had to off-set the vee belt pulley so the belt would not rub itself into destruction. Unfortunately I neglected to get a pic of how I off set the pulleys. In only a couple hours, I was able to till most of my 8k sqft home garden before I threw the belt. When it stopped and all I could see from drivers seat was the belt off the pulleys and on the ground, was sure I had destroyed it. After getting a closer look, no broken anything! Guess I was having such a good time tilling that I had the soil so deeply tilled the the tiller pulley was getting packed with soil. Was getting late, so I called it a day.

 

 

Just a neat shot, sorry about the rotation and your sore neck

 

 

 

Only problem here is I ran out of gas, when I returned found our small flock scooping up all the bugs the tiller turned up!

 

 

 

None of these are great pics as the lens of my camera on the phone is scratched up pretty bad. Other side of tiller pulley is chrome shiny from being in contact with the soil.

 

 

 

You can almost see the offset front pulley here, it's moved out about 3/4" so the belt does not rub itself into oblivion. 

 

 

 

Tiller was deeper then this, side sheet metal was at ground level. Soil felt like marshmallows, my boots were sinking a few inches with every step.

 

 

Dan

[Crawdad 5]

Your tilling job looks beautiful Dan. I hope that you didn't over do it though.

If I till my soil that finely, when it rains rains heavy, it will tend to puddle and run off

and not absorb well. I hope your crops grow strong this season!

[jetmandan 29]

Your tilling job looks beautiful Dan. I hope that you didn't over do it though.

If I till my soil that finely, when it rains rains heavy, it will tend to puddle and run off

and not absorb well. I hope your crops grow strong this season!

 

Crawdad,

 

No worries about over tilling here, my property is dead flat, let it rain!

 

Oh look, I see a couplle blades of new grass in the tilled garden, sounds like a good reason to hook up roto-tiller again

[Crawdad 5]

You cracked me up! I'm in the hills so that must be why...

Now I have tiller envy-damn!

[rexman72 210]

great work

[o0Nighthawk0o 2]

I just got a C175 with a tiller and other things. I was wondering why the pulleys were offset and now I know. Thanks. I just hope I can guess right on the belt length. I am thinking 139" should do it. I will be plowing and tilling this weekend and hope all goes well. I'm a city boy transplant to the country.

[jeff lary 171]

  That is a good looking mid mount you built nice job. I have a tiller too and it does work good enjoy. Jeff