JimmyJam 542 #1 Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) So I have a tiller that I use for our community garden each spring. I use my C-121 (12hp, 8-speed) to do so. Easy, peasy with a composted, mulched rich soil. However, my question is has anyone used a 1976 B-80, 8-speed and tiller on a dense clay, virgin garden? Or it better to use a moldboard plow and disc harrower? Can a B-80 perform that duty? 1st photo is my C-121 at Community Garden. Last photo is my 1976 B-80 used to plow snow (unfortunately under-powered to push wet, heavy deep snow...I swapped their duties). Edited May 31, 2021 by JimmyJam 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,676 #2 Posted May 31, 2021 Plow Harrow and till woulds be ideal. HP isn't a big issue with tilling as you are going very slowly. I iahve done sod with heavy clay an lots of rocks with the tiller. it is almost painful the bouncing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,040 #3 Posted May 31, 2021 Simple answer. Try tilling virgin clay with a Troy-bilt tiller. Have someone there with their phone to film it. That tiller will drag you as fast as it can go. You are supposed to release the handles to stop the tines. (Tell my wife this!) (Hope your legs are long!) After about 20 passes, you can till with one hand just like the commercials! Plow it up, Disc it up then till it up. Should be fine every year after that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimmyJam 542 #4 Posted May 31, 2021 4 minutes ago, pfrederi said: Plow Harrow and till woulds be ideal. HP isn't a big issue with tilling as you are going very slowly. I iahve done sod with heavy clay an lots of rocks with the tiller. it is almost painful the bouncing. I feel your pain.! I once lodged a huge rock in my tiller tines. I had to beat on it with sledgehammer. New England is notorious for rocks and clay. I agree with HP. Thank goodness both machines are 8-speed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,676 #5 Posted May 31, 2021 My soil is so hard with clay and rocks it works my 40 hp DC3 pulling a two bottom. The disk i have even with a couple hundred pounds of weight doesn't work well. I always get a chuckle out of the plowing pictures here. No rocks no clay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwerl58 702 #6 Posted June 1, 2021 I use my plow, then harrow and then tiller. New ground is tough on the tiller. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldnboy 910 #7 Posted June 1, 2021 I have done this before with a B80-8, it tool three passes each time adjusting the chain to limit the max depth of tiller. But I will say that 8Hp is be really working on the deepest setting and any rocks hit would kill my engine. I have now upgraded the tiller tractor to 14Hp and have zero issue going at max depth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
