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Indydirtfarmer
12-23-2003 05:26:38
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Re: howard rotovator questions in reply to mudstuck, 12-22-2003 06:00:05
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I'm not going to get into an arguement with anyone, but here's the point I'm trying to make. My father bought our FIRST Rotovator in 1970. We used it (96") behind a John Deere 4020 for years. I still own the tractor. It hasn't suffered ANY PTO failures. We usually did around 30 acres a year, of greenbean, and cabbage ground. We fall plowed the ground, and then tilled it in the spring, at an average depth of 9". A few years ago, my father passed away. We sold SOME of his equipment, and replaced it with newer stuff, or things that fit our needs better. One of the things I replaced was the Howard Rotovator. I sold his old one, and bought one that is only 80". It's easier for me to transport on a trailer. I do quite a bit of "tilling" for a couple golf course contractors. I needed one to run behind a 2440 Deere. It's 60 HP. The 80" Rotovator is slightly bigger than Howard recomends, but it works fine. The work I do on the golf courses, requires me to operate it at a depth of about 7". It's never been a problem. I still do the vegitable plots. We grow greenbeans, cabbage, garlic, and tomato's.I still fall plow, then till in the spring. That isn't done for any reason pertaining to the tiller. It's just about covering all the "residue" from the previous years crops. With around 300 hours of use behind the 60 HP tractor, I haven't had any "premature PTO failures" or any other problems. The "secret" to running a Rotovator isn't so much horsepower, but soil moisture and groundspeed. Plus stay away from rocky soil. Maybe some others have had bad luck, or they've heard "rumors" about Rotovators, but those of us that USE them, swear by them. They aren't the hot setup for huge fields. There are faster tillage methods for that situation. They are however, the best "single pass" tillage method going. This statement is from experience, and not from rumors, and guesses. JOHN
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