Tiller Tiller Direction

[Charles Park]

Some manufacturers are offering tillers that till backward. What are some of your thoughts about this feature? The video sure makes it look like a better job is being done.

Also some thoughts about chain drive and gear drive? The LP is one that tills backward but I believe it is chain drive. Hard to get everyting in one tiller. Thanks.

 

[dirtworksequip]

I've got a Deere 660 that is chain drive. It probably has 300 or 400 hours on it. Never had any problems with it. Good dependable tiller and it will turn sod into potting soil consistancy in 3 passes.


Sincerely, Dirt

 

[art]

I can't say that a reverse rotation won't help get the ground pulverized faster but I don't see the need with a tractor mounted unit! Now if it was a walk behind here in NY and you didn't have reverse rotation we might need to know which direction you are going so we can pick you up after it stops running away from you!

 

[Rara Avis]

Reverse rotation tillers tend to achieve greater depth penetration, moving and pulverizing more soil in the process, while burying residue as opposed to leaving it on top and fewer passes to boot...

 

[AndyMA]

I believe reverse rotation tillers require quite a bit more power to run.

Andy

 

[bx23barry]

Reverse rotation tillers tend to achieve greater depth penetration, moving and pulverizing more soil in the process, while burying residue as opposed to leaving it on top and fewer passes to boot...

What he said, and there is nothing wrong with chain drive. I'd much rather break/throw a chain than split a gear case or break a couple gears when a bearing goes out the wrong way.

 

[sixdogs]

On the chain vs gear arrangement, I have seen both and I think it depends on the quality of the manufacturer. I had a chain drive Howard HR8--55" and I actually rotoilled(lightly) up to 3 or 4" stumps with it to clear edges of my fields. I hit softball sized New England rocks constantly. The metal shell looked like it was beat from the inside by a sledgehammer.
I also actually MOVED my 400 ft driveway by rototilling it and then scooping up up with a bucket loader and moving it to create a better traffic flow. This was in sandy-stony soil and my drive has some 3" rocks in it. I did this when the ground was soft in the fall. No probs with that chain drive.
A friend has a chain drive cheaper tiller and he stripped the chain sprocket tilling clay ground--had 20 hours on it. It was a creampuff job.
Gear drive is regarded as stronger but that's just what I hear. But, I have never seen or heard of a gear stripping.
I think it's important to keep the chain at the correct tightness.

 

[putt_putt_green]

Reverse rotation will spit rocks in front of the tiller, so you get to go over them again with the tiller. I remember reading this in another post somewhere.

 

[jbrumberg]

Charles Park:

Welcome to TBN ! This was a post I posted twice before. The responses I received seemed to validate my "reasoning" . Jay

eric and his rtv:

I originally responded to a post by blueberryman, but the response to him may be of benefit to you:

Welcome to TBN ! I live in the rocky NE with rocky, heavy, clay based soil. I use/used my tillers to break virgin sod as well as create and maintain garden areas. I have only owned forward rotation tillers (Woods T42, CCM M-160), but I put some "thought" into the CCM purchase as it related to forward vs. reverse rotation tillers:

Foward Rotation- bounce you forward over immovable objects , throw rocks away from tiller, "push" you forward through heavy material, "works" in tractor's direction.

Reverse Rotation- pulverizes soil finer, mixes soil better, would probably work much better in established gardens.
I will add: works against tractor.

I "theorized" that the Reverse Rotation tillers would tend to jamb on bigger rocks as they tend to be thrown up and forward causing the rocks to jam up in the tiller housing and would not bounce (but jam) when "interacting" with immovable objects.

Out of curiousity I would love to hear others' feedback on this question as I have no real experience with Reverse Rotation tillers.

The responding posts kind of supported my "theorizing" to some degree.

Jay