Is it really worth $1000 more????

   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #1  

851 roger

Bronze Member
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
77
Location
Wheatland, Oklahoma
Tractor
Ford 851 Powermaster
I'm going to purchase a new tiller in the next several weeks. The big question I have is this: are the reverse tine tillers really worth the extra $1000 they charge? My soil is not rocky or extremely hard. I would like some user input here. I have heard ALL the stuff from the dealers, now it's your turn.
Thank you all !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #2  
I am a gardener and would not have a reverse tine tiller. My goal is to put as much organic matter in my soil as I can and a forward tine tiller does that better job of that than a reverse. My KK does a great job of working in a number of soils from red clay to good loam. I see no benefits of a reverse tine and I do see reasons not to have one. :2cents:
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #3  
I would not pay an extra 1,000 dollars for a reverse tine tiller. I've had both and they both worked pretty much the same for me.
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #4  
Reverse tine tillers were designed for walk behind models to help prevent your arms being pulled out of the sockets when it lurched forward and took off. Stick a tiller on the back of a tractor and it's of no benefit what-so-ever and sure as heck not worth a $1000.
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #5  
I have a forward tine 48" tiller and can't see how a reverse tine tiller could do a better job. I thought about it when I was in the market for a tiller, but decided that hooking a tree root or rock from underneath would not be a good thing. Fortunately, I made the right decision. While tilling an older garden, I ran over an at least 15 ft long 3" diameter pipe that was buried deeper than my old Troy-Bilt could go. When I hit it with my new tiller, it made an awful racket and partially lifted the pipe out of the ground. I dug it up at the edge of the garden, cut it off, removed the pipe, checked out the tiller, and went on with the job at hand. I would not have liked to hook that pipe with reverse a tine tiller. Mine just bounced over it and shook it. Whew!
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #6  
I have a walk tiller behind with forward and reverse. I never use reverse because if I snag a rock the tiller can't leap over it, and it usually shears a pin on the tine shaft.

I agree it seems unneeded on a tractor that isn't going to be pushed or pulled by the tiller.
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #7  
I have a walk tiller behind with forward and reverse. I never use reverse because if I snag a rock the tiller can't leap over it, and it usually shears a pin on the tine shaft.

I agree it seems unneeded on a tractor that isn't going to be pushed or pulled by the tiller.

I've only run tillers a couple times. Having one snag a rock or root they leap forward. Is there any chance of a tiller jumping back at you on a reverse model?
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #8  
I've only run tillers a couple times. Having one snag a rock or root they leap forward. Is there any chance of a tiller jumping back at you on a reverse model?

Hopefully the wheels driving forward would counter act the force.
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #9  
I will be the first to admit that reverse tine tillers really do leave a much nicer looking seedbed for planting and probably will do a better job pulverizing the soil. Is it worth a thousand dollars I would say so.

I will admit that a lot of times for my final till I will run the tiller in reverse. But I don't have one I just merely run the tractor in reverse with the tiller lightly set in the soil.
 
   / Is it really worth $1000 more???? #10  
I've only run tillers a couple times. Having one snag a rock or root they leap forward. Is there any chance of a tiller jumping back at you on a reverse model?

The depth bar and forward travel drive of the wheels keep it from jumping backwards, the tine shaft shear pin becomes the weakest link (by design) at that point.

In reverse, the countering forces, forward wheels & reversing tines, do act together to really churn the soil well and deep. One pass in reverse is probably worth two in forward, but the end result is the same. I could see the benefit for tilling heavy sod or the like, but for established garden soil I don't think reverse is that much better to make it worth spending more to get.
 
 
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