Farm-Maxx Rototiller

[Nimrodtoo]

Anyone have any experience with Farm-Maxx tillers? I have a 5' UL series. Appears to be well built (except for the hard plastic tool/manual case), and chews the ground up like it's all sand. While tilling a field last weekend, it locked up hard after about 90 minutes. I stopped the tractor and PTO, checked for rocks/roots/obstructions but nothing. Disconnect the driveline clutch, worked the blades back and forth a bit and it freed up. Took it back out, started tilling and it locked up again. This time just worked the blades a bit and freed right up. No other issues working one more field. I've probably got about 10 hours total on the tiller and have had no other concerns or problems.
How can I isolate the cause? Could the slip-clutch lock up that hard? Would small movement loosen something? I can't find anything online about these tillers in specific. And before anyone gets too excited, yes both times I "worked the blades" the tractor was off. Also the fields have been turned several times so I was not busting new ground... Anyone have any ideas? Thanks, Nim

 

[HEC]

I have a farm max 5ft. gear tiller and it did lock up once on me but the soil was wet and heavy so I blamed it on that . Be interesting to find if others can relate to this . I am very careful to adjust my slip clutch when it hasn't been used for awhile to protect my tractor and my tiller . You have me wondering now just what really did happen . I am new to tillers but as I think about this mine froze up due to wet soil clogging it up so the slip clutch did its job and stopped it from turning or what we are calling freezing up . I throttled back so quickly and disengaged the pto at the same time it never had a chance to clear itself . So in retrospect the slip clutch was just doing its job . I am just guessing this maybe what happened to you also . In another instance it stopped the same way but a rock caused the problem that time . I really like the tiller as it does a great job . I used it this morning and it is working fine .