Gear vs chain driven tiller?

[bilrus61]

We have two chain driven tillers here on our farm. A 42" rotomec and a John Deere 660. Never had any issues. I jam a rock in the Deere almost every year and so far the slip clutch has worked great. This years rock was about the first ten feet of tilling. I was a very small rock not as big as your fist! I was amazed that it could jam that big tiller up solid. I've tilled LOTS with it this year over many quadruple fist sized rocks and never hung up the tines again.

When I was at the farm machinery show I go to look at the pics they had of the Mischio (?) tillers with chain and gear. One thing that was kinda shocking was how tiny the teeth are on the gears. After looking at that I came away feeling that my 100# chain on my JD would be every bit as strong as those gear teeth.

As others have said chain or gears the thing is to keep that clutch in proper adjustment and that will render the chain/gear thing moot.

 

[Don87]

A was stated here a while back............

On a tiller that is 5 ft or under..........it really doesn't matter whether it's chain or gear.

I used a chain drive Cub Cadet tiller for 14 years, and the only problem I ever had was the 1st time I hit a big rock. Turned out that the 'internal' slip clutch had been 'painted together' at the factory and it broke the chain.(warranty work).

As far as 'dents in the cover'.............I've seen plenty of gears chew through covers when the cover is dented. Any moving part will chew through a dented cover..........even if it's a smooth part.

 

[art]

Tillers or many machines for what they are used for other then commercial use won't wear out anything more then the teeth that do the cutting.

Slip clutches are the way to go for all conditions although some tillers only have shear pins. No matter what system it is best to check the slip clutch every year as well as remove the shear pin and make sure that the shafts have not rusted together.

One of the things we have noticed with the different brands we have sold is the life of the tines! We have seen some that wear out within a few years without doing major work. We have also seen tillers that do many acres and have not needed to have the tines replaced. Yes there is a difference in metal, it just isn't all the same!

It is most important to buy one that in the future you would be able to buy new tines when needed. Being at the parts counter from time to time all to often we see people trying to match up parts that are no longer available through normal channels to them.

 

[jenkinsph]

Tillers or many machines for what they are used for other then commercial use won't wear out anything more then the teeth that do the cutting.

Slip clutches are the way to go for all conditions although some tillers only have shear pins. No matter what system it is best to check the slip clutch every year as well as remove the shear pin and make sure that the shafts have not rusted together.

One of the things we have noticed with the different brands we have sold is the life of the tines! We have seen some that wear out within a few years without doing major work. We have also seen tillers that do many acres and have not needed to have the tines replaced. Yes there is a difference in metal, it just isn't all the same!

It is most important to buy one that in the future you would be able to buy new tines when needed. Being at the parts counter from time to time all to often we see people trying to match up parts that are no longer available through normal channels to them.

Very good post!
You did a much better job explaining about the importance of build quality and tine quality than I did.