# using a rear-tine tiller??



## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

Well, my DH has bought me a BRAND NEW REAR TINE TILLER to make MY gardening easier :dance::dance: Problem is this....I cant run the blame thing. Im not talking about starting and operating it.....I mean keeping the thing in a row. How in the world do you keep one running straight in the row? Another thing, our garden is on a gradual slope, and it keeps "walking" downhill. If I actually had seedlings up, I would have ran over them. Am I doing something wrong? It keeps pulling to the side.......heavens....I'm wore out after just 4 passes through the garden. Any suggestions.....


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Maybe you could throttle back a little so that the tiller is running slower until you get used to it?
Nancy


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## msts1 (Jan 14, 2010)

our tiller has adjustable handles that swivel at the base by the motor. If yours does then you could turn them so they are at 90* and walk down the hill from it to keep it strait. I am not sure I explained it correctly or not. =-)


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

Put your rows up and down the hill. It might look funny but the garden is the same size no mater how the rows run. I just got one in my old age. The problem I have it turning around on the ends. The patch that has sod on the ends works ok, but the other garden only has a little path about a foot wide between the rows, and sugar doodles flower beds. I solved that problem by getting a little electric tiller that I pull backwards to make it dig deeper and can manouver around a toad stool.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

I read a story about a man who lived in the Ozarks. He ran his potato rows up and down the mountain side. When it was time to dig them, he just dug the bottom end of the row open, and the potatoes all ran out the end of the row.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

AHHHHHHHH Suger Doodles??? hmmmm LOL. Er, I dont have a suger doodles here. Whut is they? Whar do I have to do to get enny, er sugar doodles, thet is LOL> Hey Unc. Go into HS and looks at my tractor pics lol. Imma standing by my sugar doodles. lol. 

Now as to helpin this po wimmins. Fistoff, How old are ye. 2nd, whut do ya weigh, 3rd, how wide is your REAR, er I mean RTT, (rear tine tiller) lol , Or just give a GOOD general discription of it. With that information I and uddersa inna har might be able to give u some goodber advice.

Iffn you cannot run a rear tine tiller in a straight line. I cannot imagine how you would even have rows on either side of a front tine tiller. I think, and I know, this sounds sexest. That although a man could generally handle a tiller the same width as his rows, a woman might have more trouble. I have a old pony TB T. It is only round 16/18 wide. I can get close to each row, and yet I generally have to do so to each row to cover the entire row. Even as small as it is, its a pain for me at 62 when I get it down to the fence and want to turn it around. Direct drive, both wheels turning at same time, no reverse. Its a pain. BUT, except for the Mantis I got last year, and havnt tried yet, its the only tiller I have. I want to save it only for makeing rows. Either single or double, side by side. I think it can do a good job of that. The engine is about wore out. It is so small that it shouldnt cost much to replace it, and thats probably cheap or cheaper than to overhaul it, and wonder if they got the job done right. 

I see Poulin has a nice sized tiller out for $600, I think. If a gardener aint going to have the artillery to work a garden as I have, I would think it would be alright. I have onna there saws, I bought reconditioned, and I rave over it.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

I read your post again. Yes, sounds like u need a tiller like the old Areins I had, that also would let you turn the handles R or left so u didnt walk in the fresh tilled row. With one of these, you could keep yourself on the lower row, and have more leverage in keeping it in the row.. Get window washer liquid, and put it in the tire tubes. Extra weight might cause the tiller to stay where its pointed.

Now, unc, I know that erosion is a serious concern onna some of those hills people live on over there. I GLADLY came outa the Mo Ozarks and one place I lived, Im sure I coulda built a great stone barn there. I thought to myself, If I started takeing out the stone at the top of the ridge, until I had gone down a depth of say 5/10ft. Took a plow I didnt care about, and work the ground. Pick up any stone and put in the tumblebug and dump them on one side of the hill top, out of the way, and then go back with the TB and drag the dirt off to the otherside. Then, when down far enough that I had the rock to build the 4 walls, but not the eves, Decide if I wanted to go deeper and wider to get that rock, or pick that up out of the field in the pasture. Then Build a bank barn, on the rock side of the hill, and dug back far enough into the side of the hill that I had at least a 50ft flat spot in front for a lot.. Then take the rockless dirt, big rock that is, No way to clear out fist sized stone there. and run it down to a gradual slope, say to a 100ft X 100 at least, and build a rock wall to keep it there, and use that for garden.

I didnt do it cause people down there are so poor, and I couldnt afford the cement, nor the roofing.

Finallyu, lol I read that story too, and I could say that I tried it, but quiet after the second time. The rock was so bad, it kept plugging up the flow lol


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Your tiller manual probably has something with similar wording, but this a clipping out of mine.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

I learned to use a rear tine tiller in south Ga., where the only hill had fire ants in them. When I moved to the mountains, everyone had front tine tillers. I was told that the rear tine tillers were bad to walk downhill, so no one liked them.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

luv2farm,

I have the same problem with a Husquvarna 17" tiller wanting to walk sideways. Seems like it is good for level ground, but really bad on slopes and over rough places like ridges. I seem to do okay if I make one pass, then make the second about fourteen or fifteen inches on the other side, then complete the tilling by straddling the two fresh passes. That way you don't have one wheel on untilled, and the other on freshly tilled(loose) soil which causes it to tilt and then slide. I'm lucky that I can till my ground--either fresh or tilled earlier, with about one-quarter to one third throttle. I do wish the engineers would have chosen a different sized forward gear and drive wheels, because my wheels seem to really turn at a speed too fast for the tine action. That seems to be the biggest source of the sliding problem. I have since learned to space plant rows accordingly and to make very shallow passes through them so they don't get ripped out. They did a nice paint job, though--I can always find it at dusk with its bright orange color.......

I really need to get the tine unit on my 8 hpTroy-Bilt Horse rebuilt again...... even though it was a beast(yep, Horse was a good name) to turn at the end of the row..... I just thought the Husquvarna would be easier.

Hmmm, I think I will let some of the air out of the tires, maybe they will flex more....just a thought...I can always pump them back up if it doesn't work....

geo


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I've never run my tiller on a slope but try extending the "drag" that digs into the ground and forces the tiller to churn the soil. Extend it deeper into the ground so that it slows the forward motion of the tiller.


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## luv2farm (Feb 15, 2008)

FarmBoyBill said:


> ......... Now as to helpin this po wimmins. Fistoff, How old are ye. 2nd, whut do ya weigh, 3rd, how wide is your REAR, er I mean RTT, (rear tine tiller) lol , Or just give a GOOD general discription of it. With that information I and uddersa inna har might be able to give u some goodber advice.
> 
> Iffn you cannot run a rear tine tiller in a straight line. I cannot imagine how you would even have rows on either side of a front tine tiller. I think, and I know, this sounds sexest. That although a man could generally handle a tiller the same width as his rows, a woman might have more trouble. I have a old pony TB T. It is only round 16/18 wide. I can get close to each row, and yet I generally have to do so to each row to cover the entire row. Even as small as it is, its a pain for me at 62 when I get it down to the fence and want to turn it around. ..........
> 
> I see Poulin has a nice sized tiller out for $600, I think. If a gardener aint going to have the artillery to work a garden as I have, I would think it would be alright. I have onna there saws, I bought reconditioned, and I rave over it.


ound:ound: LOLOLOL HAHAHA ........I declare, this is the hardest that I have laughed in days......anyway 
*Fistoff, How old are ye.* Well, happily, Ive made it to almost 41!
*2nd, whut do ya weigh*, auuuggghhhhh...I'm healthy enough 
*3rd, how wide is your REAR, er I mean RTT, (rear tine tiller) lol* .....Oh!, baby....it's big! See answer #2. ound: Oh yeah, the RTT.....about 20 inches. Its a Cub Cadet RT 65

I want to thank everyone for their good advice. And farmboy....for the laugh!!!


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

My ol' Rotohoe doesn't seem to be having any problems like this, but the garden isn't too far out of level. When sod busting I run it in reverse, and then finish off with putting it into low front gear. Every year I grow beoootiful crops of rocks. Seriously, I wish I had a $30,000 rock rake like they use on beaches. I could USE the rocks on my driveway, and would like not having quite as many in the garden.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Harry, they have a machine here, that resembles a dump rake in looks. People use it to rake rocks and grass cuttings. U can turn it so that rock will come out in a furrow, or rake them into piles like the old dump rake did. There not expensive at all, say $300

L2F. U talking about a tiller for a 4 wheel Cub Cadet IHC lawn tractor?? If not, I sure didnt know that IHC made a walk behind garden tiller, front or rear tine. Glad u liked the laugh lol. Regardless, if thats what it is, Im stumped, as Ive never had any experience with a lawn tractor mounted tiller.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Bill, you mean a spring rake, where the tines are actually like the tines on combines? I guess that is better than nothing. I love that idea of the rocks being dumped in a bucket that then has a hydraulic lift to dump 'em in a truck or wagon. Gettin' lazy, I guess.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

set it shallow until you get the soil to soften a little. then angle the machine up the hill just a bit. you'll get the hang of it.


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Hi Luv2farm, sorry it's beating up on you, and I can relate.

for anyone that wants to see a pic of her beautiful helper, click here: http://images.google.com/imgres?img...q=Cub+Cadet+RT+65&hl=en&sa=G&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1

My repairman guided me to a Bronco by Troy BILT, it has taken a bit of getting used to and learning to let IT do the work. He told me that I could walk beside it and guide it with one hand. it appears to be the equivalent of yours.

You didn't say if this is an established garden or preparing for the first time. At any rate, it just might go easier if you had the stake in the top notch, which minimizes the depth of tilling.

Then on subsequent passes pull that stake up one or two notches, assuming the dirt is fine enough and dry enough. Trying to till at maximum depth, on the first pass can leave huge clods and go so deep that the soil is to wet to be tilling. first hand experience.

On turning at end of row, I pick up on handlebars and turn them 45 degrees....forward just a tad then lift handle again and finish turning machine around. gets those tines up out of the ground for easier work.

I haven't really tried using mine for weeding, cause in the past rows have been to close together for it, and like you, it's still NOT a piece of cake, but getting better.

Congratulations on what looks like a wonderful tool. and hubby was so thoughtful, so perhaps he wouldn't mind picking up one of those smaller units that are made specifically for weeding.

GOOD LUCK.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Ditto- minimize the depth until you have gone over it. Lower the depth a bit at at ime. I have a difficult time keeping mine straight on a flat garden---I decided to let my rows follow the tiller - they aren't straight now and I no longer have a problem.......except for engineer DH....drives him crazy!!!


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

Not to hijack this thread, but now I'm not sure about getting rid of our front tine tiller. It works great, but it will jerk you around pretty good....even my DH complains about it. Now our ground is a little sloped but hardly noticable until you put the tiller to it. 

So, is it worth getting rid of the front tine and purchasing a rear tine? What model would you recommend.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

i have both front an rear and still prefer the front..the rear take a lot of getting use to once you have been used to a front tine..good luck


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Harry. No, I have had a combine for 40 yrs, and I have never had (tines) on any of mine.

IT LOOKS JUST LIKE A MINITURE DUMP RAKE. If you took each individual tooth out, and put a hole in the center, u might say they were spring tooth harrow teeth. They are, or nearly are simi curcular


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

OK, now I think I understand. Thanks.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

York rake, aka landscape rake. http://www.yorkmodern.com/


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Look at Windys post, and open it up Harry

Hey Windy didya go into singletree and look at my tractor pics??


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## Cinelu (Jan 1, 2009)

I, too, have a TB Bronco that I have used for about 11 years. It is a rear tine. My BIL has a new Cub Cadet that has rear tines, that can be set to counter-rotate, or forward rotate. I tilled my garden this year with just the TB, and was having a difficult time getting part of it to work up. He brought his Cub Cadet over tonight and we plowed the garden with it using the tines set in counter-rotating mode. It was wonderful, and went much deeper than my TB will. I may have to buy a new tiller!!!! (My other BIL has a TB Rear tine with the Counter rotating tines that I have used in the past, and I wasn't impressed with it).


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

FarmBoyBill said:


> Hey Windy didya go into singletree and look at my tractor pics??


No, but I will go do that now.


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