From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Norton, MA

Is a chane drive tiller not good? I'm looking around and found a cheap 8hp one but it's a chain drive. Thanks, Alex.

3/11/2004 6:59:44 PM

C N Y

you want a rear-tine tiller as a given--i have a 7-hp Troy Bilt that's God knows how many years old!
i have used front-tine before, not the one for me----
whether chain drive or not, rear-tine is best---i'd be worried about anything getting caught in it, or perhaps the chain has a cover.....good luck,,, eric

3/11/2004 7:34:10 PM

northern indiana

If you are breaking ground stay away from a chain drive. If the ground is already broken then you might be ok. There are alot of old gear driven tillers out there. Even front tine gear driven tillers. The chain driven tillers are not inteded to break ground or at least that is what one member was told last yr. I forget who posted that but he was told that it was abuse of his craftsman tiller (if i remember correctly). I use an old front tine gear driven. A belt is spun off the engine and that drives the gears. Not as easy as a rear tine but I do get good depth and its not as expensive.
But hey if its cheap and the engine is good you could try to find a rear tine gear driven with a bad engine for cheap swap when the drive gives out on the chain drive.
Eric

3/11/2004 9:17:11 PM

Montoursville, PA

I have always been a thousand to two thousand square foot gardener. I say rent for a year or two before you make a decision. Study the money tie up as compaired to rental. If I had it to do over I would rent. Paying a lot of money out to own and repair when needed is not what made any bucks for me in the smaller patch.

By renting you can determine which type machine you really like.

Don't tell anyone but I like the chain drive front end driver tillers in the smaller patches. Those rear end suckers are the very devil to turn about in tight quarters.
The mini versions don't appeal to me either. Guess I'm a hard head. Hee Hee

3/11/2004 10:00:13 PM

Roanoke Il

Chain drive are alright the only concern I would have is that if you hooked a root of or a bigger rock The tiller would tend to kick harder my causing the chain to bust or to have a bigger kick back to it. A belt driven tiller is a little more forgiving The belt will slip before it breaks. If you check the area which needs to be tilled for hidden dangers such as tree roots big rocks a chain drive drive will work out fine. mark

3/11/2004 10:47:11 PM

Long Island,New York

Hey Mark...you mean like the concrete base to the old clothsline in my backyard?????

3/11/2004 10:56:29 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

and if it has MTD letters on it....just move on! Cultivators not Tillers!

3/12/2004 6:47:11 AM

Roanoke Il

Glenn I've hit my old closline base many times lol.

3/12/2004 7:58:28 AM

Montoursville, PA

Hey....when the chain breaks all hell breaks loose. It is a sound you are apt to remember and understand for ever after but.........you won't be inclined to work a limping slipping clutch or drive until it lacquers, gets a hard on and breaks silently. In that respect belt drive maintenance is not even giving human nature a sporting chance to screw up in a traditional sense.

Why without a chain to maintain you can't even run one dry and hear it rattle for a couple years before it goes out. :)

3/12/2004 10:40:39 AM

Norton, MA

It was a pretty dumpy and VERY old thing anyway. I guess I'll keep looking. Thanks, Alex.

3/12/2004 8:18:08 PM