Forward or rearward tiller?

labjack · Nov 7, 2014

What do you prefer forward or rearward rotation on a 3pt tiller? Pros and cons?
Thanks, Mark

kub6040 · Nov 7, 2014

Forward is my preference , don't hate me . Reverse cut tillers pull harder and deeper , they work well most case's but I have seen a few mess-ups , a forward rotating tiller will throw foreign objects out and behind a reverse tiller will tear up something .

BAnNC · Nov 7, 2014

Have run both on the same garden. For some reason, the hard clay we have is easier to work with a front tine with forward rotation. Yes, it will throw out some rocks and roots but that's the good part. Sometimes it will beat you up trying to cut up really hard ground.

labjack · Nov 7, 2014

Makes sense.

Charles Krammin · Nov 8, 2014

I have run (and still own) both. Each has its place.
My sears (craftsman 1985)does a beautiful job on weeding garden and food plot. Weeds and stones can stop it cold. In clay or sod, You can't hold it back. Useless in "trail building".
Front mount (forward tine revolution), can be held back with rear tooth and then it really digs. Building trails (pull it backward, when fully dug in and roots cut) and I can do as much as 10 "grubbers" with "pulaskie" , however its a man killer to the body.

BTDT Charles Krammin SW MI

ejr-IA. · Nov 8, 2014

rearward

WellWorn · Nov 15, 2014

What do you prefer forward or rearward rotation on a 3pt tiller? Pros and cons?
Thanks, Mark

I see some of the responses were talking about walk behind tillers, and you wanted to know about 3pt. I've run both 3pt types, and for ground that tends to be heavy and/or has been moldboard plowed and well rock picked for a few years, a counter rotating (reverse) tiller makes a nice deep seed bed, but does require more tractor, both in hp and traction (don't even try in wet soil).

In light (sandy) soils, or in 'new' ground, or where there may be rocks or roots, a forward rotating tiller is a better choice. You still need enough traction to keep it from pushing the tractor, especially on well established sod.

Actually for sod, the best way to turn it is still a moldboard plow. If this is ground I'm going to rototill later, I use a single bottom plow (on my SA), and rock pick after every pass. Our soil is heavy, so a forward tiller just doesn't cut it. It takes a long time to pick rocks from our glacial till, but it takes less time than un-jamming rocks from the tiller.

Forward or rearward tiller?

labjack

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kub6040

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BAnNC

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labjack

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Charles Krammin

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ejr-IA.

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WellWorn

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