rsnik Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 I got a project done in relatively short order. This is the freebie Ariens Rocket rototiller with new engine, belts etc. and lots of little things done that look like 15 minutes and take all day: Still some belts that are in that I have to go get or didn't fit quite right and have to exchange. It's running on one new/one crappy old belt on the main drive pulley and no reverse belt (too short). It had a really wide idler pulley for the forward double belts. You can't get one. I worked out some set screw collars and a spacer with an idler that works and it works. I have a locale belt/pulley/fasteners/hydraulics shop and the total cost for them figuring stuff out and handing me a big bag of stuff to make everything work was thirty bucks. Got to love these shops: Well, it's a 8 HP Tecumseh, but Tecumseh is the only company that makes a ready to go replacement:
HubbardRA Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 Jonathan, May I inquire as to why you decided to run the AG tires in a reversed direction?
B-16_IC Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 Rod, Ags are run backwords on rear tine tillers to give traction backword, to counteract the tines trying to push it forward. Nice looking tiller, should give years of service.^
rsnik Posted July 23, 2008 Author Posted July 23, 2008 Hey Rich! Thanks for figuring it out. That was the first thing I noticed. But then every pic I see of one they are mounted the same way: I can't get enough of the new toy. It's like a big new chainsaw; all your trees are gone and the neighbors are endangered. I did some reading and heard that it's called the rocket because if you set the tilling depth too deep the tines will dig out of the hole and the tiller will take off with you chasing it. I started by setting the tilling depth at maybe 2". But then I got bolder, but if you are "sod busting" the tiller can really go tearing off. I can see why they would reverse the agression of the AG tires; you want to stop or at least slow a runaway.
Kent Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 Hmmmm.... My 1990 model Troybilt Pony doesn't have the lugs reversed, they're in the normal "traction" rotation. So, curious, I went and checked the new ones... they're normal also. [img]http://www.troybilt.com/wcsstore/pics/TroyBilt/21A-662D066_prod_lg.jpg[/img]
andrewk Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 Maybe a difference between tillers with counter rotating tines as opposed to forward-only?
Kent Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 quote:Originally posted by andrewk Maybe a difference between tillers with counter rotating tines as opposed to forward-only? That may be it, but you'd think the ones with counter-rotating tines would need the most traction -- to overcome the tiller trying to pull them backwards... My Pony is forward-rotating only, and will take off and run with you just like a Simplicity tractor-mounted one will, if you try to push it into hard ground...
B-16_IC Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 Hmmm... Indeed! I thought that idea was used across the board, apparently not. I tend to not pay attention to Troy-Built tillers, (have a deep dislike) I have only ever really looked at others. I ran outside after reading this to peer into the depths of my lean-to at my Frazer B1-7. Those are pointed forward like the Troy above. But then traction probably isn't much of a concern for a tiller that weighs as much as my B-112!:D I like the comparison of a "new" machine to a new saw, I have been there did that a few times!;) Glad to hear you are having fun, you have a good machine for not much money invested.
HubbardRA Posted July 24, 2008 Posted July 24, 2008 The reason I asked the question is that my BIL has a forward rotating rear tined tiller with the AGs set the same as Kent's. I've never seen one in this area with the tires mounted backward.
Paul_B Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 I've got an 8HP Troy Bilt Horse and it's awesome for garden tilling. I use my sovereign with a 38" tiller for the 1st/last tilling of the year and keep the weeds down in my garden's rows with the troy bilt. Regardless of tire orientation, nice machine! Just down't wear the tines out too quick! sm06
rsnik Posted July 25, 2008 Author Posted July 25, 2008 I thought you might like to see this. I am doing a lot of "sod busting', breaking in new, hard, ground. Yesterday we received 2.50 inches of rain. A wierd "plume" of very wet, warm air from the south went right over my house dumping torrents of rain all afternoon. Sod busting in torrential rain works great; the water lubricates the tines so they cut better and when you make a second pass the pounding rain adds water to the soil "chips" from the first pass and it comes out real nice. It's really fun to rototill in bashing rain. You wear a big, wide brimmed hat, some shorts (take your wallet and keys out) and some appropriate boots that give real good footing (you need it) and have at it. But the engine started "skipping" at one point; it apparently did not like getting drowned. Well, I found an umbrella that the handle unscrews from and the termination hardware on the umbrella rod fit a hole on the top of the engine. I rigged some bungee cords to securely rig the umbrella and "plowed on". I took the umbrella off when I was done but rigged it back on temporarily today because I thought you might get a kick out of some hillbilly problem solving: Here's another pic to give you an idea of how much of this hardpan I was able to grind up in the rain:
DMedal Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 I absolutely love the umbrella picture. THANK YOU!!! My Troybilt would have found a way to inhale that garden hose.
rsnik Posted July 25, 2008 Author Posted July 25, 2008 Well, the dang thing is I can't take a picture that shows just how much hardpan I ground up yesterday in the rain without running into picture resizing problems. OK, that one took. The tilled area from yesterday in the rain extends 50 feet back from the rototiller plus I doubled the size of the main garden. I could never have got this much done in one shot except for rototilling in a monsoon . This soil is high clay content fill from creating this subdivision (the subdivision looks very nice now but was originally a sand and gravel extraction business.) Grinding up this dirt is like grinding up granite. The soil is so bad that for the main garden I had the neighbor dig the dirt out 24" deep with his excavator and used it to fill a sink hole from some buried stumps and bought 75 yards of Bridgewater Slaughterhouse loam to fill back in. This worked well as the imported loam is great. I can add amendments and eventually work up the existing soil in the newly tilled areas, as removing and buying great loam is great in another way as in expensive. Hold on. Breaking news. This just in! The rototiller did not inhale any garden hoses but did break this bungee cord: As you can clearly see this is no ordinary bungee cord break but obviously indicates something hugely powerful at work. :D:D:D
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