Garden Tillers: Forward vs Reverse Rotation? 4 Distinct Tests

Two Identical Tillers, except for rotation direction. We test them in 4 distinct soil conditions. Which one works best?
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00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Machine Differences
02:16 - ISOtunes gift to Dave!
02:46 - Round #1 Reverse Rotation
04:47 - Round #1 Forward Rotation
07:30 - Round #1 Tim Drives
10:02 - Round #1 Second Pass
11:39 - Round #1 Summary
12:48 - Round #2
15:18 - Round #2 Second Pass
17:08 - Round #3 Sod @ Dave's House
19:07 - Round #4 Vines In Garden
20:04 - Round #4 Summary
20:51 - Overall Winner
22:43 - Tiller Rule #1!!

[@MessicksEquip]

I've wanted to do this video for years!

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Yep. An obvious one...but I had never had the chance. This seemed like as much of an apples to apples approach as we could create.

[@bustersmith5569]

@@TractorTimewithTim great job on the comparison 👏 always wondered wish was best ? But didn't think they even made reverse tillers anymore,,,,,,,

[@bustersmith5569]

@@TractorTimewithTim forward rotation is clock wise correct ? TY,,,,,,

[@dodgeme1986truck]

The reverse tine tillers actually work very well in WI blue clay and with glacial rock deposits As it pulls the rocks and roots to the surface so ya can pick em up and get them outta the garden also they let ya know when you hit a rock/root they can't pull to the surface (I use a slip clutch with tillers)those oversized rocks/roots I flag and bring in the diggin equipment to clear them... Although I actually prefer a dual rotation tiller over either of the other 2 options. For initial soil breakup I use the reverse rotation setting but for finish tilling I prefer forward rotation. I have found the reverse tilling setting allows the tiller to dig deeper and creates better drainage in my WI clay soil also the reverse tiller removes the grass from the soon to be garden bed instead of leaving it there to be removed later when it starts to grow again alongside the rest of your garden. (My soil although heavy clay grows anything as if it were a weed heck I mowed 1.5weeks ago and the grass at my place is already over 1ft high and anything planted in my garden grows just as well be it grass, weeds, or fruits and veggies

[@earlyriser8998]

as an engineer i loved the way you did this comparison

[@bill29456]

Hey Tim: Great comparison. If you look at a manufacturers listing of strengths you will find they are designed for different types of soil. If you have rocky area or roots, you will find front rotating will tend to climb up on them, jump over and it will damage your tines hitting rocks. The reverse will bring the rocks and roots to the surface where you can remove them. Enjoy 😃

[@theburnhams2925]

One unappreciated benefit of the forward-rotating tiller is that you can push your way out of "trouble" with it.

[@AtlantaSoundGuy]

Great test and a very good comparison. Hard to find a clear winner, because they both did a great job. The real advantage is that you are showing a real world side by side comparison so that people can make a more informed decision. I don't think I've ever seen any tilling video that goes to this effort to show both sides. Well done neighbors !!

[@joshuaschneider3591]

Any chance your next video will contain advice on how to secure purchasing authority through the finance committee? Mine tolerates the tractor attachments, but ever since I started competing with her winter time parking space in the garage, all forward momentum has ceased 😂

[@Ron5topable]

You’ll have to bring him over for more videos like this. That was great.

[@wingersww]

It was blast helping Tim. Hopefully there will be another opportunity one day.

[@christophersiano969]

I like the reverse. Seems to me that clearing out the stuff that isn't breaking down is a good thing. I will say that seeing both side by side was a really great way to do this. Thank you.

[@midcoasttractorservice9182]

Check out my videos on my Woods 48.30 rtr tiller. I really put it to work.

[@robertmiddleton1227]

I'm the same way the reverse pulls all the trash that doesn't want to break down to the end of the row the forward just leave it scattered all over the top of your field to your gonna have to pick it up anyway rather pick it up at 1 spot then all through the whole field

[@katrinaanon1038]

I use to drag a front time tiller behind my Ford garden tractor so it was reverse. It always dug deeper and worked the soil better. Any time I just need to push in on the clutch to back up. I would go with a reverse.

[@chiefkyle1098]

@@midcoasttractorservice9182 Just watched your video. Those reverse rotating tillers seem awfully rough on the tractor.

[@midcoasttractorservice9182]

@@chiefkyle1098 on the other hand it typically slips the clutch instead of bouncing over rocks ect.

[@bradmeacham6982]

Nice to see a side by side, apples to apples, and same conditions comparison of forward and reverse rotation tillers. Well done!

[@augustreil]

My 8 hp Horse Troy-Bilt tines run forward, I know this because sometimes it will ''tine walk'' you into a fence !

[@brianhillis3701]

I use that as a feature to move it from the shed to the garden. Surprisingly it does not mess up the yard.

[@augustreil]

@@brianhillis3701, It sure does run fast !

[@augustreil]

@@TF856, Thanks, I'll check them out.

[@miloh7871]

I’m seeing the “trash” removal as a positive, not a negative. Get it out of the garden and into the compost pile for next year. Reverse rotation for me.

[@rydplrs71]

I agree

[@theburnhams2925]

Personally, I much prefer "composting" in situ rather than having to handle "trash" twice (or even more if added to compost piles) Soil microbes "digest" most garden refuse fairly quickly, and it's already "in place" for the next season. But I do agree that your refuse can be handled better in a well-managed pile if you don't mind the extra-cise. The benefit of "perma-culture" management is in reduced labor and more microbial activity. But then, Florida's soils never freeze and stop bio activity.

[@miloh7871]

@@theburnhams2925 I'm in SW Utah, and only the weeds grow good for me, and if you just rototill the weeds you get a lot more weeds. So I burn the weeds buy a dozen bags of good soil every year and till it into the crappy soil to try and make it better then fight with the weeds that grow faster than the garden. and wonder why I bother every year. I don't have green thumbs.

[@robertmiddleton1227]

@@theburnhams2925 Well you can watch the reverse Tiller polls to stuff to the end of the row and the forward Tiller doesn't till the stuff in either it just leaves scattered across the top of the field so your still gonna have to pick it up anyway rather pick it up in one spot than after go back and probably rake it all backup to pick it up anyway So my opinion to reverse Tiller actually saving you a step

[@jcz232321]

@@miloh7871 ROTFLMAO.................I feel your pain, Better soil grows better stuff............including weeds. Endeavor to persevere!

[@philsmock4943]

Great video. Thank you for the side-by-side demo of both style of tillers. I'm thinking I'm needing a tiller this year and this was a very interesting video for me. I might have to watch it again.

[@richpicone7788]

A midnight release!!! What a treat to wake up to that notification!! Excellent video guys👍🏻

[@erikrunas226]

The results were interesting. Getting to see them side by side was eye opening. Thank you.

[@bradleyhicks4539]

This is the only side by side comparison of forward vs reverse rotation I’ve been able to find on KZbin. Thanks again for the work it takes to help us make informed decisions.

[@Dan-oz4qb]

Nice comparison. It takes some planning to pull this one off and I appreciate the effort.

[@mayo_moto]

Great video Tim. I will certainly be looking for a standard rotation when the time comes.

[@vincemeyer7968]

This was great! Thanks for doing this side by side comparison.

[@spenceryoungblood1235]

I wanted a reverse rotation because I felt it would till deeper and do a better job. I ended up with a forward rotation only because that’s all that was available when I needed one. I have to say I am thrilled with it! I had originally planned to get a reverse rotation when it came available, but I’m sticking with the one I have because it has done so well for me. Thus, proving tiller rule #1 is very true!

[@jimmypayne6319]

Thanks Tim! I’m looking at tillers and this answered a few questions for me. Hope to join the tiller club before the week is over.

[@jimmypayne6319]

I bought a 54” King Kutter yesterday. Supposed to rain this afternoon and tomorrow. I probably won’t get to use it till next weekend.

[@rondelaney2918]

really enjoyed this video , very helpful for those who have and use tillers and for those looking to purchase one.

[@richardwilson7106]

Excellent video. I have always wondered which tiller rotation was better. Overall, forward seems better to me.

[@nealtubbs9608]

Great comparison Tim. Both did a good job. I'd go with the forward also.

[@joshuaplacka8480]

Just bought a new woods 5ft for the b series. Love it all gear driven.

[@ducksp6405]

Great video. Loved the two 1025's working together at the same time. Looked like a lot of fun. Glad I went with a forward rotation tiller.

[@bustersmith5569]

And why did you choose the forward rotation tiller ?

[@ducksp6405]

@@bustersmith5569 The soil in my area is fairly rockie. The forward rotation tillers kick the rocks out the back or push them down. Reverse tillers will kick rocks in front of the tiller over and over.

[@jadesumsion]

Very nice comparison. I like the reverse time tiller.

[@willie0001]

Rocks and roots for sure. Just got JD 647 tiller, fits all requirements and 1025r loves it

[@slip0n0fall]

I'm glad someone else shares my enthusiasm for tillers!

[@bnewton5922]

I like my front rotation tiller. Bought it used and it’s been great for our garden. Stay safe

[@ohiovalleypondandexcavatio2114]

I really like a reverse drive on new gardens it pulls the trash to the end to rake up and it does go deep.

[@dalepyles5259]

, by

[@Kcolby47]

What a well done and interesting comparison. Tillers sure are a dandy tool for all kinds of dirt work. When we do farm tillage on row crops we typically go an an angle to the rows to help level the rows and seedbed. Of course, it’s not a big deal with tillers since they do such a nice job in one or two passes regardless of the direction. Side benefit, they apparently are great mouse traps😉. Great video and nice work Tim, Christy and Dave. Blessings.

[@markziegler3551]

Most farmers will actually dig their fields at an angle to eliminate and level the "humps" created by the corn rows. you might want to try a 20-30 degree angle.

[@jasonsteelhorse]

Great comparison video!

[@djvo9271]

My Reverse tine walk behind tiller does pretty good with roots in breaking them up. Especially because I’m trying to get the shallow roots out of my garden area to make planting easier for my tomatoes and other plants that I buy or start in a pot.

[@petewalker98]

I have a Land Pride Reverse Tine Tiller and it does a great job.

[@GoodWorksTractors]

Great video Tim. Reverse tine tillers are overrated. I've never stocked nor sold a reverse tine tiller. Having tilled hundreds of gardens and food plots, there's not one instance where I thought my standard rotation (forward) tiller didn't do a fine job. Normally even in just one pass. They are also almost always cheaper than reverse rotation tillers. Also, I try to keep an open mind, but I often talk folks out of discs as well for subcompacts and small compacts. Discs don't weigh nearly enough to function properly and cost nearly as much as a tiller that will do a better job in much less time. Moral of the story as TTWT says, you will love your tiller no matter what. They are an amazing tool and provide an incredible transformation to your plot. Oh, by the way, you beat me to the punch on the forward/reverse rotation comparison! Mine will be done on the 4r though, same premise.

[@1yehny]

Could you try an unrealistic test? Could you do the test in reverse? I’m curious because pushing a tiller may get different results from pulling. Thanks.

[@drlarcey]

It’s wonderful if the grounds level if you have to go down a lot of angles it’s just gonna march your tractor down the hill that’s the whole idea of reverse

[@russwands8124]

After seeing the difference between the two, it seems like the forward rotation would have to be the one I would choose. I have always wondered what the difference between the two would look like. Thank you for another wonderful video!

[@davidwhite5858]

The Troy built tiller who was number one in its day , built its reputation on the reverse tine not running through a garden. This is the way to go even on a tractor. Start out shallow and progressively dig deeper as you move .

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Reverse rotation for a walk behind made so much more sense. This kept the tiller from running forward on its own.

[@kingwood4357]

Great comparison, very informative.

[@markdiulio2245]

Great video good comparison on both units

[@zachstumm5747]

Great video Tim, I love the content.

[@patchitwood7428]

I have a forward rotation tiller. I use it for food plots as well as garden. I like it.

[@Bob-vb8lc]

That was a pretty good comparison of the two tillers. It's fair to say that they both have Pros & Cons. Tim, I agree with you about having either tiller is a good choice.

[@ERICMB24MF37U24F39]

the reverse tiller normally has pins to place coarse pieces deeper in the ground and to throw fine sand on them. this tiller also called a "stone burier"

[@BradMyers]

Very informative video. I think I could be happy with either tiller, since a tiller beats not having a tiller. (Tiller ruler #1)

[@Harry-zz2oh]

Since my Craftsman tiller broke years back and the cost of repairing it would be more than I paid for it, I've been using a potato plow and a disc to prepare my garden area. My neighbor has a tiller and he uses his machine to do the final prep on my garden after doing his. It has worked well so far, but we are almost 15 years into a drought and I do not want to do a garden this year. Instead I plan to do some traveling and visit two of my children who live in other states.

[@jonathanwalkup4010]

Thank you for showing this. Me I would have to go with the forward mainly for the finer cut.

[@jimmyhorton1504]

Very informative video! I have some tiller experience with a forward rotation model that I rent on occasion. The trash collecting and less bounce/waves by the reverse model were the only unexpected differences that I hadn't heard about.

[@Harry-zz2oh]

At one time I had a reverse tine walk behind tiller. It worked very well and the little amount of trash helped get the bigger stuff in the garden cleaned up and broken up. If you have a compost bin, you can put this trash into the compost and let it break down some more. At the least, you don't need to rake the stuff out of the garden since the tiller will bring it to the edge.

[@derekmagnusson3246]

Great video to demonstrate the difference.

[@robertreitberger7743]

Reminds me of a Case riding mower I had in the 70's ,(I think the model was 646 ?)it had a hydraulic tiller that would run forward or reverse. Loved that tractor.

[@ta65mail]

Very helpful, I think I prefer the forward rotating tiller now. I always thought I wanted the reverse rotating tiller for what I thought would be a finer chop but your demonstration surprised me. Thanks

[@JAllyFarms]

Got me sold forward spin tiller

[@francisruzicka4792]

I own a reverse rotation Land Pride tiller and it has sifting bars that will bury larger debris and cover with pulverized soil. I can till standing corn and you won’t see much corn after one pass. Also, I have a 90’s era Troy-Bilt and it has forward rotation.

[@katrinaanon1038]

Really one trick you can do with a reverse rotation tiller which I did all the time with my Ford Garden tractor (10hp) was reverse direction by stepping on the clutch. So you could go over a tough patch of ground just by stepping on the clutch because the tiller will pull you backwards and then start again forward by letting out the clutch.

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Funny we just had this conversation on the livestream last night. I really struggled with my decision to buy the forward rotation. Looking back (literally) I have no regrets. You’re so right about tiller rule #1 👍😄

[@stevewarner8880]

Good video Tim. One slight correction on your reference to Troy Bilt tillers. The older Horse models from 1948 on were forward rotating. The tines spin 2 1/2 times faster than the drive wheels. This allows them to be used as a “power composter” to amend the soil. Reverse rotation only has the advantage when breaking new ground. Troy Bilt was bought by MTD and they introduced the reverse rotation model you mentioned in the video

[@jeffherndon]

I have a 2038R and a 60” reverse rotation tiller. I live in Atlanta, Ga so the soil conditions are different than a lot of people might have. It’s very heavy almost always wet red clay that is sticky and clumps really bad. It probably takes more horse power than most dirt which is why I chose to go up to the 2038 rather than a 1025. That and a stump grinder which had a min hp of 25 PTO hp. From others my observation was the reverse chewed up the clumps better than forward so the reverse took less passes to get it fine enough to plant. 2 observations. First, The reverse rotation will move the dirt forward 2 feet every pass so you need to take 2 passes in opposite directions or you gradually move you garden. Second, I took the skid shoes off. The 2 series has depth control on the 3 point hitch and after 1 pass the skid shoes left deep trenches in the garden. After 1 pass they do not work for depth control. It’s way better without them. About rocks, Stone Mountain doesn’t just stick up above the ground. Like an iceberg 90% is below ground and extends throughout north Georgia at varying depths. However there are lots of rocks. The rocks tend to get pushed along and left at the end of the row. It’s kind of nice though because I grabbed a bucket and picked them up which left a fairly rock free garden. No need for a rock rake. I did one time jam a large rock between the rotor and the housing that took a while to get out. It stalled the tractor instantly when it jammed. Sorry for the long post but I hope it was informative.

[@TheSnakeman3]

Glad I got the reverse on mine.

[@michaelfinney2160]

Looks like the reverse tine tiller is a bit more aggressive and maybe more productive. Great job ! Have a Blessed Day

[@donniebargo964]

One thing I like about you Tim is thT you plow your garden. Most of the time before you till it. I do commercial vegetable sales. And I found that a tiller alone after couple years makes a hardpan that stunts a lot of vegetable growth

[@MoneypitHomestead]

I really enjoyed this video! It had a lot of great information!

[@thetractorden6189]

For established gardens, front rotation works better. For virgin or rocky soil, a reverse rotation works better. Both of them have their positives and negatives which you addressed here. If we are tilling fresh soil go with the reverse, However if the soil has already been worked and broken up forward will be best. I like how the reverse brings the trash to the surface. This way I can remove the trash from the soil.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Hmm. I thought the forward performed very well in the sod (round #3)

[@jasone9]

As a guy who owned a 6' forward rotation tiller for years and now have a 6' reverse rotation tiller I must say your observations were right on. That being said I've found if I dont go full depth on the first pass the reverse rotation will chew up the organic matter a bit better, but I also run the brush hog over first to chop the leftovers up. I have gravely soil so what the reverse rotation does is push rocks along in front of the tiller and leaves them in a pile at the end of the row, which in my opinion is nice as long as I get them picked up, might be a good excuse for a rock bucket...

[@marilynwitherell186]

I will be buy a tiller as soon I can fit one available, but I recall a video you did were a rock stopper the tiller. Problems will come up, I would like to see more how to fix these issues. Again great video and thanks for sharing.

[@Bunk599]

Great comparison. I had a forward rotating JD 54" tiller and always wondered if it was the right choice...appears it was.(it also developed a leak at the inner oil seal) I can agree with your conclusions. I had many rocks and it did its best to bury them along with the garden waste.. I had most every attachment you can imagine...my favorites were the rototiller and a landscape rake. They both worked as intended and made dramatic improvements in no time. Really enjoy your channel.

[@aaronburford5701]

So Tim, based off of your content and videos i have seen, you absolutely love tilling, that is your expertise.... Great Job, content and commentary!

[@TractorTimewithTim]

I do love tilling. So relaxing and rewarding. Unfortunately, it is highly seasonal, and doesn’t pay well.

[@aaronburford5701]

@@TractorTimewithTim yes sir! You do seem to enjoy it and have a passion for it. Thanks for sharing!

[@Dale37]

I have used both, and the forward rotation is what I would choose, too. It pulls easier and still does a great job!

[@HuserHelpers]

Great comparison. Very ideal test. I've always heard reverse rotation was better for new areas due to the churning effects. From this test, not sure I could see it. If you can do a follow-up this spring with a little moisture, it might be a little more visible. I enjoyed it as always. Jason

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Nice comparison

[@ritterjon]

💥 I just purchased a used King Kutter like you have Tim. I hope it works out well for me. *Keep on tractoring!* 👍

[@TractorTimewithTim]

You’ll love the tiller. One of the most pleasing attachments to use.

[@hardwareguy1]

I have had both forward and reverse rotation tillers. They both will get the job done. I prefer the reverse rotation for two reasons. First, the reverse tends to till deeper in hard soil. By rotating in the reverse direction it tends to pull itself down into the soil. The forward rotation tends to bounce up and out of the soil when it hards hard spots. Second, in rocky soil the reverse rotation tends to push all the bigger rocks together to the end of the row. It makes it easier to pick them out later rather then walking all through the garden to get them.

[@midcoasttractorservice9182]

I just don't like the way my woods rtr tiller leaves a big hole at the end of the row but lifting it or just pushing the soil back in the hole with the bucket solves that problem lol

[@hardwareguy1]

@@midcoasttractorservice9182 Yes, that can be annoying for sure. One side benefit is that I have used it a few times to dig shallow trenches for running a wire or cable. Just drop it, move over 4 feet ad drop it again. Works well.

[@talanpomeroy4475]

Except when those rocks are repeatedly jammed into the tiller and you have to stop, get off, and clear it out.

[@midcoasttractorservice9182]

@@talanpomeroy4475 You just shut it off and pull foreward and it falls out. unless you have a legit road buried under what you are tilling and get a huge chink of asphalt in your tiller! I have a video of that exact thing happening

[@andrewpayzant531]

@@talanpomeroy4475 I have never had that happen. But the rocks in my area are mostly no bigger than softball size. I don't have any really big rocks

[@robertpayne2717]

We used caterpillar and Bomag soil stabilizer machine in construction for mixing hydrated lime and also Portland cement both forward and reverse types. Rear hood adjustment is the determining factor on how well the soil is pulverized...the longer you keep the soil inside the hood the better the pulverizing...

[@walterjwalnut9964]

Tim, can I provide an explanation for the presence/absence of washboard. As mentioned, your plot had a degree of washboard from last years corn rows. Both tractors had a case of the noddies as they worked across the existing washboard, causing the tillers to dig in as the front axle of the tractor rose over the washboard. Here the results diverge because of the direction of rotation of the tillers. The forward rotating machine tends to throw material of all sizes out the back of the machine and the washboard surface tends to appear a tractor and tiller length behind the front axle. As you observed the reverse rotating tiller tends to push larger clods of semi broken soil ahead of the tiller, along with any trash, but it also throws fines out the back. As the tractor moves forward, the tiller gets extra bites at the larger clods and reduces them and ejects the resulting fines out the back, effectively filling in any washboarding that has telegraphed to the surface due to the tractor nodding across the original washboards. I find a similar effect with my TroyBilt walk behind. Of course the whole washboard issue disappears if you till in the direction of the rows, rather than across them for the first pass.

[@mikegentile5030]

I have an offset 42” reverse rotation land pride tiller. It has more of an open design in the front so I do not get the trash buildup. It does great. It works great for my BX2380. I was told at the time of buying it that the reverse rotation are not good for rocky soil because they pull the rocks up into the rototiller. The forward rotation kind of jumps over them and pushes the out the back.

[@andrewanderson1436]

I have 4ft forward direction tiller its branded mahindra but its really a Kodiak brand it is heavy built and it will till deep. I love it. Its handled everything I've tilled like a champ. Just can't beat a good tiller.

[@tonygough8713]

Tim I have a older 32 hp kubota with a 5 ft forward tiller and the dealership said to always till with the tractor in 4 wheel drive , no humps and it goes 5 to 6 inches deep if the slides are set all the way up, I always enjoy your videos, thank you sir. God Bless.

[@bryandmelton]

I have an old craftsman tiller that does forward, and reverse tilling. I was taught that reverse tines is for breaking ground initially, and forward time is for finish work.

[@aaronburford5701]

Rrwatched! Just enjoyed the education of tillers by the master!

[@chrissterling3225]

Nice comparison...i think i'd prefer the forward tine..moreso in wetter conditions . I borrow my friends tiller..it does aid in pushing my tractor forward . I normally till my garden 4 times..i go lengthwise..then across it the short way..and alternate...comes out smooth and fluffy..almost hate to walk on it after it looks so nice lol . Great video folks..i'm purchasing a 4 ft king kutter shortly..your video helped me answer some questions..thanks

[@timheyboer4786]

I was really curious how they handled rocks. I guess I will have to wait. I was debating on switching my forward rotation to a reverse rotation. After watching this, I think I will leave it alone. Thanks.

[@chadzomek2948]

Great informative video as usual. I've never used a tiller on a tractor but have used both reverse (counter) rotating and forward rotating walk behind tillers. Counter rotating tillers a far better at breaking up new ground since they pull against the machine's forward momentum. I personally prefer forward rotating tillers for the following reasons. They are more forgiving in wetter conditions as they help the machine along a bit. They are better at incorporating cover crops, leaves and compost since they are far less likely to build up material in front of them. If I were doing a lot of new ground breaking it would be counter rotating all the way. Since I work mostly in already broken gardens, I really prefer the forward rotating design.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Welcome, Chad! Tractor mounted tillers are amazing!

[@rfb7117]

Tim, I have a 6' reverse tiller. It actually does a good job throwing the rocks over and back out of the back, some actually larger than softballs. I also experienced waves with a forward rotating tiller, and feel the reverse works better for me, although it does take more hp.

[@joshuaschneider3591]

My walk behind tiller uses a gearbox to offer both forward and reverse rotation. I would echo your findings here, and add that in heavy clay soils, it is next to impossible to till in reverse in the Spring because the damp soil, rather than crop trash, builds up in the front and causes problems with the drive wheels.

[@jamesheath9385]

Really liked the video. I would buy the forward rotating tiller

[@trippleosllc5873]

Wow, great video. I’ve got a JD425 with a 42” “forward” tine rotation that can be changed. I’ve been deciding whether or not to flip it. It does the waves but the the 2nd pass is better and obviously mine is a 20hp. That being said, a reverse tine would probably not fair well and take considerable amount of time to do the same work. FYI… we have 3 acres normally on our property to do. All of which has been tilled previously. Great video, thx!

[@kevinruppert3999]

I bought a woods RTR48.30 reverse tiller as there was no stock of forward and I wanted a tiller and supply was very limited. I tilled a bit for my neighbour and my first thots were the mound at the end and the amount of dirt thrown into my tractor which I didn’t like. So I decided to reverse it. Quite easy as flip the gearbox upside down and swap the vent and drain plugs and then switch all the tines to the opposite side of the flanges. Unfortunately it has been too wet to try it out yet but your video confirmed that I believe I have made the right decision. I may still add a rubber curtain extension to the front to contain the ground. I feel in sod the forward will do a better job at chopping up the roots especially if I go slowly whereas the reverse will leave more clumps. So just to note some tillers are relatively easy to change the rotation.

[@txdoodlebug]

Tim I apologize for my childish comment. You have a great channel with great content and I sincerely mean that.

[@tonymoon2022]

Excellent video. Very informative 👏

[@kentwood6099]

Enjoyed the video. Thanks. Kent from PEI

[@peterkober6758]

Tim Dave this is a good test forward is far better in my eyes thanks God Bless All PaK

[@wingersww]

Thanks!

[@APBT-Bandog]

Thank you for this video. It helped me make my decision. I can see the argument that "removing the trash" with the reverse tiller is a benefit, but something to consider is the reverse tiller is picking up the trash, lifting it up, and folding it forward instead of chopping it...while the forward tiller design has the tines smashing the trash down into soil that has not been tilled...allowing it to cut more trash up...not leaving big pieces, but actually busting it into smaller bits. I don't like the "hills" you have from rows with forward tillers, but I think a 90 degree cross cut on a first pass would help eliminate that issue. One other benefit for forward rotation is for the smaller tractors you can possibly go wider with any given horsepower since it doesn't pull back as hard. I will be going with a forward cut tiller.

[@jcz232321]

In my experience, the forward rotation tiller tends to throw or pass solid objects (i.e. rocks, metal objects, etc.) through and out of the back of the tiller, where the reverse rotation tiller will throw them forward (either keeping churning inside, or run over/into them again), which will either shear more pins (which is a good safety feature), or do more damage to itself (i.e. bend/break tines, damage the gears and/or gear box, or dent the tiller housing) all of which result in more "down-time". Normally ground is tilled multiple times (and for me, in multiple directions i.e. down & back, side to side, and in large areas, I will do bias passes), so any difference in tilled dirt quality would be pretty much negligible. If only choosing one, I go forward rotation. The fact that it's easier on the tractor, is also a plus. Easier on the tractor, means less diesel burned, and usually less repairs on both the tractor and implement(s).........usually. (My dad always said I was the kid that can destroy steel ball bearings with a rubber mallet) My 2cents are free, and worth what you pay. YW LOL

[@andysworld2188]

I have a LandPride reverse rotation Tiller and it has a rubber flap That hangs down to keep all the material from getting thrown forward in front of the tiller. I absolutely love it in the spring. It really tills the clay in my garden deep and if it isnt too moist it will get it super fine. I Bought it with a Kubota BX2370 and I actually till so deep that the tractor would start getting stuck and dragging the bottom of the frame so I would have to llift the tiller out of the ground to move the tractor. I have the B2650 Cab tractor now so i dont have that problem anymore. Just now the 50 inch tiller is a little to small for the tractor but it gets it done. My garden is only about 2,500 sq ft. Anyway in the fall I have to clean the garden really good and try mulching everything down with the mower before I go over it with the tiller otherwise I have the problem with all the trash collecting in front of it and gettig tangled up around the tines and the main shaft. But now after watching your video I am wondering why cant I just lift the rear gate all the way up on the tiller and drive backwards over the lare debris first to break it up before going over the whole garden. Another con for the reverse tiler is if it finds a big rock, piece of pipe or 4x4 thats burried in the ground it picks it up and jams it inside the housing cause you to spend a lot curse words trying to get it out and hoping it didnt get damaged. A forward tiller will kind of hop when it finds something like that and when it picks it up and out of the dirt it throws it behind the machine instead of inside it.

[@jdinnis]

I have an old Ariens Rocket V that is a forward rotation tiller. It is heavy enough and the engine is WAY out front, so it never tries to run away from you. Unless you for get to engage the drive wheels. Then things get exciting! That tiller is at least 30 years old and I LOVE it. Not as fast as a tractor mounted unit, but still the best walk behind tiller I have ever seen. I always till the garden twice. First across rows to break up the furrows then along the rows to clean it all up.

[@pc5569]

Hey Christy, the tines are a reversed as well as the rotation so we have to cut Tim a little slack.😊. Just a little though. Great comparison on the two style of tillers.

[@indycountryliving4496]

Great video on both options. If you ever have the opportunity to demo a Rotodarian, I encourage you to take the opportunity. I had one and the one major plus, it never bunched up in front of the tiller and it buries everything in one pass. I literally could till vegetation 2 ft tall and after one pass, you have nothing but a great seed bed....no grass, no weeds, no rocks.

[@RustyCarnahan]

I've often thought that a gear driven tractor does better work with a forward rotation tiller. Forward travel speed, I think, stays more consistent than with a hydrostatic when the tiller hits a tough spot and tries to push the tractor forwards. Also, something I do on my garden is till on the diagonal the first pass, then switch diagonals in an "X" pattern, then till around the borders to finish up. Does a good job at eliminating the ridges left from corn rows, cucumber, and potato hills.

[@jared7871]

I have the forward rotating John Deere 655 on my 2025 r and I love it

[@cameronharris6627]

From the perspective of a landscaper working on property not your own, with tons of "unknowns" lurking underneath the soil... (tree roots, large rocks, random chunks of steel, etc.) forward rotating is the safer option. Hitting one of these things with reverse rotating can be very damaging to the tiller and possibly the tractor. I used my forward rotating tiller for prepping ground to lay sod last year. The commercial property we were working at did not tell us of the large trees that had previously been in the area we were working. I can say that I've seen a 400lb tiller jump 10" in the air.... full pucker.

[@ReinQuest]

One day I’ll watch to the end before I ask questions. 😅 Based on this I’d buy a forward tiller. The reverse is harder on the tractor. Maybe I’d consider otherwise if they were mechanical vs hydrostatic. But it still fails the trash part. If I had it my way I’d use a moldboard and flip it first because I want the old plant trash under. But we’re talking all-in-one solution and that was better done by the forward rotation.

[@tomprosser4588]

I have a 50" reverse rotation land pride tiller and feel I can till deeper and keep the tiller in the ground on our hard soils. Power doesn't matter too much because I can easily slow down and be able to plant in one pass with hydrostatic tractor. I have a MF GC1705 and it works great. Awesome video!

[@hugostiglitz8465]

Tom, I have the same tiller, these things are very well built.