Vines tangled up in tiller

[TractorGuy]

I have only used my new tiller a couple times. Each time it ends up trapping vines under the bearing protection tabs on the ends of the axle. The tines remain perfectly clean. They just wad up around the ends of the axle.

Anybody have a solution? I'm thinking I will try sharpening the leading edges first. If that doesn't work I'm tempted to just cut those tabs off. They seem to cause the problem they were designed to prevent.

 

[arto98607]

Share few detail photos with us please.
Which brand tiller?

 

[3gunr]

I have two different types and brands of tillers and they both end up with all the grass and roots wound up in the ends. I keep a long screwdriver and knife with me to cut and pry it out every so often.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I have had the same issue in unworked areas. I've tried rotary cutting, box blade rippers, landscape rake, spraying and letting things get nice and dead, running the tines of the grapple through the soil, and even a field cultivator. If you have as many vines and small roots in your soil it seems like it will bind up the tiller. Most of the options above kept it down though as opposed to doing nothing and cleaning it out every 15 minutes or so.

 

[cqaigy2]

Maybe mow first?

 

[jeff9366]

I do not have a tiller but occasionally get vines wrapped around Disc Harrow gangs in the same manner.

I use a battery powered Sawzall with a 9" blade to turn the vines into short segments easily.

 

[mikester]

Its the nature of the beast, you just have to make an effort to keep checking and cleaning. Old barb wire fencing and baler twine will wind up tight too.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I also have vine issues but no tiller etc. While clearing by hand, a tree falls and they engulf you. There are times I start to laugh, thinking i'm in some B science fiction movie. My old dog ranger went down a couple of months ago but just before that, i found him tied up in vines and had I not found him, it would have been bad!

I drag my ratchet rake thru the vines and in my case, it rips them out. When I go to the woods, I usually try to carry a pruner in my pocket.

A couple weeks ago, My forest clearing guy got a logging cable wrapped up in his equipment, that was a Job!

 

[CoyPatton]

Maybe mow first?

As short as possible prior to tilling several days before hand. The dryer the grass/vines the less they seem to remain as a long pieces but break apart easier

 

[Ford850]

Can the tabs be altered so they have less clearance? I've seen some that have nearly no gap at all, but if the vines are very tin they might be able to slide under the tabs anyway.