Troy-Bilt 12168 owner manual Clearing Debris from the Tines, If you plan carefully before planting

Section 4: Operation

Clearing Debris from the Tines

WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, shut off the engine, let all moving parts stop completely, disconnect the spark plug wire and move the wire away from the plug before attempting to clean the tiller tines.

Long grass, string, or tough vines may become tangled in the tines. It’s not necessary to remove all of the tangled material for best tilling results, but the bulk of the material should be removed for effective tilling. The tine hood may be removed for the most complete tine cleaning.

To avoid tangled materials:

•Till under crop residues or cover crops while they are still green.

•Using the handlebar, swing the tiller from side-to-side (6" to 12" each way) occasionally– this can clear up tangles.

•If tangled material begins to build up, stop the engine, let all moving parts stop completely, disconnect the spark plug wire, move the wire away from the plug, then use a pocket knife or linoleum knife to cut the material away.

How to Operate Your Machine as a Front Tine Tiller/Cultivator

The VersaTiller is not only a very capable, high-performance rear tine tiller, but a wonderful front tine tiller/cultivator as well. Its cultivating capabilities will help your garden, flower beds, and shrubbery areas flourish the entire growing season.

If you plan carefully before planting,

you can leave enough room between plant rows for later cultivating. That will eliminate most hand-weeding or hoeing chores during the growing season. Allow for the overall wheel width (16") between rows plus some additional room for plant growth (particularly for bushy crops like beans, tomatoes, peas, etc.) See Fig. 4-12.

Tine Width (all four tine gangs): 12"

Tine Width (inner tine gangs only): 71⁄4"

Wheel-to-Wheel Width: 16"

1.Be sure the equipment is in front tine tiller/cultivator mode (see Fig.4-8 and 4- 12). The handlebar must be positioned over the engine and the tine hood removed. (See Page 14 for instructions.)

2.Start the engine and let it warm up. Adjust the throttle lever to a medium engine speed.

3.Stand behind the handlebar and at the front of the engine (Fig. 4-12). Close the DRIVE BAIL against the handlebar and the tines will revolve.

4.The rotating tines will pull the machine along as it tills or cultivates. You can push down on the handlebar to raise the tines if they stay in one location too long.

5.To stop the tines, let go of the drive bail. To stop the engine, move the engine throttle lever all the way down to STOP.

Cultivating Tips:

•Shallow cultivating is most effective. Don’t let the tines dig in too deeply as you proceed through a row. To prevent this from happening, push down on the handlebar to raise the tines up. Also use the handlebar as a depth control so the tines do not till up vegetable plant roots which are deeper than weed roots.

•Sweep the tines from side to side by moving the handlebar. This action imi- tates hand-weeding and prevents the tines from staying in one location too long.

•You may remove both outer tine gangs if a narrower overall tine width will help cultivate between individual plants. Simply take off the hardware that secures both outer tine gangs and slide the outer gangs off the tine shaft.

Cultivating in Flower Beds and in Confined Shrubbery Areas

The VersaTiller is designed to help you cultivate easily in and around congested flower beds and shrub areas. If necessary, simply remove the two outer tine gangs. The remaining inner tine gangs measure just 71⁄4" overall. You can “poke” these tines into very compact areas without damaging flowers, leaves and stems.

IMPORTANT: When in front tine tiller/ cultivator mode, only the tines are powered when the Drive Bail is closed– NOT THE WHEELS. In this mode, the wheels are always in “freewheel” and the equipment can be easily moved.

Fig. 4-12: Cultivating in the garden.

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