Kirk,

Is it possible you are using the wrong pin? There are several pins, including the pivot pin for the wheel assembly and the pin that locks the wheels up, back, or down. Compare the sizes of your pins and use the "fattest" one for the drag bar.

Also, take the drag bar out and inspect the detents. If the detent that you are using is deeper than the others, try using the next detent up or the next detent down.

Incidentally, did you get the optional captive pin with spring system? I paid extra to get that on my International. It is a minor convenience.

MM

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have the captive pin assembly though I think it was standard when I bought it. I checked it out and all the pins seem to be the same width and length. After examining it carefully it looks like the problem is the pin holding the drag bar is only long enough that the tapered tip fits through on the other side. This seems to allow enough play for the drag bar to slip out of position when it is under pressure.

Maybe I can find a longer pin or replace it with one that has a cotter pin?

Kirk

Kirk,

The captive pin assembly depends on a spring pushing the pin through and it may be that dirt or rust is keeping the spring from pushing the pin as far as it will go. You might need to tap it with a hammer.

My old Merry Tiller Exporter had no captive pin assembly and you had to tap the pin through yourself. It did secure the pin with a cotter pin. It worked well for many years.

MM

I talked to a customer service guy at MacKissic and he said, "I haven't seen this problem in 15 years". He said right after they acquired Merry Tiller this was a known problem with the captive pin assembly on International models but that they had changed the dies and it was OK now. That didn't explain how I have the problem, but he said he would send me a set of the older style pins which ought to take care of it. I'll update this thread after I get them.

Kirk,

Let us know how the "older style" pins work. Did MacKissic send you those pins with no charge to you?

MM

Keep forgetting to update this. MacKissic did send me the pins for free. I had to drill the opening for the drag bar pin to 7/16, and using the new pin did prevent the bar from slipping.

However, the pin quickly became dented and needed to be tapped out with a hammer. After loaning the tiller to a friend the pin actually bent and is no longer usable. I called MacKissic back and they said this should not have happened since the pin was supposed to be hardened. They are supposed to send me another one.

MacKissic customer support is very helpful and there does appear to be a solution to the problem. Hopefully the next pin will have been appropriately hardened and I'll be back in business.

Kirk,

I had a similar problem with my old Exporter Merry Tiller. The pin and the drag bar holder and the drag bar itself all seemed to get a bit deformed by pressure on them. I had a drift pin that I got from an old hardware store that I frequently used to drive the pins out. I also used the drift pin on my tine pins as well.

Hope you get a hardened pin, but if you do, expect it to deform either your drag bar notches or the drag bar holder or both. There is a lot of stress in that area.

MM

I probably should start a new thread for a question I have, as I don't want to "hijack" a thread, but I can't pass up a chance to get some input from Merry tiller users, and I see two experienced users here, and, after two days, perhaps the original question has been answered. Also, I purchased it partially due to maineman's glowing references and explanations of its features.

I bought one last year, have been very happy with it mechanically so far, but I have been rather disappointed with the owner's manual. It offers no operating tips. It may be that I am just too stupid to own one. I admit to being short on engineering ability and physics, as I wasted my productive life and most of my education in the business and accounting fields.

My problem: I can't understand the drag bar.

I understand its purpose is partially to keep the tiller from running away from you and punching a big hole in something. I suspect it also has a role in regulating tilling depth, but I have not yet been able to determine exactly how. (It took me several hours of operation to figure out that, unlike cycling, running, walking, and everything else in my experience, you do not lean into, but rather away from, a turn).

I still do not have a huge number of hours running it, but have so far been unable to determine if the drag bar setting has an effect on tilling depth, or if it is just up to gravity and soil density to determine tilling depth.

Question: Does the drag bar setting have an influence on the tilling depth? Does it put upward or downward pressure on the tiller? Or is its only purpose to keep the machine from dragging the user through the dirt? If so, why does it have so many possible settings?

Tom

Tom,

The main purpose of the drag bar is to make it easy for you to keep the forward rotating tines from running away with the tiller. But there is a lot more to it than that. However, the muscular reflexes of your body learn how to use the drag bar and explaining its use is a little like trying to tell someone how to ride a bicycle. Only the bicycle can tell you that and it is your muscular reflexes that learn, not your brain. That said, I will try to add some understanding.

Notice that you can adjust the depth of the drag bar. If you want to till deeper, adjust the drag bar downward. If you want to self-power the tiller back to the garage, raise the drag bar to its highest setting and lower the wheels.

When you want to till deeper, push down on the handlebars. If you think the tiller is digging in too deep, raise up on the handles a bit.

You can pivot on the drag bar to "turn on a dime". At the end of a row, release the clutch, raise up on the handles to raise the drag bar up out of the ground a bit, kick some dirt into the drag bar hole, push down on the handles to raise the tines a bit, and then with the tiller essentially balanced on the drag bar, pivot the tiller 90 degrees, advance two or three feet, repeat the pivot another 90 degrees to have the tiller aimed back to till the next row.

Or, as you have already discovered, you can "horse" the tiller with the handles in a tight turn to head back for the next row, by tilting it so that the outside rotor pulls the tiller around. I use both techniques. But you can turn tighter with the drag bar pivoting method and, if an obstacle is involved, you may need to use the tighter turning pivot method.

But, as I suggested in the bicycle analogy, your tiller can "teach you" more than I ever could. And it is your muscle reflexes that need to learn. Just know that you don't have to "fight" your tiller like those rear-tined tiller advertisements would have you believe.

You may start off with the "thinking" method, by realizing that you are starting to "dig in" and need to lift up a bit on the handlebars. Or that you want to till deeper, and need to push down on the handlebars. But eventually reflexes will take over and you can just enjoy the scenery while you are tilling.

This same thing applies to your clutching. If you see a toad about to be injured by the tines, you will release the clutch without even thinking about it. Rear-tined tillers treat toads and such rather badly.

Incidentally, I do keep a fairly close eye on the tilling zone, which is something that the "open" design of the Merry Tillers and other mid-tined tillers will let you do. Occasionally your tiller will unearth something of interest. I found a watch that way, and a ring. And if you unearth a piece of glass or a nail, you might want to remove that as a possible hazard to your "hands on" gardening.

MM

For trying to help.

I did realize the drag bar is adjustable, and have tried every possible setting to try to determine what difference it makes in tilling depth, without reaching a conclusion as to whether it tills deeper with the drag bar higher or lower. I do realize its importance in helping me avoid breaking down my fence, or my fence from hurting me.

I also discovered the pivoting on the drag bar thing in turning. I am also pretty good at using the clutch to avoid damaging things, as my garden is completely fenced, has a greenhouse in it and a driveway through it, and I want to use every possible square foot inside the fence and outside the greenhouse and driveway. Also, I use a small tractor with a tiller and loader in the same area, and even with it try to "farm" all possible space without knocking something down or damaging the tiller on the driveway. Quick reflexes on the clutch are required with it, also, as it could do much more damage to my fence and greenhouse than the Merry tiller.

If you want to till deeper, adjust the drag bar downward.

When you want to till deeper, push down on the handlebars. If you think the tiller is digging in too deep, raise up on the handles a bit.

These two sentences from your explanation seem to address my main question, but the results I get do not seem to jibe with your advice.

1. If I adjust the drag bar lower, it will act as a fulcrum, and raise the tiller blades, and the tiller will not till as deep.

2.A. If I push down on the handlebars, the drag will again act as a fulcrum, and raise the tiller blades.

2.B. If I raise up the handlebars, I remove all leverage of the drag bar, and put more weight on the tiller blades, so I would think it would till deeper.

I think I have decided the drag bar is just a drag, or anchor, and has no effect on tilling depth. My tiller will only go so deep (9 or 10 inches), and that is all. My quess is, the softer your soil, the deeper your tiller will go, and the deeper you need your drag bar set to keep it from running away.

I will experiment more at the end of this gardening season, and try again to determine if the drag bar does more than drag.

Thanks again for your help. And thanks for providing the good information on the Merry tiller over the last several years. I am very happy with it. Seems to be a great machine.