Rotavator issue

[Gilberd]

Hi

I recently brought a second hand petrol rotavator. It was running a bit rough so took it for service. Now it's back, I have given it a try on the allotment and it seems to just scratch the surface of the soil. It's on the lowest setting but it's not doing anything, just ticking the soil. It seems like it need weight on the front but am I missing something obvious?

Rotavator is JD Mountfield.
Many thanks

[Aberdeenplotter]

All rotavators will not necessarily be able to dig into compacted soil. I have several machines, a two stroke mantis, a Howard bantam, a merrytiller and a Howard 300. Only the Howard 300 will dig into compacted soil, the others will only bounce over the surface or till a shallow path at best. Even the Howard 300 will struggle unless the drive belt is tightened like a fiddle string to quote my service engineer.

Just pushing a fork into the ground and levering back to break the ground will help. Good luck with it

[cptncrackoff]

One thing to check, is that it has the ground spike on the back and that it's extended?
Pushing down on the handles, this depth spike will pull the machine down and into the ground, rather than scoot across the top.

[Stan79]

As above, my rotavator only works once the soil is broken up by hand a bit first!

[lottie dolly]

We have a little tiller,not that it gets used,but they have to be used with a different action,as in put it away from you and bring it towards you,very hard work on the arms,i am banned from it,we also have a small one with the depth gage on it,it works better,but no good on hard ground,sons Howard gem is a beast and a half,it seems to be the only machine to do a deep dig,but you need a good space to use it in,plus look out for brick end and other debri,you do not want to be hit by things,or damage your machine,

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I have a "Four Stroke" Mantis which to be honest, not the cheapest! But the "Dog's Bo**ocks!" Really class it as a Tiller rather than a rotovater, but wouldn't be without it, then an "Earthqake" a beast of a machine, as CPT said, needs to be controlled from the earth spike behind, But really the soil needs to be workable and not frozen for whatever machine you decide to use!

[Gilberd]

Thank you for the great comments.
I think I thought it would be the magic solution to not digging over but will give it a go over with a fork first then have another go with rota.

[starloc]

if its one with a front wheel you have put the front wheel up off the ground havent you , mine wasnt digging till i worked that out