Earthquake Vector (21") 98cc Front Tine Tiller

I don't have a large garden, 30' X 15' so I was looking for a compact tiller. The ground had been tilled the year before so it was not new ground. I made sure the tiller had oil and I added gas. It started very easy on the first pull. I let it run for a few minutes and got to tilling.
I found that once the tiller dug down, it would start to bog down and often times would die. So I pulled it back to start it and the same thing would happen. I managed to get one length down the garden, turned around and started in again. The engine went "ping" and died immediately. I could not get it started again. So I packed it up and returned it. Got a front tine with a 206 CC and it did not bog down at all. I feel the 98cc motor was just too little for the task. This size of the motor should be on a cultivator rather than a tiller.

I don't have a large garden, 30' X 15' so I was looking for a compact tiller. The ground had been tilled the year before so it was not new ground. I made sure the tiller had oil and I added gas. It started very easy on the first pull. I let it run for a few minutes and got to tilling.
I found that once the tiller dug down, it would start to bog down and often times would die. So I pulled it back to start it and the same thing would happen. I managed to get one length down the garden, turned around and started in again. The engine went "ping" and died immediately. I could not get it ... more

The depth drag stake is poorly designed. It has to be removed or raised so that after starting the tiller I can walk it from my storage shed to the garden.

Then it must be lowered and pinned at the desired depth at the garden. This is a problem if you are 75 years old and have arthritis.
My previous tiller had the stake attached with a bolt to the tiller where it would pivot forward at the bottom allowing me to set the depth and pull the bottom front of the stake up and secure with a bungee cord clearing the ground. Then I could walk the tiller to and from the storage shed without further adjustments. When I got to the garden, I could remove the bungee cord and I was ready to plow. When the plow clogged with dirt at the wheels, I could tilt the tiller forward and easily kick out the clog. This maneuver is more difficult to do with the permanently positioned drag stake between the wheels on the Earthquake.

The engine is surprisingly strong and it burns very little gasoline. I may need to adjust the engagement clutch a little since it clanks with a loud noise each time I engage it.

The depth drag stake is poorly designed. It has to be removed or raised so that after starting the tiller I can walk it from my storage shed to the garden.

Then it must be lowered and pinned at the desired depth at the garden. This is a problem if you are 75 years old and have arthritis.
My previous tiller had the stake attached with a bolt to the tiller where it would pivot forward at the bottom allowing me to set the depth and pull the bottom front of the stake up and secure with a bungee cord clearing the ground. Then I could walk the tiller to and from the storage shed without furth... more